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Mal has a great sense of humor | question: How is the sense?, context: <I received and ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review>5 Stars!!I am a huge Kylie Scott fan-girl. I was very excited for this book to come out. Malcolm “Mal” Ericson was a favorite character in the first book “Lick.” Mal has a great sense of humor but in some instances he uses his humor to cover up his hurt. He is a hot alpha male Rock Star. Who does not love a hot Rock Star? Along comes Anne Rollins. She has a lot of responsibilities and is overwhelmed by life. Mal is intrigued and moves right in on her. Anne is not sure of Mal’s true feelings because he covers them with his humor so we have a lot of emotional turmoil on Anne’s part.This book takes you through the gamut of emotions, love, giddiness, heartbreak, angst (a lot of it), and laughter. At several points in the book I was ready to strangle or slap Anne! I had to walk away from the kindle and regroup. Kylie provokes these emotions in you with her brilliant writing. As usual Kylie steams up the pages of your book with her love scenes.One of my favorite parts of the book is the jumping on the bed. (I won’t say anymore to ruin it) I was laughing out loud and swooning at the sweetness of the moment. There are several swoon worthy moments in this book. Read it to find out. You will love Malcolm just as much as I did. At the end I did feel it was a little rushed and would have liked to know just a hair more than what was given. I do realize we will see more of Mal and Anne throughout the other books. I am excited for this.I would recommend this book to all. You will not be disappointed in this addition of the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but if you read “Lick” first you will understand all the characters and what is going on. I am really looking forward to the next addition to the series “Lead” Jimmy’s Story.Bravo Ms Scott on another example of brilliant writing. You make me laugh. Thank you.Quotes:What was truly upsetting was the way he separated my hands from his body. They wept silently. – Anne“Life’s a song, Anne. Let’s play.” My life hadn’t been much of a song… at least not up until this point. – Anne“We’ve broken my bed,” I said, stating the obvious. “In battle, sacrifices must be made, pumpkin” – MalUpon reflection, I don’t think I’d make a very good cowgirl because my thigh muscles still hadn’t quite recovered from the ride. – Anne“Anne, my pants itch. I think I’m allergic to them. Come help me take ‘em off.” – Mal | How is the sense? | Malcolm “Mal” Ericson was a favorite character in the first book “Lick.” Mal has a great sense of humor but in some instances he uses his humor to cover up his hurt. | <I received and ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review>5 Stars!!I am a huge Kylie Scott fan-girl. I was very excited for this book to come out. Malcolm “Mal” Ericson was a favorite character in the first book “Lick.” Mal has a great sense of humor but in some instances he uses his humor to cover up his hurt. He is a hot alpha male Rock Star. Who does not love a hot Rock Star? Along comes Anne Rollins. She has a lot of responsibilities and is overwhelmed by life. Mal is intrigued and moves right in on her. Anne is not sure of Mal’s true feelings because he covers them with his humor so we have a lot of emotional turmoil on Anne’s part.This book takes you through the gamut of emotions, love, giddiness, heartbreak, angst (a lot of it), and laughter. At several points in the book I was ready to strangle or slap Anne! I had to walk away from the kindle and regroup. Kylie provokes these emotions in you with her brilliant writing. As usual Kylie steams up the pages of your book with her love scenes.One of my favorite parts of the book is the jumping on the bed. (I won’t say anymore to ruin it) I was laughing out loud and swooning at the sweetness of the moment. There are several swoon worthy moments in this book. Read it to find out. You will love Malcolm just as much as I did. At the end I did feel it was a little rushed and would have liked to know just a hair more than what was given. I do realize we will see more of Mal and Anne throughout the other books. I am excited for this.I would recommend this book to all. You will not be disappointed in this addition of the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but if you read “Lick” first you will understand all the characters and what is going on. I am really looking forward to the next addition to the series “Lead” Jimmy’s Story.Bravo Ms Scott on another example of brilliant writing. You make me laugh. Thank you.Quotes:What was truly upsetting was the way he separated my hands from his body. They wept silently. – Anne“Life’s a song, Anne. Let’s play.” My life hadn’t been much of a song… at least not up until this point. – Anne“We’ve broken my bed,” I said, stating the obvious. “In battle, sacrifices must be made, pumpkin” – MalUpon reflection, I don’t think I’d make a very good cowgirl because my thigh muscles still hadn’t quite recovered from the ride. – Anne“Anne, my pants itch. I think I’m allergic to them. Come help me take ‘em off.” – Mal | Malcolm “Mal” Ericson was a favorite character in the first book “Lick.” <hl> Mal has a great sense of humor <hl> but in some instances he uses his humor to cover up his hurt. | <I received and ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review>5 Stars!!I am a huge Kylie Scott fan-girl. I was very excited for this book to come out. Malcolm “Mal” Ericson was a favorite character in the first book “Lick.” <hl> Mal has a great sense of humor <hl> but in some instances he uses his humor to cover up his hurt. He is a hot alpha male Rock Star. Who does not love a hot Rock Star? Along comes Anne Rollins. She has a lot of responsibilities and is overwhelmed by life. Mal is intrigued and moves right in on her. Anne is not sure of Mal’s true feelings because he covers them with his humor so we have a lot of emotional turmoil on Anne’s part.This book takes you through the gamut of emotions, love, giddiness, heartbreak, angst (a lot of it), and laughter. At several points in the book I was ready to strangle or slap Anne! I had to walk away from the kindle and regroup. Kylie provokes these emotions in you with her brilliant writing. As usual Kylie steams up the pages of your book with her love scenes.One of my favorite parts of the book is the jumping on the bed. (I won’t say anymore to ruin it) I was laughing out loud and swooning at the sweetness of the moment. There are several swoon worthy moments in this book. Read it to find out. You will love Malcolm just as much as I did. At the end I did feel it was a little rushed and would have liked to know just a hair more than what was given. I do realize we will see more of Mal and Anne throughout the other books. I am excited for this.I would recommend this book to all. You will not be disappointed in this addition of the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but if you read “Lick” first you will understand all the characters and what is going on. I am really looking forward to the next addition to the series “Lead” Jimmy’s Story.Bravo Ms Scott on another example of brilliant writing. You make me laugh. Thank you.Quotes:What was truly upsetting was the way he separated my hands from his body. They wept silently. – Anne“Life’s a song, Anne. Let’s play.” My life hadn’t been much of a song… at least not up until this point. – Anne“We’ve broken my bed,” I said, stating the obvious. “In battle, sacrifices must be made, pumpkin” – MalUpon reflection, I don’t think I’d make a very good cowgirl because my thigh muscles still hadn’t quite recovered from the ride. – Anne“Anne, my pants itch. I think I’m allergic to them. Come help me take ‘em off.” – Mal | <I received and ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review>5 Stars!!I am a huge Kylie Scott fan-girl. I was very excited for this book to come out. <hl> Malcolm “Mal” Ericson was a favorite character in the first book “Lick.” Mal has a great sense of humor but in some instances he uses his humor to cover up his hurt. <hl> He is a hot alpha male Rock Star. Who does not love a hot Rock Star? Along comes Anne Rollins. She has a lot of responsibilities and is overwhelmed by life. Mal is intrigued and moves right in on her. Anne is not sure of Mal’s true feelings because he covers them with his humor so we have a lot of emotional turmoil on Anne’s part. This book takes you through the gamut of emotions, love, giddiness, heartbreak, angst (a lot of it), and laughter. At several points in the book I was ready to strangle or slap Anne! I had to walk away from the kindle and regroup. Kylie provokes these emotions in you with her brilliant writing. As usual Kylie steams up the pages of your book with her love scenes. One of my favorite parts of the book is the jumping on the bed. (I won’t say anymore to ruin it) I was laughing out loud and swooning at the sweetness of the moment. There are several swoon worthy moments in this book. Read it to find out. You will love Malcolm just as much as I did. At the end I did feel it was a little rushed and would have liked to know just a hair more than what was given. I do realize we will see more of Mal and Anne throughout the other books. I am excited for this. I would recommend this book to all. You will not be disappointed in this addition of the series. It can be read as a stand-alone but if you read “Lick” first you will understand all the characters and what is going on. I am really looking forward to the next addition to the series “Lead” Jimmy’s Story. Bravo Ms Scott on another example of brilliant writing. You make me laugh. Thank you. Quotes:What was truly upsetting was the way he separated my hands from his body. They wept silently. – ; Anne“Life’s a song, Anne. Let’s play.” My life hadn’t been much of a song… at least not up until this point. – Anne“We’ve broken my bed,” I said, stating the obvious. “In battle, sacrifices must be made, pumpkin” – MalUpon reflection, I don’t think I’d make a very good cowgirl because my thigh muscles still hadn’t quite recovered from the ride. – Anne“Anne, my pants itch. I think I’m allergic to them. Come help me take ‘em off.” – Mal | 1a8a2fa94bc96f1f14232da86a926d79 | 1 | 1 | books |
this story impressed me on many levels | question: What story do I tell you?, context: From page one until almost the last, this story impressed me on many levels--As a writer, I was impressed and envious that a first novel could be SO good.As a reader, I fell in love with the voices of the book's 3 main characters--Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny--and never wanted their story to end.As a human being, the stories of black servants and their white employers in 1960s Mississippi alternately wrenched my heart and created a bitter knot in my stomach. As a white person, the attitudes of (most of) the white characters in this story are an embarassment to me. I know it's just a novel, but I also know (even with not having lived any further south than Virginia) that these attitudes are not fiction.The bond between Aibileen and Mae Mobley, one of the two white children she cared for, was beautifully drawn, as was Aibileen's hope for MaeMo to grow up a different kind of white woman than her mother and most other white women who inhabit the story.The balance these characters had to dance between wanting to do something that felt RIGHT--something that mattered and might help the next generation have a better life--and the fear of doing so in that racially explosive time and place was palpable throughout much of the story.In the last half of the book, I was reading while watching TV--something I don't think I've EVER done before--reading during commercials, reading in bed, reading on the porch...I felt that I HAD to keep reading. Until the last chapter or two, I was absolutely convinced that I was going to give this book a 5-star review. I was telling everyone I knew about it and recommending it heartily.But then came the ending, and I found it SO unsatisfying...especially compared to how incredibly satisfying I found the rest of the book. I may be wrong, but it screamed one of two things to me--sequel or tight deadline; i.e., either things were left unfinished because there's going to be another book or she ran out of time to bring it to the complete, fulfilling and heart-gladdening ending that this amazing story deserved.I still very much recommend the book; just perhaps not as enthusiastically as I would have 50, 100 or 400 pages ago.Edited 08/11/11 to add that I just came from seeing the movie version of The Help and I thought it was FABULOUS! The movie's director and the book's author are friends since childhood, so I was very hopeful that he would do a good job bringing this wonderful story to the screen and, in my opinion, he has. The acting is marvelous, especially from Viola Davis (Aibileen) and Octavia Spencer (Minnie). If you loved this book, I think you'll love the movie too! | What story do I tell you? | From page one until almost the last, this story impressed me on many levels --As a writer, I was impressed and envious that a first novel could be SO good. | From page one until almost the last, this story impressed me on many levels--As a writer, I was impressed and envious that a first novel could be SO good.As a reader, I fell in love with the voices of the book's 3 main characters--Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny--and never wanted their story to end.As a human being, the stories of black servants and their white employers in 1960s Mississippi alternately wrenched my heart and created a bitter knot in my stomach. As a white person, the attitudes of (most of) the white characters in this story are an embarassment to me. I know it's just a novel, but I also know (even with not having lived any further south than Virginia) that these attitudes are not fiction.The bond between Aibileen and Mae Mobley, one of the two white children she cared for, was beautifully drawn, as was Aibileen's hope for MaeMo to grow up a different kind of white woman than her mother and most other white women who inhabit the story.The balance these characters had to dance between wanting to do something that felt RIGHT--something that mattered and might help the next generation have a better life--and the fear of doing so in that racially explosive time and place was palpable throughout much of the story.In the last half of the book, I was reading while watching TV--something I don't think I've EVER done before--reading during commercials, reading in bed, reading on the porch...I felt that I HAD to keep reading. Until the last chapter or two, I was absolutely convinced that I was going to give this book a 5-star review. I was telling everyone I knew about it and recommending it heartily.But then came the ending, and I found it SO unsatisfying...especially compared to how incredibly satisfying I found the rest of the book. I may be wrong, but it screamed one of two things to me--sequel or tight deadline; i.e., either things were left unfinished because there's going to be another book or she ran out of time to bring it to the complete, fulfilling and heart-gladdening ending that this amazing story deserved.I still very much recommend the book; just perhaps not as enthusiastically as I would have 50, 100 or 400 pages ago.Edited 08/11/11 to add that I just came from seeing the movie version of The Help and I thought it was FABULOUS! The movie's director and the book's author are friends since childhood, so I was very hopeful that he would do a good job bringing this wonderful story to the screen and, in my opinion, he has. The acting is marvelous, especially from Viola Davis (Aibileen) and Octavia Spencer (Minnie). If you loved this book, I think you'll love the movie too! | From page one until almost the last, <hl> this story impressed me on many levels <hl> --As a writer, I was impressed and envious that a first novel could be SO good. | From page one until almost the last, <hl> this story impressed me on many levels <hl>--As a writer, I was impressed and envious that a first novel could be SO good.As a reader, I fell in love with the voices of the book's 3 main characters--Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny--and never wanted their story to end.As a human being, the stories of black servants and their white employers in 1960s Mississippi alternately wrenched my heart and created a bitter knot in my stomach. As a white person, the attitudes of (most of) the white characters in this story are an embarassment to me. I know it's just a novel, but I also know (even with not having lived any further south than Virginia) that these attitudes are not fiction.The bond between Aibileen and Mae Mobley, one of the two white children she cared for, was beautifully drawn, as was Aibileen's hope for MaeMo to grow up a different kind of white woman than her mother and most other white women who inhabit the story.The balance these characters had to dance between wanting to do something that felt RIGHT--something that mattered and might help the next generation have a better life--and the fear of doing so in that racially explosive time and place was palpable throughout much of the story.In the last half of the book, I was reading while watching TV--something I don't think I've EVER done before--reading during commercials, reading in bed, reading on the porch...I felt that I HAD to keep reading. Until the last chapter or two, I was absolutely convinced that I was going to give this book a 5-star review. I was telling everyone I knew about it and recommending it heartily.But then came the ending, and I found it SO unsatisfying...especially compared to how incredibly satisfying I found the rest of the book. I may be wrong, but it screamed one of two things to me--sequel or tight deadline; i.e., either things were left unfinished because there's going to be another book or she ran out of time to bring it to the complete, fulfilling and heart-gladdening ending that this amazing story deserved.I still very much recommend the book; just perhaps not as enthusiastically as I would have 50, 100 or 400 pages ago.Edited 08/11/11 to add that I just came from seeing the movie version of The Help and I thought it was FABULOUS! The movie's director and the book's author are friends since childhood, so I was very hopeful that he would do a good job bringing this wonderful story to the screen and, in my opinion, he has. The acting is marvelous, especially from Viola Davis (Aibileen) and Octavia Spencer (Minnie). If you loved this book, I think you'll love the movie too! | <hl> From page one until almost the last, this story impressed me on many levels --As a writer, I was impressed and envious that a first novel could be SO good. <hl> As a reader, I fell in love with the voices of the book's 3 main characters--Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny--and never wanted their story to end. As a human being, the stories of black servants and their white employers in 1960s Mississippi alternately wrenched my heart and created a bitter knot in my stomach. As a white person, the attitudes of (most of) the white characters in this story are an embarassment to me. I know it's just a novel, but I also know (even with not having lived any further south than Virginia) that these attitudes are not fiction. The bond between Aibileen and Mae Mobley, one of the two white children she cared for, was beautifully drawn, as was Aibileen's hope for MaeMo to grow up a different kind of white woman than her mother and most other white women who inhabit the story. The balance these characters had to dance between wanting to do something that felt RIGHT--something that mattered and might help the next generation have a better life--and the fear of doing so in that racially explosive time and place was palpable throughout much of the story. In the last half of the book, I was reading while watching TV--something I don't think I've EVER done before--reading during commercials, reading in bed, reading on the porch... I felt that I HAD to keep reading. Until the last chapter or two, I was absolutely convinced that I was going to give this book a 5-star review. I was telling everyone I knew about it and recommending it heartily. But then came the ending, and I found it SO unsatisfying...especially compared to how incredibly satisfying I found the rest of the book. I may be wrong, but it screamed one of two things to me--sequel or tight deadline; i.e., either things were left unfinished because there's going to be another book or she ran out of time to bring it to the complete, fulfilling and heart-gladdening ending that this amazing story deserved. I still very much recommend the book; just perhaps not as enthusiastically as I would have 50, 100 or 400 pages ago. Edited 08/11/11 to add that I just came from seeing the movie version of The Help and I thought it was FABULOUS! The movie's director and the book's author are friends since childhood, so I was very hopeful that he would do a good job bringing this wonderful story to the screen and, in my opinion, he has. The acting is marvelous, especially from Viola Davis (Aibileen) and Octavia Spencer (Minnie). If you loved this book, I think you'll love the movie too! | 46f2c77caa07bd51d800d53907999ae5 | 1 | 1 | books |
Harry Potter | question: Where did the idea of the writer come from?, context: Reading this book gave me a little bit of hope that Amazon's compilation of "Best Books of 2011" actually has some books worth reading - after reading a few others on their list, I wasn't sure.This book was fun, imaginative, and whimsical. I felt pulled into another world, one where wonder and magic are par for the course. The setting and fantastical elements are perfectly done - not too ridiculous, but not too serious either. The plot and characters kept me interested throughout, with just enough foreshadowing to leave me guessing as to what would happen next. The story moves forward slowly and persistently, leaving you enough time to savor the imagery and beauty of the prose.Some have compared this to Harry Potter. I don't see the similarities (other than the use of magic, obviously), but this is just as enjoyable in its own ways. I felt the world the author created was more similar to that found in this book:Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: A Novel. The world of The Night Circus is not nearly so detailed as the world of Jonathan Strange (Jonathan Strange seemed like a book centered around a magical world with the plot being secondary whereas Night Circus was exactly the opposite), but they have a similar feel to them.I didn't find anything deep or profound in this book, nothing that made it stand out as an amazing piece of literature. It is not destined to become a classic. But it was a good, fun, easy read - perfect for a relaxing and enjoyable romp through another world. | Where did the idea of the writer come from? | Some have compared this to Harry Potter . | Reading this book gave me a little bit of hope that Amazon's compilation of "Best Books of 2011" actually has some books worth reading - after reading a few others on their list, I wasn't sure.This book was fun, imaginative, and whimsical. I felt pulled into another world, one where wonder and magic are par for the course. The setting and fantastical elements are perfectly done - not too ridiculous, but not too serious either. The plot and characters kept me interested throughout, with just enough foreshadowing to leave me guessing as to what would happen next. The story moves forward slowly and persistently, leaving you enough time to savor the imagery and beauty of the prose.Some have compared this to Harry Potter. I don't see the similarities (other than the use of magic, obviously), but this is just as enjoyable in its own ways. I felt the world the author created was more similar to that found in this book:Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: A Novel. The world of The Night Circus is not nearly so detailed as the world of Jonathan Strange (Jonathan Strange seemed like a book centered around a magical world with the plot being secondary whereas Night Circus was exactly the opposite), but they have a similar feel to them.I didn't find anything deep or profound in this book, nothing that made it stand out as an amazing piece of literature. It is not destined to become a classic. But it was a good, fun, easy read - perfect for a relaxing and enjoyable romp through another world. | Some have compared this to <hl> Harry Potter <hl> . | Reading this book gave me a little bit of hope that Amazon's compilation of "Best Books of 2011" actually has some books worth reading - after reading a few others on their list, I wasn't sure.This book was fun, imaginative, and whimsical. I felt pulled into another world, one where wonder and magic are par for the course. The setting and fantastical elements are perfectly done - not too ridiculous, but not too serious either. The plot and characters kept me interested throughout, with just enough foreshadowing to leave me guessing as to what would happen next. The story moves forward slowly and persistently, leaving you enough time to savor the imagery and beauty of the prose.Some have compared this to <hl> Harry Potter <hl>. I don't see the similarities (other than the use of magic, obviously), but this is just as enjoyable in its own ways. I felt the world the author created was more similar to that found in this book:Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: A Novel. The world of The Night Circus is not nearly so detailed as the world of Jonathan Strange (Jonathan Strange seemed like a book centered around a magical world with the plot being secondary whereas Night Circus was exactly the opposite), but they have a similar feel to them.I didn't find anything deep or profound in this book, nothing that made it stand out as an amazing piece of literature. It is not destined to become a classic. But it was a good, fun, easy read - perfect for a relaxing and enjoyable romp through another world. | Reading this book gave me a little bit of hope that Amazon's compilation of "Best Books of 2011" actually has some books worth reading - after reading a few others on their list, I wasn't sure. This book was fun, imaginative, and whimsical. I felt pulled into another world, one where wonder and magic are par for the course. The setting and fantastical elements are perfectly done - not too ridiculous, but not too serious either. The plot and characters kept me interested throughout, with just enough foreshadowing to leave me guessing as to what would happen next. The story moves forward slowly and persistently, leaving you enough time to savor the imagery and beauty of the prose. <hl> Some have compared this to Harry Potter . <hl> I don't see the similarities (other than the use of magic, obviously), but this is just as enjoyable in its own ways. I felt the world the author created was more similar to that found in this book:Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: A Novel. The world of The Night Circus is not nearly so detailed as the world of Jonathan Strange (Jonathan Strange seemed like a book centered around a magical world with the plot being secondary whereas Night Circus was exactly the opposite), but they have a similar feel to them. I didn't find anything deep or profound in this book, nothing that made it stand out as an amazing piece of literature. It is not destined to become a classic. But it was a good, fun, easy read - perfect for a relaxing and enjoyable romp through another world. | a5a6c7defe5eb2dffb18832442f9fcb6 | 1 | 1 | books |
his only features seemed to be his unbelievably godlike good looks and his flashy car | question: What is the problem of your car?, context: I bought this book because I believed all the hype. Silly me! I fell for that ploy yet again. It seems these days that sometimes the bigger the hype, the bigger the disappointment I'll feel.Usually I don't write a review before I've finished reading a book. But I've read over 200 pages of 'Twilight', and I'm not sure if I can bear reading the rest, so I think I may as well review it now.How best to describe this book? Hmmm...Remember back to when you were a little kid in school, and your teacher would set you an essay-writing assignment on 'What I Did At School Today'? Well, this book reads like one of those essays, only it goes on and on and on and on and on, day after day after day...I don't get why it's so important to tell us EVERY SINGLE CLASS that Bella goes to at school, for months on end, especially if it's totally irrelevant to the storyline. It's like reading someone's school diary, the kind that outlines which classes to go to at which times each day and which assignments are due, but leaves out any of the juicier, more interesting gossip you'd get in a normal diary. And the same goes for Bella's homelife - we get to hear what she eats and when, what she does for homework, exactly how well she slept each night, and so on, every day. And it's almost never interesting facts that are relevant, it's dry, boring, repetitious stuff. Bella's life is so DULL, I think you could read instruction manuals for watching paint dry that were less boring. Ugh! If my pillows were this overstuffed with fluff and filler, I'd have to sleep almost in a sitting-up position.And Bella was annoying. Whingy, self-centred, quite rude to her 'friends' at times, and totally lacking a sense of humour or a modicum of intelligence or any genuine concern for anyone other than herself or her pretty boy boyfriend, she grated on my nerves like a constantly dripping tap. I could understand why no one at her old school liked her. I couldn't understand, though, why everyone at her new school seemed to treat her like royalty and wanted to be with her constantly, right from day one of her arriving there.Using first person narrative can be a wonderful thing, in the hands of a good writer - it can be used to convey the central character's feelings and thoughts and motivations so much more effectively than third-person narrative. But this author wasted this opportunity, and gave us practically nothing in the way of the narrator's personality, or nothing positive, anyway, unless you think that being a whingy sociopath is a positive. The other trap with using first person narrative as a writer is that you can fall into the trap of making too many 'I' statements, which gets really dull, or even annoying. This author fell right into that trap. It wasn't uncommon to find an entire, long paragraph where every sentence began with 'I' (like on page 114, for instance). Perhaps if the character of Bella had thought about others more often, instead of just herself, or had made witty commentary about current events or what was going on around her, she wouldn't have had a need to start so many sentences with 'I'. Clearly, a very self-centred character, written by an author lacking in imagination or experience, or so it would seem.And the hero of the piece, Edward, was dull - his only features seemed to be his unbelievably godlike good looks and his flashy car. I want more to my heroes than that, thankyou. And as for the other characters in the book, we learn practically nothing about them - they only seem to exist to help or interact with the heroine; they don't seem to have any lives or character or quirks of their own.I found this book REALLY painful. I hate quitting, and I usually see books through to the end. But this one is so bad, I don't know that I'll be able to force myself to finish it, and I don't think I should - I'm just not a fan of masochism. I've been having to force myself to read it, for a few minutes at a time, here and there, over months, just to get to page 200+. Spending time with this book is like being forced to visit relatives I don't like - I sit there, lamenting that I don't like them, that I have nothing in common with them, that they're about as exciting as a day spent staring at the wall, that it is a waste of my valuable time to be there, and I count down the minutes until I can escape. Better that I had never visited them in the first place - in other words, better that I had never started reading this book in the first place.I think that if I crave any vampire tales in future, I'll just stick to watching Buffy reruns or reading Patricia Briggs' wonderful 'Mercy Thompson' series of books. I definitely won't be reading any more of Stephenie Meyer's books, anyway. | What is the problem of your car? | And the hero of the piece, Edward, was dull - his only features seemed to be his unbelievably godlike good looks and his flashy car . | I bought this book because I believed all the hype. Silly me! I fell for that ploy yet again. It seems these days that sometimes the bigger the hype, the bigger the disappointment I'll feel.Usually I don't write a review before I've finished reading a book. But I've read over 200 pages of 'Twilight', and I'm not sure if I can bear reading the rest, so I think I may as well review it now.How best to describe this book? Hmmm...Remember back to when you were a little kid in school, and your teacher would set you an essay-writing assignment on 'What I Did At School Today'? Well, this book reads like one of those essays, only it goes on and on and on and on and on, day after day after day...I don't get why it's so important to tell us EVERY SINGLE CLASS that Bella goes to at school, for months on end, especially if it's totally irrelevant to the storyline. It's like reading someone's school diary, the kind that outlines which classes to go to at which times each day and which assignments are due, but leaves out any of the juicier, more interesting gossip you'd get in a normal diary. And the same goes for Bella's homelife - we get to hear what she eats and when, what she does for homework, exactly how well she slept each night, and so on, every day. And it's almost never interesting facts that are relevant, it's dry, boring, repetitious stuff. Bella's life is so DULL, I think you could read instruction manuals for watching paint dry that were less boring. Ugh! If my pillows were this overstuffed with fluff and filler, I'd have to sleep almost in a sitting-up position.And Bella was annoying. Whingy, self-centred, quite rude to her 'friends' at times, and totally lacking a sense of humour or a modicum of intelligence or any genuine concern for anyone other than herself or her pretty boy boyfriend, she grated on my nerves like a constantly dripping tap. I could understand why no one at her old school liked her. I couldn't understand, though, why everyone at her new school seemed to treat her like royalty and wanted to be with her constantly, right from day one of her arriving there.Using first person narrative can be a wonderful thing, in the hands of a good writer - it can be used to convey the central character's feelings and thoughts and motivations so much more effectively than third-person narrative. But this author wasted this opportunity, and gave us practically nothing in the way of the narrator's personality, or nothing positive, anyway, unless you think that being a whingy sociopath is a positive. The other trap with using first person narrative as a writer is that you can fall into the trap of making too many 'I' statements, which gets really dull, or even annoying. This author fell right into that trap. It wasn't uncommon to find an entire, long paragraph where every sentence began with 'I' (like on page 114, for instance). Perhaps if the character of Bella had thought about others more often, instead of just herself, or had made witty commentary about current events or what was going on around her, she wouldn't have had a need to start so many sentences with 'I'. Clearly, a very self-centred character, written by an author lacking in imagination or experience, or so it would seem.And the hero of the piece, Edward, was dull - his only features seemed to be his unbelievably godlike good looks and his flashy car. I want more to my heroes than that, thankyou. And as for the other characters in the book, we learn practically nothing about them - they only seem to exist to help or interact with the heroine; they don't seem to have any lives or character or quirks of their own.I found this book REALLY painful. I hate quitting, and I usually see books through to the end. But this one is so bad, I don't know that I'll be able to force myself to finish it, and I don't think I should - I'm just not a fan of masochism. I've been having to force myself to read it, for a few minutes at a time, here and there, over months, just to get to page 200+. Spending time with this book is like being forced to visit relatives I don't like - I sit there, lamenting that I don't like them, that I have nothing in common with them, that they're about as exciting as a day spent staring at the wall, that it is a waste of my valuable time to be there, and I count down the minutes until I can escape. Better that I had never visited them in the first place - in other words, better that I had never started reading this book in the first place.I think that if I crave any vampire tales in future, I'll just stick to watching Buffy reruns or reading Patricia Briggs' wonderful 'Mercy Thompson' series of books. I definitely won't be reading any more of Stephenie Meyer's books, anyway. | And the hero of the piece, Edward, was dull - <hl> his only features seemed to be his unbelievably godlike good looks and his flashy car <hl> . | I bought this book because I believed all the hype. Silly me! I fell for that ploy yet again. It seems these days that sometimes the bigger the hype, the bigger the disappointment I'll feel.Usually I don't write a review before I've finished reading a book. But I've read over 200 pages of 'Twilight', and I'm not sure if I can bear reading the rest, so I think I may as well review it now.How best to describe this book? Hmmm...Remember back to when you were a little kid in school, and your teacher would set you an essay-writing assignment on 'What I Did At School Today'? Well, this book reads like one of those essays, only it goes on and on and on and on and on, day after day after day...I don't get why it's so important to tell us EVERY SINGLE CLASS that Bella goes to at school, for months on end, especially if it's totally irrelevant to the storyline. It's like reading someone's school diary, the kind that outlines which classes to go to at which times each day and which assignments are due, but leaves out any of the juicier, more interesting gossip you'd get in a normal diary. And the same goes for Bella's homelife - we get to hear what she eats and when, what she does for homework, exactly how well she slept each night, and so on, every day. And it's almost never interesting facts that are relevant, it's dry, boring, repetitious stuff. Bella's life is so DULL, I think you could read instruction manuals for watching paint dry that were less boring. Ugh! If my pillows were this overstuffed with fluff and filler, I'd have to sleep almost in a sitting-up position.And Bella was annoying. Whingy, self-centred, quite rude to her 'friends' at times, and totally lacking a sense of humour or a modicum of intelligence or any genuine concern for anyone other than herself or her pretty boy boyfriend, she grated on my nerves like a constantly dripping tap. I could understand why no one at her old school liked her. I couldn't understand, though, why everyone at her new school seemed to treat her like royalty and wanted to be with her constantly, right from day one of her arriving there.Using first person narrative can be a wonderful thing, in the hands of a good writer - it can be used to convey the central character's feelings and thoughts and motivations so much more effectively than third-person narrative. But this author wasted this opportunity, and gave us practically nothing in the way of the narrator's personality, or nothing positive, anyway, unless you think that being a whingy sociopath is a positive. The other trap with using first person narrative as a writer is that you can fall into the trap of making too many 'I' statements, which gets really dull, or even annoying. This author fell right into that trap. It wasn't uncommon to find an entire, long paragraph where every sentence began with 'I' (like on page 114, for instance). Perhaps if the character of Bella had thought about others more often, instead of just herself, or had made witty commentary about current events or what was going on around her, she wouldn't have had a need to start so many sentences with 'I'. Clearly, a very self-centred character, written by an author lacking in imagination or experience, or so it would seem.And the hero of the piece, Edward, was dull - <hl> his only features seemed to be his unbelievably godlike good looks and his flashy car <hl>. I want more to my heroes than that, thankyou. And as for the other characters in the book, we learn practically nothing about them - they only seem to exist to help or interact with the heroine; they don't seem to have any lives or character or quirks of their own.I found this book REALLY painful. I hate quitting, and I usually see books through to the end. But this one is so bad, I don't know that I'll be able to force myself to finish it, and I don't think I should - I'm just not a fan of masochism. I've been having to force myself to read it, for a few minutes at a time, here and there, over months, just to get to page 200+. Spending time with this book is like being forced to visit relatives I don't like - I sit there, lamenting that I don't like them, that I have nothing in common with them, that they're about as exciting as a day spent staring at the wall, that it is a waste of my valuable time to be there, and I count down the minutes until I can escape. Better that I had never visited them in the first place - in other words, better that I had never started reading this book in the first place.I think that if I crave any vampire tales in future, I'll just stick to watching Buffy reruns or reading Patricia Briggs' wonderful 'Mercy Thompson' series of books. I definitely won't be reading any more of Stephenie Meyer's books, anyway. | I bought this book because I believed all the hype. Silly me! I fell for that ploy yet again. It seems these days that sometimes the bigger the hype, the bigger the disappointment I'll feel. Usually I don't write a review before I've finished reading a book. But I've read over 200 pages of 'Twilight', and I'm not sure if I can bear reading the rest, so I think I may as well review it now. How best to describe this book? Hmmm...Remember back to when you were a little kid in school, and your teacher would set you an essay-writing assignment on 'What I Did At School Today'? Well, this book reads like one of those essays, only it goes on and on and on and on and on, day after day after day... I don't get why it's so important to tell us EVERY SINGLE CLASS that Bella goes to at school, for months on end, especially if it's totally irrelevant to the storyline. It's like reading someone's school diary, the kind that outlines which classes to go to at which times each day and which assignments are due, but leaves out any of the juicier, more interesting gossip you'd get in a normal diary. And the same goes for Bella's homelife - we get to hear what she eats and when, what she does for homework, exactly how well she slept each night, and so on, every day. And it's almost never interesting facts that are relevant, it's dry, boring, repetitious stuff. Bella's life is so DULL, I think you could read instruction manuals for watching paint dry that were less boring. Ugh! If my pillows were this overstuffed with fluff and filler, I'd have to sleep almost in a sitting-up position. And Bella was annoying. Whingy, self-centred, quite rude to her 'friends' at times, and totally lacking a sense of humour or a modicum of intelligence or any genuine concern for anyone other than herself or her pretty boy boyfriend, she grated on my nerves like a constantly dripping tap. I could understand why no one at her old school liked her. I couldn't understand, though, why everyone at her new school seemed to treat her like royalty and wanted to be with her constantly, right from day one of her arriving there. Using first person narrative can be a wonderful thing, in the hands of a good writer - it can be used to convey the central character's feelings and thoughts and motivations so much more effectively than third-person narrative. But this author wasted this opportunity, and gave us practically nothing in the way of the narrator's personality, or nothing positive, anyway, unless you think that being a whingy sociopath is a positive. The other trap with using first person narrative as a writer is that you can fall into the trap of making too many 'I' statements, which gets really dull, or even annoying. This author fell right into that trap. It wasn't uncommon to find an entire, long paragraph where every sentence began with 'I' (like on page 114, for instance). Perhaps if the character of Bella had thought about others more often, instead of just herself, or had made witty commentary about current events or what was going on around her, she wouldn't have had a need to start so many sentences with 'I'. Clearly, a very self-centred character, written by an author lacking in imagination or experience, or so it would seem. <hl> And the hero of the piece, Edward, was dull - his only features seemed to be his unbelievably godlike good looks and his flashy car . <hl> I want more to my heroes than that, thankyou. And as for the other characters in the book, we learn practically nothing about them - they only seem to exist to help or interact with the heroine; they don't seem to have any lives or character or quirks of their own. I found this book REALLY painful. I hate quitting, and I usually see books through to the end. But this one is so bad, I don't know that I'll be able to force myself to finish it, and I don't think I should - I'm just not a fan of masochism. I've been having to force myself to read it, for a few minutes at a time, here and there, over months, just to get to page 200+. Spending time with this book is like being forced to visit relatives I don't like - I sit there, lamenting that I don't like them, that I have nothing in common with them, that they're about as exciting as a day spent staring at the wall, that it is a waste of my valuable time to be there, and I count down the minutes until I can escape. Better that I had never visited them in the first place - in other words, better that I had never started reading this book in the first place. I think that if I crave any vampire tales in future, I'll just stick to watching Buffy reruns or reading Patricia Briggs' wonderful 'Mercy Thompson' series of books. I definitely won't be reading any more of Stephenie Meyer's books, anyway. | 78e8d39c0f5ade12b285b5384a0987f2 | 1 | 1 | books |
Because I’m | question: Why do I have a moment dull?, context: Setting the Scene – Insurgent starts with a bit of quiet after the storm that had Tobias aka Four and Tris running for their lives in the wake of the Erudite initiated, Dauntless executed massacre in the Abnegation district. Their hope for a little peace and quiet in with the Amity faction is short lived, forcing them to join forces with the FactionIess. Not going to spoil any of the good stuff here but suffice it to say they begin a trek to figure out who they really are and where they all came from. This book won’t really answer those questions – which I’ll talk about in a subsequent review.A Few Thoughts – Like Divergent, Insurgent has a ton of action and some interesting young adult themes on loyalty and interpersonal relationships. Because I’m 42 the latter is a bit of a bore but younger readers might relate to some of the challenges people face in the midst of ethical dilemmas, and balancing loyalty with self-preservation or sacrifice. Not a stand-alone novel at all but one you should read if you liked Divergent because Roth does a great job setting up Allegiant, the third and final book in the main story. Her writing is consistent with the first book and it kept me interested enough to move on to the finale – that’s good enough for 3.8 stars.Tom Clementson (MotleyChronicles.com)Be sure to take a moment and leave your feedback and comments about the book on Amazon and goodreads. | Why do I have a moment dull? | Because I’m 42 the latter is a bit of a bore but younger readers might relate to some of the challenges people face in the midst of ethical dilemmas, and balancing loyalty with self-preservation or sacrifice. | Setting the Scene – Insurgent starts with a bit of quiet after the storm that had Tobias aka Four and Tris running for their lives in the wake of the Erudite initiated, Dauntless executed massacre in the Abnegation district. Their hope for a little peace and quiet in with the Amity faction is short lived, forcing them to join forces with the FactionIess. Not going to spoil any of the good stuff here but suffice it to say they begin a trek to figure out who they really are and where they all came from. This book won’t really answer those questions – which I’ll talk about in a subsequent review.A Few Thoughts – Like Divergent, Insurgent has a ton of action and some interesting young adult themes on loyalty and interpersonal relationships. Because I’m 42 the latter is a bit of a bore but younger readers might relate to some of the challenges people face in the midst of ethical dilemmas, and balancing loyalty with self-preservation or sacrifice. Not a stand-alone novel at all but one you should read if you liked Divergent because Roth does a great job setting up Allegiant, the third and final book in the main story. Her writing is consistent with the first book and it kept me interested enough to move on to the finale – that’s good enough for 3.8 stars.Tom Clementson (MotleyChronicles.com)Be sure to take a moment and leave your feedback and comments about the book on Amazon and goodreads. | <hl> Because I’m <hl> 42 the latter is a bit of a bore but younger readers might relate to some of the challenges people face in the midst of ethical dilemmas, and balancing loyalty with self-preservation or sacrifice. | Setting the Scene – Insurgent starts with a bit of quiet after the storm that had Tobias aka Four and Tris running for their lives in the wake of the Erudite initiated, Dauntless executed massacre in the Abnegation district. Their hope for a little peace and quiet in with the Amity faction is short lived, forcing them to join forces with the FactionIess. Not going to spoil any of the good stuff here but suffice it to say they begin a trek to figure out who they really are and where they all came from. This book won’t really answer those questions – which I’ll talk about in a subsequent review.A Few Thoughts – Like Divergent, Insurgent has a ton of action and some interesting young adult themes on loyalty and interpersonal relationships. <hl> Because I’m <hl> 42 the latter is a bit of a bore but younger readers might relate to some of the challenges people face in the midst of ethical dilemmas, and balancing loyalty with self-preservation or sacrifice. Not a stand-alone novel at all but one you should read if you liked Divergent because Roth does a great job setting up Allegiant, the third and final book in the main story. Her writing is consistent with the first book and it kept me interested enough to move on to the finale – that’s good enough for 3.8 stars.Tom Clementson (MotleyChronicles.com)Be sure to take a moment and leave your feedback and comments about the book on Amazon and goodreads. | Setting the Scene – Insurgent starts with a bit of quiet after the storm that had Tobias aka Four and Tris running for their lives in the wake of the Erudite initiated, Dauntless executed massacre in the Abnegation district. Their hope for a little peace and quiet in with the Amity faction is short lived, forcing them to join forces with the FactionIess. Not going to spoil any of the good stuff here but suffice it to say they begin a trek to figure out who they really are and where they all came from. This book won’t really answer those questions – which I’ll talk about in a subsequent review. A Few Thoughts – Like Divergent, Insurgent has a ton of action and some interesting young adult themes on loyalty and interpersonal relationships. <hl> Because I’m 42 the latter is a bit of a bore but younger readers might relate to some of the challenges people face in the midst of ethical dilemmas, and balancing loyalty with self-preservation or sacrifice. <hl> Not a stand-alone novel at all but one you should read if you liked Divergent because Roth does a great job setting up Allegiant, the third and final book in the main story. Her writing is consistent with the first book and it kept me interested enough to move on to the finale – that’s good enough for 3.8 stars. Tom Clementson (MotleyChronicles.com)Be sure to take a moment and leave your feedback and comments about the book on Amazon and goodreads. | 17e6dd92a1468a97fc20a4daab391539 | 5 | 5 | books |
Written in the first person | question: How is the writing style of story on this book?, context: Donna Tartt has written a novel, a tome, that is as much about love, life and beauty as it is about nihilism, catastrophe and death.Written in the first person, 12 year-old Theo Decker's life is divided into before and after his mother's death. Together, he and his mother are on their way to his school for a conference to discuss some unknown behavioral issues of Theo's. On the way, due to bad weather, they stop at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. While there, some terrorists bomb the museum and his mother is killed. As Theo searches for his mother, he meets a dying man named Welty who gives him an antique ring that he asks him to deliver to someone named Hobart. He also meets a girl named Pippa to whom he forms a lifelong obsessive attachment and love. When Theo finds out that his mother has died, he is devastated. His father has walked out on them over a year ago and is a mean drunk and a gambler.Most importantly, when Theo leaves the museum, he walks out with a small masterpiece under his arm. It is entitled The Goldfinch and the artist is Fabritius. Painted in the latter 1600's it is one of only a few of Fabritius's work that has survived. For Theo, it represents something stable, a way of holding on to something that was meaningful to his mother, and thus a part of her.The novel takes us though Theo's life into his twenties. We first go with him to the Barbour family that takes him in after his mother's death. Their son Andy has been a friend of Theo's for a few years. Both are outcasts in their middle school and are prone to being the brunt of bullies. The Barbours are very rich and enjoy Theo but are not demonstrative. Mr. Barbour has recently been released from a psychiatric hospital and his behavior is somewhat odd. The Barbour children, other than Andy, resent Theo's presence. Despite this, however, Theo likes it there and would like to remain with them. His only remaining relatives are his father, whereabouts unknown, and his paternal grandparents, unloving and not wanting to take Theo in.Out of the blue, Theo's father appears with his girlfriend Xandra and they take Theo with them to Las Vegas. There, Theo meets Boris who becomes a lifelong friend. Together, they get into hardcore drugs, illegal activities and drinking. Theo's father is living well due to a good gambling streak but things start to fall apart and it is not long before Theo is back in New York City where he finds shelter with Hobart (Hobie) in his antique store. Theo's life is a mess. He is heavily into drugs and constantly blames himself for his mother's death.All the while, Theo holds on to the Goldfinch like a talisman. He keeps it wrapped up most of the time but unwraps it now and then to look at it and revel in its beauty and personal meaning. He knows he should return it but he keeps putting that off.The novel is longer than it needs to be. Ms. Tartt, who can write beautifully, often goes into tangents and philosophical discussions that are unnecessary. Characters come and go who are like red herrings. Despite this, the book has its brilliant aspects. The characterization of Theo is superb and his despair and longing is brought out in depth. The symptoms of his post-traumatic stress disorder are clinically accurate. I enjoyed this book immensely but I wish that the editing had been tighter. | How is the writing style of story on this book? | Written in the first person , 12 year-old Theo Decker's life is divided into before and after his mother's death. | Donna Tartt has written a novel, a tome, that is as much about love, life and beauty as it is about nihilism, catastrophe and death.Written in the first person, 12 year-old Theo Decker's life is divided into before and after his mother's death. Together, he and his mother are on their way to his school for a conference to discuss some unknown behavioral issues of Theo's. On the way, due to bad weather, they stop at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. While there, some terrorists bomb the museum and his mother is killed. As Theo searches for his mother, he meets a dying man named Welty who gives him an antique ring that he asks him to deliver to someone named Hobart. He also meets a girl named Pippa to whom he forms a lifelong obsessive attachment and love. When Theo finds out that his mother has died, he is devastated. His father has walked out on them over a year ago and is a mean drunk and a gambler.Most importantly, when Theo leaves the museum, he walks out with a small masterpiece under his arm. It is entitled The Goldfinch and the artist is Fabritius. Painted in the latter 1600's it is one of only a few of Fabritius's work that has survived. For Theo, it represents something stable, a way of holding on to something that was meaningful to his mother, and thus a part of her.The novel takes us though Theo's life into his twenties. We first go with him to the Barbour family that takes him in after his mother's death. Their son Andy has been a friend of Theo's for a few years. Both are outcasts in their middle school and are prone to being the brunt of bullies. The Barbours are very rich and enjoy Theo but are not demonstrative. Mr. Barbour has recently been released from a psychiatric hospital and his behavior is somewhat odd. The Barbour children, other than Andy, resent Theo's presence. Despite this, however, Theo likes it there and would like to remain with them. His only remaining relatives are his father, whereabouts unknown, and his paternal grandparents, unloving and not wanting to take Theo in.Out of the blue, Theo's father appears with his girlfriend Xandra and they take Theo with them to Las Vegas. There, Theo meets Boris who becomes a lifelong friend. Together, they get into hardcore drugs, illegal activities and drinking. Theo's father is living well due to a good gambling streak but things start to fall apart and it is not long before Theo is back in New York City where he finds shelter with Hobart (Hobie) in his antique store. Theo's life is a mess. He is heavily into drugs and constantly blames himself for his mother's death.All the while, Theo holds on to the Goldfinch like a talisman. He keeps it wrapped up most of the time but unwraps it now and then to look at it and revel in its beauty and personal meaning. He knows he should return it but he keeps putting that off.The novel is longer than it needs to be. Ms. Tartt, who can write beautifully, often goes into tangents and philosophical discussions that are unnecessary. Characters come and go who are like red herrings. Despite this, the book has its brilliant aspects. The characterization of Theo is superb and his despair and longing is brought out in depth. The symptoms of his post-traumatic stress disorder are clinically accurate. I enjoyed this book immensely but I wish that the editing had been tighter. | <hl> Written in the first person <hl> , 12 year-old Theo Decker's life is divided into before and after his mother's death. | Donna Tartt has written a novel, a tome, that is as much about love, life and beauty as it is about nihilism, catastrophe and death.<hl> Written in the first person <hl>, 12 year-old Theo Decker's life is divided into before and after his mother's death. Together, he and his mother are on their way to his school for a conference to discuss some unknown behavioral issues of Theo's. On the way, due to bad weather, they stop at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. While there, some terrorists bomb the museum and his mother is killed. As Theo searches for his mother, he meets a dying man named Welty who gives him an antique ring that he asks him to deliver to someone named Hobart. He also meets a girl named Pippa to whom he forms a lifelong obsessive attachment and love. When Theo finds out that his mother has died, he is devastated. His father has walked out on them over a year ago and is a mean drunk and a gambler.Most importantly, when Theo leaves the museum, he walks out with a small masterpiece under his arm. It is entitled The Goldfinch and the artist is Fabritius. Painted in the latter 1600's it is one of only a few of Fabritius's work that has survived. For Theo, it represents something stable, a way of holding on to something that was meaningful to his mother, and thus a part of her.The novel takes us though Theo's life into his twenties. We first go with him to the Barbour family that takes him in after his mother's death. Their son Andy has been a friend of Theo's for a few years. Both are outcasts in their middle school and are prone to being the brunt of bullies. The Barbours are very rich and enjoy Theo but are not demonstrative. Mr. Barbour has recently been released from a psychiatric hospital and his behavior is somewhat odd. The Barbour children, other than Andy, resent Theo's presence. Despite this, however, Theo likes it there and would like to remain with them. His only remaining relatives are his father, whereabouts unknown, and his paternal grandparents, unloving and not wanting to take Theo in.Out of the blue, Theo's father appears with his girlfriend Xandra and they take Theo with them to Las Vegas. There, Theo meets Boris who becomes a lifelong friend. Together, they get into hardcore drugs, illegal activities and drinking. Theo's father is living well due to a good gambling streak but things start to fall apart and it is not long before Theo is back in New York City where he finds shelter with Hobart (Hobie) in his antique store. Theo's life is a mess. He is heavily into drugs and constantly blames himself for his mother's death.All the while, Theo holds on to the Goldfinch like a talisman. He keeps it wrapped up most of the time but unwraps it now and then to look at it and revel in its beauty and personal meaning. He knows he should return it but he keeps putting that off.The novel is longer than it needs to be. Ms. Tartt, who can write beautifully, often goes into tangents and philosophical discussions that are unnecessary. Characters come and go who are like red herrings. Despite this, the book has its brilliant aspects. The characterization of Theo is superb and his despair and longing is brought out in depth. The symptoms of his post-traumatic stress disorder are clinically accurate. I enjoyed this book immensely but I wish that the editing had been tighter. | Donna Tartt has written a novel, a tome, that is as much about love, life and beauty as it is about nihilism, catastrophe and death. <hl> Written in the first person , 12 year-old Theo Decker's life is divided into before and after his mother's death. <hl> Together, he and his mother are on their way to his school for a conference to discuss some unknown behavioral issues of Theo's. On the way, due to bad weather, they stop at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. While there, some terrorists bomb the museum and his mother is killed. As Theo searches for his mother, he meets a dying man named Welty who gives him an antique ring that he asks him to deliver to someone named Hobart. He also meets a girl named Pippa to whom he forms a lifelong obsessive attachment and love. When Theo finds out that his mother has died, he is devastated. His father has walked out on them over a year ago and is a mean drunk and a gambler. Most importantly, when Theo leaves the museum, he walks out with a small masterpiece under his arm. It is entitled The Goldfinch and the artist is Fabritius. Painted in the latter 1600's it is one of only a few of Fabritius's work that has survived. For Theo, it represents something stable, a way of holding on to something that was meaningful to his mother, and thus a part of her. The novel takes us though Theo's life into his twenties. We first go with him to the Barbour family that takes him in after his mother's death. Their son Andy has been a friend of Theo's for a few years. Both are outcasts in their middle school and are prone to being the brunt of bullies. The Barbours are very rich and enjoy Theo but are not demonstrative. Mr. Barbour has recently been released from a psychiatric hospital and his behavior is somewhat odd. The Barbour children, other than Andy, resent Theo's presence. Despite this, however, Theo likes it there and would like to remain with them. His only remaining relatives are his father, whereabouts unknown, and his paternal grandparents, unloving and not wanting to take Theo in. Out of the blue, Theo's father appears with his girlfriend Xandra and they take Theo with them to Las Vegas. There, Theo meets Boris who becomes a lifelong friend. Together, they get into hardcore drugs, illegal activities and drinking. Theo's father is living well due to a good gambling streak but things start to fall apart and it is not long before Theo is back in New York City where he finds shelter with Hobart (Hobie) in his antique store. Theo's life is a mess. He is heavily into drugs and constantly blames himself for his mother's death. All the while, Theo holds on to the Goldfinch like a talisman. He keeps it wrapped up most of the time but unwraps it now and then to look at it and revel in its beauty and personal meaning. He knows he should return it but he keeps putting that off. The novel is longer than it needs to be. Ms. Tartt, who can write beautifully, often goes into tangents and philosophical discussions that are unnecessary. Characters come and go who are like red herrings. Despite this, the book has its brilliant aspects. The characterization of Theo is superb and his despair and longing is brought out in depth. The symptoms of his post-traumatic stress disorder are clinically accurate. I enjoyed this book immensely but I wish that the editing had been tighter. | d1e57ac189382dc613a8143291f2bd3f | 2 | 2 | books |
NEVER EVER WOULD I HAVE EXPECTED SUCH A STORY | question: What is your favorite story?, context: I've to admit I didn't really read all reviews on Amazon or Goodreads; and I'm so happy about it! I was looking for a similar book to 'Beautiful disaster' & 'Easy' on the Goodreads homepage and stumpled over flat-out love. Reviews were great so I gave it a chance.I've to say the beginning was a lil slow and I got a bit inpatient but then I was totally hooked(Keep on reading u wont be dissappointed!!) The book is so well written and the story,unbelievable. I was really touched by the story,the family,just everything. I was so sad and even tears were falling. NEVER EVER WOULD I HAVE EXPECTED SUCH A STORY, ENDING AND PLOT!!!I love this book and recommand it to everyone I know. I'm glad it was a different kind of love story and now Jessica Park is was of my new fav authors!!Enjot reading this book!! | What is your favorite story? | NEVER EVER WOULD I HAVE EXPECTED SUCH A STORY , ENDING AND PLOT!!!I love this book and recommand it to everyone I know. | I've to admit I didn't really read all reviews on Amazon or Goodreads; and I'm so happy about it! I was looking for a similar book to 'Beautiful disaster' & 'Easy' on the Goodreads homepage and stumpled over flat-out love. Reviews were great so I gave it a chance.I've to say the beginning was a lil slow and I got a bit inpatient but then I was totally hooked(Keep on reading u wont be dissappointed!!) The book is so well written and the story,unbelievable. I was really touched by the story,the family,just everything. I was so sad and even tears were falling. NEVER EVER WOULD I HAVE EXPECTED SUCH A STORY, ENDING AND PLOT!!!I love this book and recommand it to everyone I know. I'm glad it was a different kind of love story and now Jessica Park is was of my new fav authors!!Enjot reading this book!! | <hl> NEVER EVER WOULD I HAVE EXPECTED SUCH A STORY <hl> , ENDING AND PLOT!!!I love this book and recommand it to everyone I know. | I've to admit I didn't really read all reviews on Amazon or Goodreads; and I'm so happy about it! I was looking for a similar book to 'Beautiful disaster' & 'Easy' on the Goodreads homepage and stumpled over flat-out love. Reviews were great so I gave it a chance.I've to say the beginning was a lil slow and I got a bit inpatient but then I was totally hooked(Keep on reading u wont be dissappointed!!) The book is so well written and the story,unbelievable. I was really touched by the story,the family,just everything. I was so sad and even tears were falling. <hl> NEVER EVER WOULD I HAVE EXPECTED SUCH A STORY <hl>, ENDING AND PLOT!!!I love this book and recommand it to everyone I know. I'm glad it was a different kind of love story and now Jessica Park is was of my new fav authors!!Enjot reading this book!! | I've to admit I didn't really read all reviews on Amazon or Goodreads; and I'm so happy about it! I was looking for a similar book to 'Beautiful disaster' & 'Easy' on the Goodreads homepage and stumpled over flat-out love. Reviews were great so I gave it a chance. I've to say the beginning was a lil slow and I got a bit inpatient but then I was totally hooked(Keep on reading u wont be dissappointed!!) The book is so well written and the story,unbelievable. I was really touched by the story,the family,just everything. I was so sad and even tears were falling. <hl> NEVER EVER WOULD I HAVE EXPECTED SUCH A STORY , ENDING AND PLOT!!!I love this book and recommand it to everyone I know. <hl> I'm glad it was a different kind of love story and now Jessica Park is was of my new fav authors!!Enjot reading this book!! | 47c6d0ddd26f0d781698117f35313dba | 1 | 1 | books |
agree with some reviewers | question: How is book?, context: I like what this diet teaches, as far as sound nutritional information about foods that cause more harm than good, as well as foods that are extra good. I agree with some reviewers' comments that the book was a bit repetitive at times, and also made the diet out to be far more simple than it truly is to execute. Maintaining strictness about this diet while traveling is nearly impossible. "Simply asking" your server at a restaurant to cook everything in a different and special manner just for you is insulting and a pain in the rear for any chef or food industry worker, and in some settings (fixed menu, a wedding, for example) is not a possibility. JJ's statement that it's easy when traveling, and there are "no excuses" is baloney in the real world for most of us. Making better decisions is easy, such as not having the bread served before a meal, and ordering things that closely conform to the diet when possible, is more realistic. Carving out 7 entire weeks where I won't have any travel and can control every bite that goes in my mouth? Easier for some than for others, I guess. When I'm home, this is fairly easy to do, and I greatly enjoy the benefits.Overall, about 30% of the book was useful. The rest I skipped over, such as the repetitive testimonial stories. The actual information on how to execute the diet successfully is good, and the information on WHY certain foods cause harm, and why certain foods heal and benefit the body is good. | How is book? | I agree with some reviewers ' comments that the book was a bit repetitive at times, and also made the diet out to be far more simple than it truly is to execute. | I like what this diet teaches, as far as sound nutritional information about foods that cause more harm than good, as well as foods that are extra good. I agree with some reviewers' comments that the book was a bit repetitive at times, and also made the diet out to be far more simple than it truly is to execute. Maintaining strictness about this diet while traveling is nearly impossible. "Simply asking" your server at a restaurant to cook everything in a different and special manner just for you is insulting and a pain in the rear for any chef or food industry worker, and in some settings (fixed menu, a wedding, for example) is not a possibility. JJ's statement that it's easy when traveling, and there are "no excuses" is baloney in the real world for most of us. Making better decisions is easy, such as not having the bread served before a meal, and ordering things that closely conform to the diet when possible, is more realistic. Carving out 7 entire weeks where I won't have any travel and can control every bite that goes in my mouth? Easier for some than for others, I guess. When I'm home, this is fairly easy to do, and I greatly enjoy the benefits.Overall, about 30% of the book was useful. The rest I skipped over, such as the repetitive testimonial stories. The actual information on how to execute the diet successfully is good, and the information on WHY certain foods cause harm, and why certain foods heal and benefit the body is good. | I <hl> agree with some reviewers <hl> ' comments that the book was a bit repetitive at times, and also made the diet out to be far more simple than it truly is to execute. | I like what this diet teaches, as far as sound nutritional information about foods that cause more harm than good, as well as foods that are extra good. I <hl> agree with some reviewers <hl>' comments that the book was a bit repetitive at times, and also made the diet out to be far more simple than it truly is to execute. Maintaining strictness about this diet while traveling is nearly impossible. "Simply asking" your server at a restaurant to cook everything in a different and special manner just for you is insulting and a pain in the rear for any chef or food industry worker, and in some settings (fixed menu, a wedding, for example) is not a possibility. JJ's statement that it's easy when traveling, and there are "no excuses" is baloney in the real world for most of us. Making better decisions is easy, such as not having the bread served before a meal, and ordering things that closely conform to the diet when possible, is more realistic. Carving out 7 entire weeks where I won't have any travel and can control every bite that goes in my mouth? Easier for some than for others, I guess. When I'm home, this is fairly easy to do, and I greatly enjoy the benefits.Overall, about 30% of the book was useful. The rest I skipped over, such as the repetitive testimonial stories. The actual information on how to execute the diet successfully is good, and the information on WHY certain foods cause harm, and why certain foods heal and benefit the body is good. | I like what this diet teaches, as far as sound nutritional information about foods that cause more harm than good, as well as foods that are extra good. <hl> I agree with some reviewers ' comments that the book was a bit repetitive at times, and also made the diet out to be far more simple than it truly is to execute. <hl> Maintaining strictness about this diet while traveling is nearly impossible. "Simply asking" your server at a restaurant to cook everything in a different and special manner just for you is insulting and a pain in the rear for any chef or food industry worker, and in some settings (fixed menu, a wedding, for example) is not a possibility. JJ's statement that it's easy when traveling, and there are "no excuses" is baloney in the real world for most of us. Making better decisions is easy, such as not having the bread served before a meal, and ordering things that closely conform to the diet when possible, is more realistic. Carving out 7 entire weeks where I won't have any travel and can control every bite that goes in my mouth? Easier for some than for others, I guess. When I'm home, this is fairly easy to do, and I greatly enjoy the benefits. Overall, about 30% of the book was useful. The rest I skipped over, such as the repetitive testimonial stories. The actual information on how to execute the diet successfully is good, and the information on WHY certain foods cause harm, and why certain foods heal and benefit the body is good. | 26fa5004b645c16957dee1d8077cb0f4 | 1 | 1 | books |
This one was different | question: How is it the book this one?, context: I've written a few reviews but not for all books I read. For the most popular ones I don't bother since I'm sure that somebody else has written a similar review in better prose than I can, who's English is not the native language.However, for this book I felt compelled to write one.I've read all of Dan Browns books, I think, but I'll stick to his most popular "franchise", the Langdon series.Both Demons and Angels and The DaVinci Code were very good books and I enjoyed them profusely. They are not what you'd call masterpieces but they are page turners, and they "packed a punch". What I mean by that is that within the plot the reader can find not only information about the subject that are not popularly known, but also other "facts" that give a sense of mystery to the book. A darker quality that makes you want to read more not just to get to the end and see how it finishes, but because you want to learn more about these "secret" things.It doesn't matter if these things are fictitious. These are novels not historical books.But then came the Lost Symbol. A book that had great pace and a good story that ended in what I think was one of the biggest let downs in Brown history. It all culminated on a book, a holy book buried in the foundations of some building. So what?I thought that might be an exception and was eagerly waiting for the next Langdon installment. When it hit the book stores I got a copy of the audiobook and immediately started it.This one was different. It had the air of disappointment from the get-go. It felt as if Brown was bored while writing it and just wanted it to be over. It felt flat. As if it was just another paycheck.From the beginning to the very end, it was predictable. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't James Bond-predictable where you know the hero survives and kills all, even though there was no doubt that Langdon would also survive. I felt like I could see beyond the next turn. Mostly because there were no turns, just a long straight line. Even the "surprises" in the plot were easy to see coming and not really interesting.Consider this: by the end of the book (minor spoiler alert) we realize that there were no bad-guys! Not even the one who created the virus! Even he, in his twisted way, only opted for the less evil solution and gains our sympathy. All the other characters were actually working on the same project, on the same side and it was all a big misunderstanding! Go figure.In his first two books not only was there a good plot, but the information you get is hard to come by. In this one the information he gives feels like it came from Wikipedia.Anyway, had I known this before I would have saved 20 something hours of listening and skip this one. Hopefully this review will rescue some other poor soul from an equal waste of time.Mr Brown, if you're reading this, I hope you do better next time | How is it the book this one? | This one was different . | I've written a few reviews but not for all books I read. For the most popular ones I don't bother since I'm sure that somebody else has written a similar review in better prose than I can, who's English is not the native language.However, for this book I felt compelled to write one.I've read all of Dan Browns books, I think, but I'll stick to his most popular "franchise", the Langdon series.Both Demons and Angels and The DaVinci Code were very good books and I enjoyed them profusely. They are not what you'd call masterpieces but they are page turners, and they "packed a punch". What I mean by that is that within the plot the reader can find not only information about the subject that are not popularly known, but also other "facts" that give a sense of mystery to the book. A darker quality that makes you want to read more not just to get to the end and see how it finishes, but because you want to learn more about these "secret" things.It doesn't matter if these things are fictitious. These are novels not historical books.But then came the Lost Symbol. A book that had great pace and a good story that ended in what I think was one of the biggest let downs in Brown history. It all culminated on a book, a holy book buried in the foundations of some building. So what?I thought that might be an exception and was eagerly waiting for the next Langdon installment. When it hit the book stores I got a copy of the audiobook and immediately started it.This one was different. It had the air of disappointment from the get-go. It felt as if Brown was bored while writing it and just wanted it to be over. It felt flat. As if it was just another paycheck.From the beginning to the very end, it was predictable. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't James Bond-predictable where you know the hero survives and kills all, even though there was no doubt that Langdon would also survive. I felt like I could see beyond the next turn. Mostly because there were no turns, just a long straight line. Even the "surprises" in the plot were easy to see coming and not really interesting.Consider this: by the end of the book (minor spoiler alert) we realize that there were no bad-guys! Not even the one who created the virus! Even he, in his twisted way, only opted for the less evil solution and gains our sympathy. All the other characters were actually working on the same project, on the same side and it was all a big misunderstanding! Go figure.In his first two books not only was there a good plot, but the information you get is hard to come by. In this one the information he gives feels like it came from Wikipedia.Anyway, had I known this before I would have saved 20 something hours of listening and skip this one. Hopefully this review will rescue some other poor soul from an equal waste of time.Mr Brown, if you're reading this, I hope you do better next time | <hl> This one was different <hl> . | I've written a few reviews but not for all books I read. For the most popular ones I don't bother since I'm sure that somebody else has written a similar review in better prose than I can, who's English is not the native language.However, for this book I felt compelled to write one.I've read all of Dan Browns books, I think, but I'll stick to his most popular "franchise", the Langdon series.Both Demons and Angels and The DaVinci Code were very good books and I enjoyed them profusely. They are not what you'd call masterpieces but they are page turners, and they "packed a punch". What I mean by that is that within the plot the reader can find not only information about the subject that are not popularly known, but also other "facts" that give a sense of mystery to the book. A darker quality that makes you want to read more not just to get to the end and see how it finishes, but because you want to learn more about these "secret" things.It doesn't matter if these things are fictitious. These are novels not historical books.But then came the Lost Symbol. A book that had great pace and a good story that ended in what I think was one of the biggest let downs in Brown history. It all culminated on a book, a holy book buried in the foundations of some building. So what?I thought that might be an exception and was eagerly waiting for the next Langdon installment. When it hit the book stores I got a copy of the audiobook and immediately started it.<hl> This one was different <hl>. It had the air of disappointment from the get-go. It felt as if Brown was bored while writing it and just wanted it to be over. It felt flat. As if it was just another paycheck.From the beginning to the very end, it was predictable. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't James Bond-predictable where you know the hero survives and kills all, even though there was no doubt that Langdon would also survive. I felt like I could see beyond the next turn. Mostly because there were no turns, just a long straight line. Even the "surprises" in the plot were easy to see coming and not really interesting.Consider this: by the end of the book (minor spoiler alert) we realize that there were no bad-guys! Not even the one who created the virus! Even he, in his twisted way, only opted for the less evil solution and gains our sympathy. All the other characters were actually working on the same project, on the same side and it was all a big misunderstanding! Go figure.In his first two books not only was there a good plot, but the information you get is hard to come by. In this one the information he gives feels like it came from Wikipedia.Anyway, had I known this before I would have saved 20 something hours of listening and skip this one. Hopefully this review will rescue some other poor soul from an equal waste of time.Mr Brown, if you're reading this, I hope you do better next time | I've written a few reviews but not for all books I read. For the most popular ones I don't bother since I'm sure that somebody else has written a similar review in better prose than I can, who's English is not the native language. However, for this book I felt compelled to write one. I've read all of Dan Browns books, I think, but I'll stick to his most popular "franchise", the Langdon series. Both Demons and Angels and The DaVinci Code were very good books and I enjoyed them profusely. They are not what you'd call masterpieces but they are page turners, and they "packed a punch". What I mean by that is that within the plot the reader can find not only information about the subject that are not popularly known, but also other "facts" that give a sense of mystery to the book. A darker quality that makes you want to read more not just to get to the end and see how it finishes, but because you want to learn more about these "secret" things. It doesn't matter if these things are fictitious. These are novels not historical books. But then came the Lost Symbol. A book that had great pace and a good story that ended in what I think was one of the biggest let downs in Brown history. It all culminated on a book, a holy book buried in the foundations of some building. So what?I thought that might be an exception and was eagerly waiting for the next Langdon installment. When it hit the book stores I got a copy of the audiobook and immediately started it. <hl> This one was different . <hl> It had the air of disappointment from the get-go. It felt as if Brown was bored while writing it and just wanted it to be over. It felt flat. As if it was just another paycheck. From the beginning to the very end, it was predictable. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't James Bond-predictable where you know the hero survives and kills all, even though there was no doubt that Langdon would also survive. I felt like I could see beyond the next turn. Mostly because there were no turns, just a long straight line. Even the "surprises" in the plot were easy to see coming and not really interesting. Consider this: by the end of the book (minor spoiler alert) we realize that there were no bad-guys! Not even the one who created the virus! Even he, in his twisted way, only opted for the less evil solution and gains our sympathy. All the other characters were actually working on the same project, on the same side and it was all a big misunderstanding! Go figure. In his first two books not only was there a good plot, but the information you get is hard to come by. In this one the information he gives feels like it came from Wikipedia. Anyway, had I known this before I would have saved 20 something hours of listening and skip this one. Hopefully this review will rescue some other poor soul from an equal waste of time. Mr Brown, if you're reading this, I hope you do better next time | a3a2b6fd7fba1c3f4cfce2d6279bb0de | 1 | 1 | books |
The book was too technical | question: What is your take on the book by James Clear?, context: The book was too technical. I personnally know two people that had this experience and theirs was certainly different from his. | What is your take on the book by James Clear? | The book was too technical . | The book was too technical. I personnally know two people that had this experience and theirs was certainly different from his. | <hl> The book was too technical <hl> . | <hl> The book was too technical <hl>. I personnally know two people that had this experience and theirs was certainly different from his. | <hl> The book was too technical . <hl> I personnally know two people that had this experience and theirs was certainly different from his. | c661e79f89b22ff986656937af63c9f0 | 2 | 2 | books |
I heard a ton about The Hunger Games before I read it | question: How is the novel?, context: I heard a ton about The Hunger Games before I read it. A lot of people said it was really gruesome and intense--even more people said it was sad and heartbreaking. Personally, I didn't think it was particularly gruesome or heartbreaking. It felt like "Survivor" meets Lord of The Flies and the myth of the Minotaur. My familiarity with similar types of stories and knowledge about the plot going into the story contributed to my lack of shock while reading The Hunger Games.Even though a lot of people thought that The Hunger Games was really gruesome, the fight scenes were not described in too much detail, so this was not a problem for me. The overall concept is, of course, appalling--but that is the point of the novel. No one goes into Lord of the Flies expecting it to be an uplifting story, and no one should go into The Hunger Games expecting a story filled with joy.The deaths and tragedies of the story weren't particularly upsetting to me either. The majority of the players in the games weren't very developed. There was only one character that dies that I cared about, but I knew she was going to die so I did not let myself get too attached to her character.The best part of the novel for me was definitely Peeta and Katniss. It was a joy to see their interactions. You can tell that Peeta truly loves Katniss, and even though Katniss is just playing the game, there is clearly potential for something beautiful to develop there.Filled with the makings of a beautiful love story, a tragedy torn nation, and a lot of action, The Hunger Games is definitely a must read. Perfect for fans of "Survivor," Lord of The Flies, and the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, The Hunger Games has enough action and romance to leave you wanting more. | How is the novel? | I heard a ton about The Hunger Games before I read it . | I heard a ton about The Hunger Games before I read it. A lot of people said it was really gruesome and intense--even more people said it was sad and heartbreaking. Personally, I didn't think it was particularly gruesome or heartbreaking. It felt like "Survivor" meets Lord of The Flies and the myth of the Minotaur. My familiarity with similar types of stories and knowledge about the plot going into the story contributed to my lack of shock while reading The Hunger Games.Even though a lot of people thought that The Hunger Games was really gruesome, the fight scenes were not described in too much detail, so this was not a problem for me. The overall concept is, of course, appalling--but that is the point of the novel. No one goes into Lord of the Flies expecting it to be an uplifting story, and no one should go into The Hunger Games expecting a story filled with joy.The deaths and tragedies of the story weren't particularly upsetting to me either. The majority of the players in the games weren't very developed. There was only one character that dies that I cared about, but I knew she was going to die so I did not let myself get too attached to her character.The best part of the novel for me was definitely Peeta and Katniss. It was a joy to see their interactions. You can tell that Peeta truly loves Katniss, and even though Katniss is just playing the game, there is clearly potential for something beautiful to develop there.Filled with the makings of a beautiful love story, a tragedy torn nation, and a lot of action, The Hunger Games is definitely a must read. Perfect for fans of "Survivor," Lord of The Flies, and the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, The Hunger Games has enough action and romance to leave you wanting more. | <hl> I heard a ton about The Hunger Games before I read it <hl> . | <hl> I heard a ton about The Hunger Games before I read it <hl>. A lot of people said it was really gruesome and intense--even more people said it was sad and heartbreaking. Personally, I didn't think it was particularly gruesome or heartbreaking. It felt like "Survivor" meets Lord of The Flies and the myth of the Minotaur. My familiarity with similar types of stories and knowledge about the plot going into the story contributed to my lack of shock while reading The Hunger Games.Even though a lot of people thought that The Hunger Games was really gruesome, the fight scenes were not described in too much detail, so this was not a problem for me. The overall concept is, of course, appalling--but that is the point of the novel. No one goes into Lord of the Flies expecting it to be an uplifting story, and no one should go into The Hunger Games expecting a story filled with joy.The deaths and tragedies of the story weren't particularly upsetting to me either. The majority of the players in the games weren't very developed. There was only one character that dies that I cared about, but I knew she was going to die so I did not let myself get too attached to her character.The best part of the novel for me was definitely Peeta and Katniss. It was a joy to see their interactions. You can tell that Peeta truly loves Katniss, and even though Katniss is just playing the game, there is clearly potential for something beautiful to develop there.Filled with the makings of a beautiful love story, a tragedy torn nation, and a lot of action, The Hunger Games is definitely a must read. Perfect for fans of "Survivor," Lord of The Flies, and the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, The Hunger Games has enough action and romance to leave you wanting more. | <hl> I heard a ton about The Hunger Games before I read it . <hl> A lot of people said it was really gruesome and intense--even more people said it was sad and heartbreaking. Personally, I didn't think it was particularly gruesome or heartbreaking. It felt like "Survivor" meets Lord of The Flies and the myth of the Minotaur. My familiarity with similar types of stories and knowledge about the plot going into the story contributed to my lack of shock while reading The Hunger Games. Even though a lot of people thought that The Hunger Games was really gruesome, the fight scenes were not described in too much detail, so this was not a problem for me. The overall concept is, of course, appalling--but that is the point of the novel. No one goes into Lord of the Flies expecting it to be an uplifting story, and no one should go into The Hunger Games expecting a story filled with joy. The deaths and tragedies of the story weren't particularly upsetting to me either. The majority of the players in the games weren't very developed. There was only one character that dies that I cared about, but I knew she was going to die so I did not let myself get too attached to her character. The best part of the novel for me was definitely Peeta and Katniss. It was a joy to see their interactions. You can tell that Peeta truly loves Katniss, and even though Katniss is just playing the game, there is clearly potential for something beautiful to develop there. Filled with the makings of a beautiful love story, a tragedy torn nation, and a lot of action, The Hunger Games is definitely a must read. Perfect for fans of "Survivor," Lord of The Flies, and the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, The Hunger Games has enough action and romance to leave you wanting more. | 5f1ed1c3641830709154278221f3c303 | 1 | 1 | books |
The ability of humans to endure | question: How is the book?, context: If you can read about horror, this is a book you should read. The ability of humans to endure psychological, physical, and social torture is truly amazing. How any of them survived to live even relatively normal lives after the war is almost unfathomable. The quality of writing is balanced, detailed, and not overly emotional. What a story- that is true. Her comments about the importance of dignity for survival is something we should all think about in our daily lives. | How is the book? | The ability of humans to endure psychological, physical, and social torture is truly amazing. | If you can read about horror, this is a book you should read. The ability of humans to endure psychological, physical, and social torture is truly amazing. How any of them survived to live even relatively normal lives after the war is almost unfathomable. The quality of writing is balanced, detailed, and not overly emotional. What a story- that is true. Her comments about the importance of dignity for survival is something we should all think about in our daily lives. | <hl> The ability of humans to endure <hl> psychological, physical, and social torture is truly amazing. | If you can read about horror, this is a book you should read. <hl> The ability of humans to endure <hl> psychological, physical, and social torture is truly amazing. How any of them survived to live even relatively normal lives after the war is almost unfathomable. The quality of writing is balanced, detailed, and not overly emotional. What a story- that is true. Her comments about the importance of dignity for survival is something we should all think about in our daily lives. | If you can read about horror, this is a book you should read. <hl> The ability of humans to endure psychological, physical, and social torture is truly amazing. <hl> How any of them survived to live even relatively normal lives after the war is almost unfathomable. The quality of writing is balanced, detailed, and not overly emotional. What a story- that is true. Her comments about the importance of dignity for survival is something we should all think about in our daily lives. | 2142932f1840e3583fdbcc4dd6aa68b7 | 1 | 1 | books |
the end is when | question: How it's the ending?, context: I enjoyed reading the first two books, but, the third one I was trying my hardest to like it. I feel the ending was strange only because there were a few things that happens that made no sense. Katniss almosts seems to have a different personality in this book from the others. I would say from Chapter 20 to the end is when I was finding myself no longer liking the book. | How it's the ending? | I would say from Chapter 20 to the end is when I was finding myself no longer liking the book. | I enjoyed reading the first two books, but, the third one I was trying my hardest to like it. I feel the ending was strange only because there were a few things that happens that made no sense. Katniss almosts seems to have a different personality in this book from the others. I would say from Chapter 20 to the end is when I was finding myself no longer liking the book. | I would say from Chapter 20 to <hl> the end is when <hl> I was finding myself no longer liking the book. | I enjoyed reading the first two books, but, the third one I was trying my hardest to like it. I feel the ending was strange only because there were a few things that happens that made no sense. Katniss almosts seems to have a different personality in this book from the others. I would say from Chapter 20 to <hl> the end is when <hl> I was finding myself no longer liking the book. | I enjoyed reading the first two books, but, the third one I was trying my hardest to like it. I feel the ending was strange only because there were a few things that happens that made no sense. Katniss almosts seems to have a different personality in this book from the others. <hl> I would say from Chapter 20 to the end is when I was finding myself no longer liking the book. <hl> | 5b8c8bc48fc2f35ae34f3df4a39dafb7 | 1 | 1 | books |
I would not recommend this book to anyone | question: Can you know what your opinion?, context: I had previously read Richard Dawkins book 'The Magic of Reality' and found it readable, that along with having seen an interview on TV peaked my interest. I bought this book hoping to support my fairly recent change of philosophy to Atheism. I found the book to be boring to the extreme with excessive name dropping and between the lines intelectual snobery. Had I not already become an atheist based upon my own rationalization and life expreience with religion this book would have done little or nothing to convince me that I was making an informed choice. The intolerence of the author for others that have a different belief than his reeked of English intelectual snobery which I found to be very distasteful to the extreme. I would not recommend this book to anyone that might be considering giving up an established religion or belief. I also question a number of his statistics regarding American religious beliefs and the rigidity of their doctrines comparing them to members of the Taliban. Overall the book was in retrospect a very uninteresting read. | Can you know what your opinion? | I would not recommend this book to anyone that might be considering giving up an established religion or belief. | I had previously read Richard Dawkins book 'The Magic of Reality' and found it readable, that along with having seen an interview on TV peaked my interest. I bought this book hoping to support my fairly recent change of philosophy to Atheism. I found the book to be boring to the extreme with excessive name dropping and between the lines intelectual snobery. Had I not already become an atheist based upon my own rationalization and life expreience with religion this book would have done little or nothing to convince me that I was making an informed choice. The intolerence of the author for others that have a different belief than his reeked of English intelectual snobery which I found to be very distasteful to the extreme. I would not recommend this book to anyone that might be considering giving up an established religion or belief. I also question a number of his statistics regarding American religious beliefs and the rigidity of their doctrines comparing them to members of the Taliban. Overall the book was in retrospect a very uninteresting read. | <hl> I would not recommend this book to anyone <hl> that might be considering giving up an established religion or belief. | I had previously read Richard Dawkins book 'The Magic of Reality' and found it readable, that along with having seen an interview on TV peaked my interest. I bought this book hoping to support my fairly recent change of philosophy to Atheism. I found the book to be boring to the extreme with excessive name dropping and between the lines intelectual snobery. Had I not already become an atheist based upon my own rationalization and life expreience with religion this book would have done little or nothing to convince me that I was making an informed choice. The intolerence of the author for others that have a different belief than his reeked of English intelectual snobery which I found to be very distasteful to the extreme. <hl> I would not recommend this book to anyone <hl> that might be considering giving up an established religion or belief. I also question a number of his statistics regarding American religious beliefs and the rigidity of their doctrines comparing them to members of the Taliban. Overall the book was in retrospect a very uninteresting read. | I had previously read Richard Dawkins book 'The Magic of Reality' and found it readable, that along with having seen an interview on TV peaked my interest. I bought this book hoping to support my fairly recent change of philosophy to Atheism. I found the book to be boring to the extreme with excessive name dropping and between the lines intelectual snobery. Had I not already become an atheist based upon my own rationalization and life expreience with religion this book would have done little or nothing to convince me that I was making an informed choice. The intolerence of the author for others that have a different belief than his reeked of English intelectual snobery which I found to be very distasteful to the extreme. <hl> I would not recommend this book to anyone that might be considering giving up an established religion or belief. <hl> I also question a number of his statistics regarding American religious beliefs and the rigidity of their doctrines comparing them to members of the Taliban. Overall the book was in retrospect a very uninteresting read. | 325fd092d117327f8762339d3a14e0b0 | 1 | 1 | books |
The story was predictable and not very exciting | question: What do you think about story?, context: For me, Angles and Demons, The DaVinci Code and The Lost Symbol were all much, much, much better than Inferno. The story was predictable and not very exciting. The characters were shallow and not very believable. Reading was slow and difficult. And I had to force myself to get through the last half of the book. This was my 6th Dan Brown read...and my least favorite. It seemed so un-Dan-Brown like, I wonder if he really did much of the writing himself. I DO NOT RECOMMEND it to anyone. | What do you think about story? | The story was predictable and not very exciting . | For me, Angles and Demons, The DaVinci Code and The Lost Symbol were all much, much, much better than Inferno. The story was predictable and not very exciting. The characters were shallow and not very believable. Reading was slow and difficult. And I had to force myself to get through the last half of the book. This was my 6th Dan Brown read...and my least favorite. It seemed so un-Dan-Brown like, I wonder if he really did much of the writing himself. I DO NOT RECOMMEND it to anyone. | <hl> The story was predictable and not very exciting <hl> . | For me, Angles and Demons, The DaVinci Code and The Lost Symbol were all much, much, much better than Inferno. <hl> The story was predictable and not very exciting <hl>. The characters were shallow and not very believable. Reading was slow and difficult. And I had to force myself to get through the last half of the book. This was my 6th Dan Brown read...and my least favorite. It seemed so un-Dan-Brown like, I wonder if he really did much of the writing himself. I DO NOT RECOMMEND it to anyone. | For me, Angles and Demons, The DaVinci Code and The Lost Symbol were all much, much, much better than Inferno. <hl> The story was predictable and not very exciting . <hl> The characters were shallow and not very believable. Reading was slow and difficult. And I had to force myself to get through the last half of the book. This was my 6th Dan Brown read...and my least favorite. It seemed so un-Dan-Brown like, I wonder if he really did much of the writing himself. I DO NOT RECOMMEND it to anyone. | e46e8f08ec4dc8ec06a2a040ccdc953f | 1 | 1 | books |
Help" is a perfect name for this book | question: How is the book?, context: "Help" is a perfect name for this book. As you read it you will realize why and it will blow you away. I agree with the readers that from the very beginning this book grabs you and does not let go. After I finished the story I re-read it to study the minute nuances because it is such a haunting tale. It is a story about relationships in the south at the beginning of the civil rights movement. Not just relationships between white women and their black help, but also about relationships between white women and their husbands, white women with each other, white women and their mothers from another generation, black women and each other, black women and the white children they raised and so much more. To only have seen the one relationship between white women vs the black help is to have missed out on many of the lessons taught within these pages.The plot of the story is about a young white woman, Miss Skeeter, who realizes that to fulfill her dream of becoming a writer, she must dig deeper within herself and write about what matters to her. She decides to write a book about the relationships between white women and their black female helpers as a way to better understand the love she felt for her own helper, Constantine who had abandoned her under mysterious circumstances. With clandestine meetings with her best friends' helpers she is able to interview a dozen other black women employed by white families and learns of stories both good and bad. I admire the author for not writing in graphic detail any sort of absolute acts of injustice or inhumanity such as rape and police brutality, which of course did frequently take place in those times. It is in the consistent subtle mistreatment which causes the most harm and it is also the small kind gestures that have the strongest ability to heal one's soul and shine the brightest.Regardless of whether or not you think the writing is bad, this is a story that needs to be told. To think about who the President of the United States is today emphasizes just how important this story is. The story reminds us of where we were and the kind of progress and transformation this nation has made that would've made the characters of this book paralyzed with shock. Some with joy and some with horror. Recognizing this progress gives even more hope to the leaps and bounds possible for our children's future. The accessibility of this story outweighs any criticism I have for the actual writing and character development. There were times that I found the book to be predictable as another reviewer mentioned, but that is where the importance lies, in the remembering and not in the discovery. After all, this is historical fiction. This book opens up a dialogue that many of us are no longer having but desperately need. The evidence of this point is illustrated by the number of those who gave it 1 star vs those who gave it 5.Needless to say, I highly recommend this book. | How is the book? | " Help" is a perfect name for this book . | "Help" is a perfect name for this book. As you read it you will realize why and it will blow you away. I agree with the readers that from the very beginning this book grabs you and does not let go. After I finished the story I re-read it to study the minute nuances because it is such a haunting tale. It is a story about relationships in the south at the beginning of the civil rights movement. Not just relationships between white women and their black help, but also about relationships between white women and their husbands, white women with each other, white women and their mothers from another generation, black women and each other, black women and the white children they raised and so much more. To only have seen the one relationship between white women vs the black help is to have missed out on many of the lessons taught within these pages.The plot of the story is about a young white woman, Miss Skeeter, who realizes that to fulfill her dream of becoming a writer, she must dig deeper within herself and write about what matters to her. She decides to write a book about the relationships between white women and their black female helpers as a way to better understand the love she felt for her own helper, Constantine who had abandoned her under mysterious circumstances. With clandestine meetings with her best friends' helpers she is able to interview a dozen other black women employed by white families and learns of stories both good and bad. I admire the author for not writing in graphic detail any sort of absolute acts of injustice or inhumanity such as rape and police brutality, which of course did frequently take place in those times. It is in the consistent subtle mistreatment which causes the most harm and it is also the small kind gestures that have the strongest ability to heal one's soul and shine the brightest.Regardless of whether or not you think the writing is bad, this is a story that needs to be told. To think about who the President of the United States is today emphasizes just how important this story is. The story reminds us of where we were and the kind of progress and transformation this nation has made that would've made the characters of this book paralyzed with shock. Some with joy and some with horror. Recognizing this progress gives even more hope to the leaps and bounds possible for our children's future. The accessibility of this story outweighs any criticism I have for the actual writing and character development. There were times that I found the book to be predictable as another reviewer mentioned, but that is where the importance lies, in the remembering and not in the discovery. After all, this is historical fiction. This book opens up a dialogue that many of us are no longer having but desperately need. The evidence of this point is illustrated by the number of those who gave it 1 star vs those who gave it 5.Needless to say, I highly recommend this book. | " <hl> Help" is a perfect name for this book <hl> . | "<hl> Help" is a perfect name for this book <hl>. As you read it you will realize why and it will blow you away. I agree with the readers that from the very beginning this book grabs you and does not let go. After I finished the story I re-read it to study the minute nuances because it is such a haunting tale. It is a story about relationships in the south at the beginning of the civil rights movement. Not just relationships between white women and their black help, but also about relationships between white women and their husbands, white women with each other, white women and their mothers from another generation, black women and each other, black women and the white children they raised and so much more. To only have seen the one relationship between white women vs the black help is to have missed out on many of the lessons taught within these pages.The plot of the story is about a young white woman, Miss Skeeter, who realizes that to fulfill her dream of becoming a writer, she must dig deeper within herself and write about what matters to her. She decides to write a book about the relationships between white women and their black female helpers as a way to better understand the love she felt for her own helper, Constantine who had abandoned her under mysterious circumstances. With clandestine meetings with her best friends' helpers she is able to interview a dozen other black women employed by white families and learns of stories both good and bad. I admire the author for not writing in graphic detail any sort of absolute acts of injustice or inhumanity such as rape and police brutality, which of course did frequently take place in those times. It is in the consistent subtle mistreatment which causes the most harm and it is also the small kind gestures that have the strongest ability to heal one's soul and shine the brightest.Regardless of whether or not you think the writing is bad, this is a story that needs to be told. To think about who the President of the United States is today emphasizes just how important this story is. The story reminds us of where we were and the kind of progress and transformation this nation has made that would've made the characters of this book paralyzed with shock. Some with joy and some with horror. Recognizing this progress gives even more hope to the leaps and bounds possible for our children's future. The accessibility of this story outweighs any criticism I have for the actual writing and character development. There were times that I found the book to be predictable as another reviewer mentioned, but that is where the importance lies, in the remembering and not in the discovery. After all, this is historical fiction. This book opens up a dialogue that many of us are no longer having but desperately need. The evidence of this point is illustrated by the number of those who gave it 1 star vs those who gave it 5.Needless to say, I highly recommend this book. | <hl> " Help" is a perfect name for this book . <hl> As you read it you will realize why and it will blow you away. I agree with the readers that from the very beginning this book grabs you and does not let go. After I finished the story I re-read it to study the minute nuances because it is such a haunting tale. It is a story about relationships in the south at the beginning of the civil rights movement. Not just relationships between white women and their black help, but also about relationships between white women and their husbands, white women with each other, white women and their mothers from another generation, black women and each other, black women and the white children they raised and so much more. To only have seen the one relationship between white women vs the black help is to have missed out on many of the lessons taught within these pages. The plot of the story is about a young white woman, Miss Skeeter, who realizes that to fulfill her dream of becoming a writer, she must dig deeper within herself and write about what matters to her. She decides to write a book about the relationships between white women and their black female helpers as a way to better understand the love she felt for her own helper, Constantine who had abandoned her under mysterious circumstances. With clandestine meetings with her best friends' helpers she is able to interview a dozen other black women employed by white families and learns of stories both good and bad. I admire the author for not writing in graphic detail any sort of absolute acts of injustice or inhumanity such as rape and police brutality, which of course did frequently take place in those times. It is in the consistent subtle mistreatment which causes the most harm and it is also the small kind gestures that have the strongest ability to heal one's soul and shine the brightest. Regardless of whether or not you think the writing is bad, this is a story that needs to be told. To think about who the President of the United States is today emphasizes just how important this story is. The story reminds us of where we were and the kind of progress and transformation this nation has made that would've made the characters of this book paralyzed with shock. Some with joy and some with horror. Recognizing this progress gives even more hope to the leaps and bounds possible for our children's future. The accessibility of this story outweighs any criticism I have for the actual writing and character development. There were times that I found the book to be predictable as another reviewer mentioned, but that is where the importance lies, in the remembering and not in the discovery. After all, this is historical fiction. This book opens up a dialogue that many of us are no longer having but desperately need. The evidence of this point is illustrated by the number of those who gave it 1 star vs those who gave it 5.Needless to say, I highly recommend this book. | 29376b33bc20cf053f1e30633afe1665 | 1 | 1 | books |
THE NAME OF THE WIND tells | question: What you can infer about life from this story?, context: Innkeepers abound in fantasy novels.Very rarely, though, do we get to see things from their point of view.THE NAME OF THE WIND tells two stories at the same time. In the present, there is the innkeeper named Kote, our main character who is asked to share his past with another who is willing to write it down, word for word.The vast majority of the book takes place in the past, covering Kote's youth and education at the University--as told by Kote himself.One of the first things you will notice about this book (besides how thick it is) is the insane amount of praise that has been heaped upon it by other famous authors. Is this book worthy of such praise? Will it chase Lord of the Rings off your bookshelf?No, it won't. But it IS a good book.Good, not great.Here's why:PROS:Interesting characters: The character of Kote/Kvothe is really mysterious. Just what sort of things has he done in his past that he has to take up the occupation of innkeeper in the middle of nowhere? Denna is also interesting since she is so unpredictable--like the wind itself.The University scenes remind me heavily of the White Tower scenes in Jordan's WHEEL OF TIME series. A University is not an action-packed setting, but it was fun to read about Kvothe's education nonetheless. It was just as entertaining as reading about Hogwarts.The author's style is eloquent without being florid. He won't beat you over the head with the customs of a dozen different nations and how every bolt of cloth looks.Dragons. Again. Like we haven't seen that before! But I found the dragon scene very refreshing, believable and even humorous. Easily one of the best dragon scenes I've read, next to Bilbo's talk with Smaug in THE HOBBIT.CONS:Kote's recollection of his past is really long-winded. I found it hard to believe that someone would listen to that much dialogue in one day, much less write it down.The map is pointless. If you're going to bother putting a map of the land in your book you should at least populate it with most (if not all) of the places mentioned in the book.OVERALL: If you like the "youth goes to magic school" storyline, then this is definitely a book for you! Easily one of the best in this vein, right next to HARRY POTTER, although a bit more mature and adult. | What you can infer about life from this story? | THE NAME OF THE WIND tells two stories at the same time. | Innkeepers abound in fantasy novels.Very rarely, though, do we get to see things from their point of view.THE NAME OF THE WIND tells two stories at the same time. In the present, there is the innkeeper named Kote, our main character who is asked to share his past with another who is willing to write it down, word for word.The vast majority of the book takes place in the past, covering Kote's youth and education at the University--as told by Kote himself.One of the first things you will notice about this book (besides how thick it is) is the insane amount of praise that has been heaped upon it by other famous authors. Is this book worthy of such praise? Will it chase Lord of the Rings off your bookshelf?No, it won't. But it IS a good book.Good, not great.Here's why:PROS:Interesting characters: The character of Kote/Kvothe is really mysterious. Just what sort of things has he done in his past that he has to take up the occupation of innkeeper in the middle of nowhere? Denna is also interesting since she is so unpredictable--like the wind itself.The University scenes remind me heavily of the White Tower scenes in Jordan's WHEEL OF TIME series. A University is not an action-packed setting, but it was fun to read about Kvothe's education nonetheless. It was just as entertaining as reading about Hogwarts.The author's style is eloquent without being florid. He won't beat you over the head with the customs of a dozen different nations and how every bolt of cloth looks.Dragons. Again. Like we haven't seen that before! But I found the dragon scene very refreshing, believable and even humorous. Easily one of the best dragon scenes I've read, next to Bilbo's talk with Smaug in THE HOBBIT.CONS:Kote's recollection of his past is really long-winded. I found it hard to believe that someone would listen to that much dialogue in one day, much less write it down.The map is pointless. If you're going to bother putting a map of the land in your book you should at least populate it with most (if not all) of the places mentioned in the book.OVERALL: If you like the "youth goes to magic school" storyline, then this is definitely a book for you! Easily one of the best in this vein, right next to HARRY POTTER, although a bit more mature and adult. | <hl> THE NAME OF THE WIND tells <hl> two stories at the same time. | Innkeepers abound in fantasy novels.Very rarely, though, do we get to see things from their point of view.<hl> THE NAME OF THE WIND tells <hl> two stories at the same time. In the present, there is the innkeeper named Kote, our main character who is asked to share his past with another who is willing to write it down, word for word.The vast majority of the book takes place in the past, covering Kote's youth and education at the University--as told by Kote himself.One of the first things you will notice about this book (besides how thick it is) is the insane amount of praise that has been heaped upon it by other famous authors. Is this book worthy of such praise? Will it chase Lord of the Rings off your bookshelf?No, it won't. But it IS a good book.Good, not great.Here's why:PROS:Interesting characters: The character of Kote/Kvothe is really mysterious. Just what sort of things has he done in his past that he has to take up the occupation of innkeeper in the middle of nowhere? Denna is also interesting since she is so unpredictable--like the wind itself.The University scenes remind me heavily of the White Tower scenes in Jordan's WHEEL OF TIME series. A University is not an action-packed setting, but it was fun to read about Kvothe's education nonetheless. It was just as entertaining as reading about Hogwarts.The author's style is eloquent without being florid. He won't beat you over the head with the customs of a dozen different nations and how every bolt of cloth looks.Dragons. Again. Like we haven't seen that before! But I found the dragon scene very refreshing, believable and even humorous. Easily one of the best dragon scenes I've read, next to Bilbo's talk with Smaug in THE HOBBIT.CONS:Kote's recollection of his past is really long-winded. I found it hard to believe that someone would listen to that much dialogue in one day, much less write it down.The map is pointless. If you're going to bother putting a map of the land in your book you should at least populate it with most (if not all) of the places mentioned in the book.OVERALL: If you like the "youth goes to magic school" storyline, then this is definitely a book for you! Easily one of the best in this vein, right next to HARRY POTTER, although a bit more mature and adult. | Innkeepers abound in fantasy novels. Very rarely, though, do we get to see things from their point of view. <hl> THE NAME OF THE WIND tells two stories at the same time. <hl> In the present, there is the innkeeper named Kote, our main character who is asked to share his past with another who is willing to write it down, word for word. The vast majority of the book takes place in the past, covering Kote's youth and education at the University--as told by Kote himself. One of the first things you will notice about this book (besides how thick it is) is the insane amount of praise that has been heaped upon it by other famous authors. Is this book worthy of such praise? Will it chase Lord of the Rings off your bookshelf?No, it won't. But it IS a good book. Good, not great. Here's why:PROS: Interesting characters: The character of Kote/Kvothe is really mysterious. Just what sort of things has he done in his past that he has to take up the occupation of innkeeper in the middle of nowhere? Denna is also interesting since she is so unpredictable--like the wind itself. The University scenes remind me heavily of the White Tower scenes in Jordan's WHEEL OF TIME series. A University is not an action-packed setting, but it was fun to read about Kvothe's education nonetheless. It was just as entertaining as reading about Hogwarts. The author's style is eloquent without being florid. He won't beat you over the head with the customs of a dozen different nations and how every bolt of cloth looks. Dragons. Again. Like we haven't seen that before! But I found the dragon scene very refreshing, believable and even humorous. Easily one of the best dragon scenes I've read, next to Bilbo's talk with Smaug in THE HOBBIT.CONS:Kote's recollection of his past is really long-winded. I found it hard to believe that someone would listen to that much dialogue in one day, much less write it down. The map is pointless. If you're going to bother putting a map of the land in your book you should at least populate it with most (if not all) of the places mentioned in the book. OVERALL: If you like the "youth goes to magic school" storyline, then this is definitely a book for you! Easily one of the best in this vein, right next to HARRY POTTER, although a bit more mature and adult. | 2f2676a0d355a06645c013f5680be776 | 1 | 1 | books |
sheds | question: How did the thing get tense?, context: Well, I've been waiting for this book for quite some time and I'm very pleased with how Ms. Hand ended the series. The book is fast-paced and wastes no time giving a recap of Hallowed. I would definitely recommend reading Radiant, the e-novella first if you haven't already. It's not completely necessary, but it definitely sheds some light on certain key events in the book. I was impressed by how much the author packed into this book. All of the unresolved conflicts are finished up quite nicely. I only have a couple complaints. For one thing, I wouldn't have minded a little more Tucker. Even just one more quality scene would've made the book more complete for me. Also, the ending was predictable and a little cliche. When I was getting to the end and things were looking exciting I was half-hoping Cynthia Hand would do something daring and leave us with a fulfilling, but slightly-less-than-happy ending. But alas, another feel-good but ultimately forgettable ending. That being said, I was satisfied with how everything was wrapped up, and I thought the whole angel mythology part of the book was better executed than in the first two. I have no idea what Cynthia Hand's future plans are, but I'll definitely keep reading her wonderful writing. | How did the thing get tense? | it definitely sheds some light on certain key events in the book. | Well, I've been waiting for this book for quite some time and I'm very pleased with how Ms. Hand ended the series. The book is fast-paced and wastes no time giving a recap of Hallowed. I would definitely recommend reading Radiant, the e-novella first if you haven't already. It's not completely necessary, but it definitely sheds some light on certain key events in the book. I was impressed by how much the author packed into this book. All of the unresolved conflicts are finished up quite nicely. I only have a couple complaints. For one thing, I wouldn't have minded a little more Tucker. Even just one more quality scene would've made the book more complete for me. Also, the ending was predictable and a little cliche. When I was getting to the end and things were looking exciting I was half-hoping Cynthia Hand would do something daring and leave us with a fulfilling, but slightly-less-than-happy ending. But alas, another feel-good but ultimately forgettable ending. That being said, I was satisfied with how everything was wrapped up, and I thought the whole angel mythology part of the book was better executed than in the first two. I have no idea what Cynthia Hand's future plans are, but I'll definitely keep reading her wonderful writing. | it definitely <hl> sheds <hl> some light on certain key events in the book. | Well, I've been waiting for this book for quite some time and I'm very pleased with how Ms. Hand ended the series. The book is fast-paced and wastes no time giving a recap of Hallowed. I would definitely recommend reading Radiant, the e-novella first if you haven't already. It's not completely necessary, but it definitely <hl> sheds <hl> some light on certain key events in the book. I was impressed by how much the author packed into this book. All of the unresolved conflicts are finished up quite nicely. I only have a couple complaints. For one thing, I wouldn't have minded a little more Tucker. Even just one more quality scene would've made the book more complete for me. Also, the ending was predictable and a little cliche. When I was getting to the end and things were looking exciting I was half-hoping Cynthia Hand would do something daring and leave us with a fulfilling, but slightly-less-than-happy ending. But alas, another feel-good but ultimately forgettable ending. That being said, I was satisfied with how everything was wrapped up, and I thought the whole angel mythology part of the book was better executed than in the first two. I have no idea what Cynthia Hand's future plans are, but I'll definitely keep reading her wonderful writing. | Well, I've been waiting for this book for quite some time and I'm very pleased with how Ms. Hand ended the series. The book is fast-paced and wastes no time giving a recap of Hallowed. I would definitely recommend reading Radiant, the e-novella first if you haven't already. It's not completely necessary, but <hl> it definitely sheds some light on certain key events in the book. <hl> I was impressed by how much the author packed into this book. All of the unresolved conflicts are finished up quite nicely. I only have a couple complaints. For one thing, I wouldn't have minded a little more Tucker. Even just one more quality scene would've made the book more complete for me. Also, the ending was predictable and a little cliche. When I was getting to the end and things were looking exciting I was half-hoping Cynthia Hand would do something daring and leave us with a fulfilling, but slightly-less-than-happy ending. But alas, another feel-good but ultimately forgettable ending. That being said, I was satisfied with how everything was wrapped up, and I thought the whole angel mythology part of the book was better executed than in the first two. I have no idea what Cynthia Hand's future plans are, but I'll definitely keep reading her wonderful writing. | 3178d0632a65ee70259d5f49871372b2 | 1 | 1 | books |
the storyline was interesting | question: How is story?, context: I liked the characters in the story. the interviews were a little tedious at times but the storyline was interesting. | How is story? | the interviews were a little tedious at times but the storyline was interesting . | I liked the characters in the story. the interviews were a little tedious at times but the storyline was interesting. | the interviews were a little tedious at times but <hl> the storyline was interesting <hl> . | I liked the characters in the story. the interviews were a little tedious at times but <hl> the storyline was interesting <hl>. | I liked the characters in the story. <hl> the interviews were a little tedious at times but the storyline was interesting . <hl> | a59f1ea493b508435075370d9afab925 | 2 | 2 | books |
normally devour gleefully | question: How is story?, context: I always pick up the newest Scottoline book looking for a good mystery with Lisa's trademark wit and fun characters but this book fell flat for me. The characters were one demensional and frankly boring, the plot was unbelievable and not that interesting, and the pacing was very slow. I had to struggle to finish the book and that is unusual for a Scottoline book which I normally devour gleefully. This book was mediocre and not worth the money I paid for it. Very diappointing! | How is story? | I had to struggle to finish the book and that is unusual for a Scottoline book which I normally devour gleefully . | I always pick up the newest Scottoline book looking for a good mystery with Lisa's trademark wit and fun characters but this book fell flat for me. The characters were one demensional and frankly boring, the plot was unbelievable and not that interesting, and the pacing was very slow. I had to struggle to finish the book and that is unusual for a Scottoline book which I normally devour gleefully. This book was mediocre and not worth the money I paid for it. Very diappointing! | I had to struggle to finish the book and that is unusual for a Scottoline book which I <hl> normally devour gleefully <hl> . | I always pick up the newest Scottoline book looking for a good mystery with Lisa's trademark wit and fun characters but this book fell flat for me. The characters were one demensional and frankly boring, the plot was unbelievable and not that interesting, and the pacing was very slow. I had to struggle to finish the book and that is unusual for a Scottoline book which I <hl> normally devour gleefully <hl>. This book was mediocre and not worth the money I paid for it. Very diappointing! | I always pick up the newest Scottoline book looking for a good mystery with Lisa's trademark wit and fun characters but this book fell flat for me. The characters were one demensional and frankly boring, the plot was unbelievable and not that interesting, and the pacing was very slow. <hl> I had to struggle to finish the book and that is unusual for a Scottoline book which I normally devour gleefully . <hl> This book was mediocre and not worth the money I paid for it. Very diappointing! | 68a3e2e1c36b6ae02b793b19dd77bf2c | 1 | 1 | books |
read too many books and article and experienced too much in business | question: How is the book?, context: Before you read this, know that I'm biased. I've lived too long, read too many books and article and experienced too much in business. Any time I read that someone has the answer for all companies, I cringe. If there is anything I've learned in business is that every business is different. In business solutions, one size does not fit all. Whenever someone says that they have a simple answer for business, I recoil. Another thing I've learned is that business is a complex problem. And, complex problems deserve being respected for their complexity. Solutions to complex problems may be elegant, but they are rarely simple.In addition to the above, my problem with this book is its premise and research methodology. The basis of all the work that went into this book is the "Ratio of Cumulative Stock Returns to General Market". While this is certainly an important variable, it is not the complete measure of a company's greatness. It may or may not even be an indicator.First, stockholders are only one of the many stakeholders that a company has. As an extreme example, consider a fast growing, highly profitable company that's raping the environment. A great company must have a positive economic impact on its customers and honor the trust that a customer places in the company by purchasing goods and services. A great company must respect the individuals its employees, its suppliers and its strategic partners. A great company must also balance its financial performance in stock market with the development of its people, technology, industry and country. And, among many other things, a great company must be ethical and honor the trust given to them by the people in allowing them to incorporate.Lastly, I have a problem with any book about great companies that does not deal with innovation and creativity. Many of the examples described are innovations; it just doesn't call them that. The book seems to studiously avoid the use of creativity, strategy and innovation as those words were forbidden.The chapters in the book include:Good is the Enemy of GreatLevel 5 LeadershipFirst Who...The WhatConfront the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith)The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within Three Circles)A Culture of DisciplineTechnology AcceleratorsThe Flywheel and the Doom LoopFrom Good to great to built to LastThe book is written well and easy to understand. It was designed that way. Millions of copies have been sold, so maybe I'm wrong. I have been a time or two in my life. But, I did have problems with The Search for Excellence. Remember that book...?Jim Collins is co-author of Built to Last, a national bestseller for over five years with a million copies in print. A student of enduring great companies, he serves as a teacher to leaders throughout the corporate and social sectors. Formally a faculty member at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he received the Distinguished Teaching Award, Jim now works from his management research laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. | How is the book? | I've lived too long, read too many books and article and experienced too much in business . | Before you read this, know that I'm biased. I've lived too long, read too many books and article and experienced too much in business. Any time I read that someone has the answer for all companies, I cringe. If there is anything I've learned in business is that every business is different. In business solutions, one size does not fit all. Whenever someone says that they have a simple answer for business, I recoil. Another thing I've learned is that business is a complex problem. And, complex problems deserve being respected for their complexity. Solutions to complex problems may be elegant, but they are rarely simple.In addition to the above, my problem with this book is its premise and research methodology. The basis of all the work that went into this book is the "Ratio of Cumulative Stock Returns to General Market". While this is certainly an important variable, it is not the complete measure of a company's greatness. It may or may not even be an indicator.First, stockholders are only one of the many stakeholders that a company has. As an extreme example, consider a fast growing, highly profitable company that's raping the environment. A great company must have a positive economic impact on its customers and honor the trust that a customer places in the company by purchasing goods and services. A great company must respect the individuals its employees, its suppliers and its strategic partners. A great company must also balance its financial performance in stock market with the development of its people, technology, industry and country. And, among many other things, a great company must be ethical and honor the trust given to them by the people in allowing them to incorporate.Lastly, I have a problem with any book about great companies that does not deal with innovation and creativity. Many of the examples described are innovations; it just doesn't call them that. The book seems to studiously avoid the use of creativity, strategy and innovation as those words were forbidden.The chapters in the book include:Good is the Enemy of GreatLevel 5 LeadershipFirst Who...The WhatConfront the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith)The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within Three Circles)A Culture of DisciplineTechnology AcceleratorsThe Flywheel and the Doom LoopFrom Good to great to built to LastThe book is written well and easy to understand. It was designed that way. Millions of copies have been sold, so maybe I'm wrong. I have been a time or two in my life. But, I did have problems with The Search for Excellence. Remember that book...?Jim Collins is co-author of Built to Last, a national bestseller for over five years with a million copies in print. A student of enduring great companies, he serves as a teacher to leaders throughout the corporate and social sectors. Formally a faculty member at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he received the Distinguished Teaching Award, Jim now works from his management research laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. | I've lived too long, <hl> read too many books and article and experienced too much in business <hl> . | Before you read this, know that I'm biased. I've lived too long, <hl> read too many books and article and experienced too much in business <hl>. Any time I read that someone has the answer for all companies, I cringe. If there is anything I've learned in business is that every business is different. In business solutions, one size does not fit all. Whenever someone says that they have a simple answer for business, I recoil. Another thing I've learned is that business is a complex problem. And, complex problems deserve being respected for their complexity. Solutions to complex problems may be elegant, but they are rarely simple.In addition to the above, my problem with this book is its premise and research methodology. The basis of all the work that went into this book is the "Ratio of Cumulative Stock Returns to General Market". While this is certainly an important variable, it is not the complete measure of a company's greatness. It may or may not even be an indicator.First, stockholders are only one of the many stakeholders that a company has. As an extreme example, consider a fast growing, highly profitable company that's raping the environment. A great company must have a positive economic impact on its customers and honor the trust that a customer places in the company by purchasing goods and services. A great company must respect the individuals its employees, its suppliers and its strategic partners. A great company must also balance its financial performance in stock market with the development of its people, technology, industry and country. And, among many other things, a great company must be ethical and honor the trust given to them by the people in allowing them to incorporate.Lastly, I have a problem with any book about great companies that does not deal with innovation and creativity. Many of the examples described are innovations; it just doesn't call them that. The book seems to studiously avoid the use of creativity, strategy and innovation as those words were forbidden.The chapters in the book include:Good is the Enemy of GreatLevel 5 LeadershipFirst Who...The WhatConfront the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith)The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within Three Circles)A Culture of DisciplineTechnology AcceleratorsThe Flywheel and the Doom LoopFrom Good to great to built to LastThe book is written well and easy to understand. It was designed that way. Millions of copies have been sold, so maybe I'm wrong. I have been a time or two in my life. But, I did have problems with The Search for Excellence. Remember that book...?Jim Collins is co-author of Built to Last, a national bestseller for over five years with a million copies in print. A student of enduring great companies, he serves as a teacher to leaders throughout the corporate and social sectors. Formally a faculty member at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he received the Distinguished Teaching Award, Jim now works from his management research laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. | Before you read this, know that I'm biased. <hl> I've lived too long, read too many books and article and experienced too much in business . <hl> Any time I read that someone has the answer for all companies, I cringe. If there is anything I've learned in business is that every business is different. In business solutions, one size does not fit all. Whenever someone says that they have a simple answer for business, I recoil. Another thing I've learned is that business is a complex problem. And, complex problems deserve being respected for their complexity. Solutions to complex problems may be elegant, but they are rarely simple. In addition to the above, my problem with this book is its premise and research methodology. The basis of all the work that went into this book is the "Ratio of Cumulative Stock Returns to General Market". While this is certainly an important variable, it is not the complete measure of a company's greatness. It may or may not even be an indicator. First, stockholders are only one of the many stakeholders that a company has. As an extreme example, consider a fast growing, highly profitable company that's raping the environment. A great company must have a positive economic impact on its customers and honor the trust that a customer places in the company by purchasing goods and services. A great company must respect the individuals its employees, its suppliers and its strategic partners. A great company must also balance its financial performance in stock market with the development of its people, technology, industry and country. And, among many other things, a great company must be ethical and honor the trust given to them by the people in allowing them to incorporate. Lastly, I have a problem with any book about great companies that does not deal with innovation and creativity. Many of the examples described are innovations; it just doesn't call them that. The book seems to studiously avoid the use of creativity, strategy and innovation as those words were forbidden. The chapters in the book include:Good is the Enemy of GreatLevel 5 LeadershipFirst Who...The WhatConfront the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith)The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within Three Circles)A Culture of DisciplineTechnology AcceleratorsThe Flywheel and the Doom LoopFrom Good to great to built to LastThe book is written well and easy to understand. It was designed that way. Millions of copies have been sold, so maybe I'm wrong. I have been a time or two in my life. But, I did have problems with The Search for Excellence. Remember that book...?Jim Collins is co-author of Built to Last, a national bestseller for over five years with a million copies in print. A student of enduring great companies, he serves as a teacher to leaders throughout the corporate and social sectors. Formally a faculty member at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he received the Distinguished Teaching Award, Jim now works from his management research laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. | 0414d279b964e6a76cd3838b45bd59d7 | 1 | 1 | books |
The historical aspect to this story, the connection to Death himself, and the magical aspects make an already good story great | question: How was this story?, context: Ink and Page's Quick & Dirty ReviewRating: 4Best Thang `Bout It: The writing is seamless and beautiful and the storytelling is amazing. The development of the characters is thoughtful and has plenty of depth. The historical aspect to this story, the connection to Death himself, and the magical aspects make an already good story great. The romance ain't half-bad, either.I'm Cranky Because: Even clocking in at 549 pages, I didn't want it to end. Thankfully, there is a sequel that comes out April 2, 2013.Should You?: Without a doubt.Grave Mercy was published on April 3, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.Genre: Young Adult Fiction Historical Fantasy Paranormal RomanceAges: 14 and up | How was this story? | The historical aspect to this story, the connection to Death himself, and the magical aspects make an already good story great . | Ink and Page's Quick & Dirty ReviewRating: 4Best Thang `Bout It: The writing is seamless and beautiful and the storytelling is amazing. The development of the characters is thoughtful and has plenty of depth. The historical aspect to this story, the connection to Death himself, and the magical aspects make an already good story great. The romance ain't half-bad, either.I'm Cranky Because: Even clocking in at 549 pages, I didn't want it to end. Thankfully, there is a sequel that comes out April 2, 2013.Should You?: Without a doubt.Grave Mercy was published on April 3, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.Genre: Young Adult Fiction Historical Fantasy Paranormal RomanceAges: 14 and up | <hl> The historical aspect to this story, the connection to Death himself, and the magical aspects make an already good story great <hl> . | Ink and Page's Quick & Dirty ReviewRating: 4Best Thang `Bout It: The writing is seamless and beautiful and the storytelling is amazing. The development of the characters is thoughtful and has plenty of depth. <hl> The historical aspect to this story, the connection to Death himself, and the magical aspects make an already good story great <hl>. The romance ain't half-bad, either.I'm Cranky Because: Even clocking in at 549 pages, I didn't want it to end. Thankfully, there is a sequel that comes out April 2, 2013.Should You?: Without a doubt.Grave Mercy was published on April 3, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.Genre: Young Adult Fiction Historical Fantasy Paranormal RomanceAges: 14 and up | Ink and Page's Quick & Dirty ReviewRating: 4Best Thang `Bout It: The writing is seamless and beautiful and the storytelling is amazing. The development of the characters is thoughtful and has plenty of depth. <hl> The historical aspect to this story, the connection to Death himself, and the magical aspects make an already good story great . <hl> The romance ain't half-bad, either. I'm Cranky Because: Even clocking in at 549 pages, I didn't want it to end. Thankfully, there is a sequel that comes out April 2, 2013.Should You?: Without a doubt. Grave Mercy was published on April 3, 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. Genre: Young Adult Fiction Historical Fantasy Paranormal RomanceAges: 14 and up | c8a85f78d9c4c9e95b178a624254776e | 1 | 1 | books |
This is a great book on slow cooking | question: How is the book?, context: This is a great book on slow cooking. It has a ton of tips and tricks that only apply to slow cooker cooking. I thought that the book was well worth it just for these targetted slow cooker tips.At the same time, I will say this....slow cookers does not equal "automatic cooking." I think that's the biggest mistake that people make - thinking that you throw in all the ingredients and walk away "set it and forget it" doesn't work with crockpots. I have found that crock pots are a great and important part of cooking. For example, I love to make ropa vieja (an old cuban dish) but it's really hard to make it in a crockpot in one step. Rather, I slow cook the meat in the crock pot until it falls apart and then I spend 30 minutes mixing it with green peppers and the other ingredients in a skillet to finish the dish. The crock pot saves me a ton of time but it's not always a one stop. If you learn to put the crock pot in its place, you'll be that better off.At the same time there are some receipes that are fool proof and work great right out of the crockpot. This book has over 200 receipes and you can pretty much tell which ones are "set and forget" vs ones where you'll need extra work.So what is the premise of this book? Well there is a group in Vermont called the "test kitchen" where basically they set up a bunch of crockpots (literally a whole line of them) and they proceed to test and tweak receipes until they collect a few hundred good receipes tha they have fine tuned. So, the knowledge that comes is first hand and they taste test all of the receipes in the book. Of note, the receipes are mostly "crock-pot" rather than crock-pot + additional work.....but they do share the tips.They're also careful to note which receipes might benefit from a final step like broiling for a few minutes in the oven or some other similar step. I think this is wonderful that they realize that not everything can be a one stop shop. Also, they are clear to note which cuts of meat are best for crockpot cooking.The book is very "tip centric" so they talk about:- things you might have to do after you cook something in a crock-pot- flavor enhancers- picking the right cut of meat- placement of meat (upside down chickens to keep breasts moist) etcOverall, they're trying to pass along all the tips and tricks that they learned and gathered in their "test kitchen."Overall, a very neat concept - this test kitchen thing.Anyway - I love crockpotting --- I hope you do too. This book really does help. | How is the book? | This is a great book on slow cooking . | This is a great book on slow cooking. It has a ton of tips and tricks that only apply to slow cooker cooking. I thought that the book was well worth it just for these targetted slow cooker tips.At the same time, I will say this....slow cookers does not equal "automatic cooking." I think that's the biggest mistake that people make - thinking that you throw in all the ingredients and walk away "set it and forget it" doesn't work with crockpots. I have found that crock pots are a great and important part of cooking. For example, I love to make ropa vieja (an old cuban dish) but it's really hard to make it in a crockpot in one step. Rather, I slow cook the meat in the crock pot until it falls apart and then I spend 30 minutes mixing it with green peppers and the other ingredients in a skillet to finish the dish. The crock pot saves me a ton of time but it's not always a one stop. If you learn to put the crock pot in its place, you'll be that better off.At the same time there are some receipes that are fool proof and work great right out of the crockpot. This book has over 200 receipes and you can pretty much tell which ones are "set and forget" vs ones where you'll need extra work.So what is the premise of this book? Well there is a group in Vermont called the "test kitchen" where basically they set up a bunch of crockpots (literally a whole line of them) and they proceed to test and tweak receipes until they collect a few hundred good receipes tha they have fine tuned. So, the knowledge that comes is first hand and they taste test all of the receipes in the book. Of note, the receipes are mostly "crock-pot" rather than crock-pot + additional work.....but they do share the tips.They're also careful to note which receipes might benefit from a final step like broiling for a few minutes in the oven or some other similar step. I think this is wonderful that they realize that not everything can be a one stop shop. Also, they are clear to note which cuts of meat are best for crockpot cooking.The book is very "tip centric" so they talk about:- things you might have to do after you cook something in a crock-pot- flavor enhancers- picking the right cut of meat- placement of meat (upside down chickens to keep breasts moist) etcOverall, they're trying to pass along all the tips and tricks that they learned and gathered in their "test kitchen."Overall, a very neat concept - this test kitchen thing.Anyway - I love crockpotting --- I hope you do too. This book really does help. | <hl> This is a great book on slow cooking <hl> . | <hl> This is a great book on slow cooking <hl>. It has a ton of tips and tricks that only apply to slow cooker cooking. I thought that the book was well worth it just for these targetted slow cooker tips.At the same time, I will say this....slow cookers does not equal "automatic cooking." I think that's the biggest mistake that people make - thinking that you throw in all the ingredients and walk away "set it and forget it" doesn't work with crockpots. I have found that crock pots are a great and important part of cooking. For example, I love to make ropa vieja (an old cuban dish) but it's really hard to make it in a crockpot in one step. Rather, I slow cook the meat in the crock pot until it falls apart and then I spend 30 minutes mixing it with green peppers and the other ingredients in a skillet to finish the dish. The crock pot saves me a ton of time but it's not always a one stop. If you learn to put the crock pot in its place, you'll be that better off.At the same time there are some receipes that are fool proof and work great right out of the crockpot. This book has over 200 receipes and you can pretty much tell which ones are "set and forget" vs ones where you'll need extra work.So what is the premise of this book? Well there is a group in Vermont called the "test kitchen" where basically they set up a bunch of crockpots (literally a whole line of them) and they proceed to test and tweak receipes until they collect a few hundred good receipes tha they have fine tuned. So, the knowledge that comes is first hand and they taste test all of the receipes in the book. Of note, the receipes are mostly "crock-pot" rather than crock-pot + additional work.....but they do share the tips.They're also careful to note which receipes might benefit from a final step like broiling for a few minutes in the oven or some other similar step. I think this is wonderful that they realize that not everything can be a one stop shop. Also, they are clear to note which cuts of meat are best for crockpot cooking.The book is very "tip centric" so they talk about:- things you might have to do after you cook something in a crock-pot- flavor enhancers- picking the right cut of meat- placement of meat (upside down chickens to keep breasts moist) etcOverall, they're trying to pass along all the tips and tricks that they learned and gathered in their "test kitchen."Overall, a very neat concept - this test kitchen thing.Anyway - I love crockpotting --- I hope you do too. This book really does help. | <hl> This is a great book on slow cooking . <hl> It has a ton of tips and tricks that only apply to slow cooker cooking. I thought that the book was well worth it just for these targetted slow cooker tips. At the same time, I will say this....slow cookers does not equal "automatic cooking." I think that's the biggest mistake that people make - thinking that you throw in all the ingredients and walk away "set it and forget it" doesn't work with crockpots. I have found that crock pots are a great and important part of cooking. For example, I love to make ropa vieja (an old cuban dish) but it's really hard to make it in a crockpot in one step. Rather, I slow cook the meat in the crock pot until it falls apart and then I spend 30 minutes mixing it with green peppers and the other ingredients in a skillet to finish the dish. The crock pot saves me a ton of time but it's not always a one stop. If you learn to put the crock pot in its place, you'll be that better off. At the same time there are some receipes that are fool proof and work great right out of the crockpot. This book has over 200 receipes and you can pretty much tell which ones are "set and forget" vs ones where you'll need extra work. So what is the premise of this book? Well there is a group in Vermont called the "test kitchen" where basically they set up a bunch of crockpots (literally a whole line of them) and they proceed to test and tweak receipes until they collect a few hundred good receipes tha they have fine tuned. So, the knowledge that comes is first hand and they taste test all of the receipes in the book. Of note, the receipes are mostly "crock-pot" rather than crock-pot + additional work..... but they do share the tips. They're also careful to note which receipes might benefit from a final step like broiling for a few minutes in the oven or some other similar step. I think this is wonderful that they realize that not everything can be a one stop shop. Also, they are clear to note which cuts of meat are best for crockpot cooking. The book is very "tip centric" so they talk about:- things you might have to do after you cook something in a crock-pot- flavor enhancers- picking the right cut of meat- placement of meat (upside down chickens to keep breasts moist) etcOverall, they're trying to pass along all the tips and tricks that they learned and gathered in their "test kitchen. "Overall, a very neat concept - this test kitchen thing. Anyway - I love crockpotting --- I hope you do too. This book really does help. | f71e6ba18c71345322c3746b4d52440e | 1 | 1 | books |
Every way that atheism is made to seem more reasonable and more acceptable is a step in the right direction | question: Was the author correct on story?, context: Fantastic book. Rather than review the contents as hundreds of others have, I'll explain why this book is important to me. I live in the heart of our country, where being an atheist is suspect and despised. The Christians here are so ethnocentric, they just assume that everyone is like them, everyone believes like them, and everyone feels the same way they do. And I'm not just talking about the uneducated masses. After I first realized that I was an atheist, and was ready to give up all the superstitions, I told two of my friends at a yearly retreat. Both have their doctorates. The next morning, for the first time, one of them initiated prayer over breakfast. In a business setting, working with the public, advertising that I'm an atheist would be economic madness. Every way that atheism is made to seem more reasonable and more acceptable is a step in the right direction, and makes it easier for me and those like me to `come out of the closet' with everyone, instead of just close friends and family. A friend of mine who is interested in politics is resigned to staying behind the scenes, because being an atheist is an unelectable characteristic. It has just been a few years since Bush, Sr. said, "I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots."Dawkins has done a public service writing this book. It is thorough, well-done, thought- provoking, and interesting. | Was the author correct on story? | Every way that atheism is made to seem more reasonable and more acceptable is a step in the right direction , and makes it easier for me and those like me to `come out of the closet' with everyone, instead of just close friends and family. | Fantastic book. Rather than review the contents as hundreds of others have, I'll explain why this book is important to me. I live in the heart of our country, where being an atheist is suspect and despised. The Christians here are so ethnocentric, they just assume that everyone is like them, everyone believes like them, and everyone feels the same way they do. And I'm not just talking about the uneducated masses. After I first realized that I was an atheist, and was ready to give up all the superstitions, I told two of my friends at a yearly retreat. Both have their doctorates. The next morning, for the first time, one of them initiated prayer over breakfast. In a business setting, working with the public, advertising that I'm an atheist would be economic madness. Every way that atheism is made to seem more reasonable and more acceptable is a step in the right direction, and makes it easier for me and those like me to `come out of the closet' with everyone, instead of just close friends and family. A friend of mine who is interested in politics is resigned to staying behind the scenes, because being an atheist is an unelectable characteristic. It has just been a few years since Bush, Sr. said, "I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots."Dawkins has done a public service writing this book. It is thorough, well-done, thought- provoking, and interesting. | <hl> Every way that atheism is made to seem more reasonable and more acceptable is a step in the right direction <hl> , and makes it easier for me and those like me to `come out of the closet' with everyone, instead of just close friends and family. | Fantastic book. Rather than review the contents as hundreds of others have, I'll explain why this book is important to me. I live in the heart of our country, where being an atheist is suspect and despised. The Christians here are so ethnocentric, they just assume that everyone is like them, everyone believes like them, and everyone feels the same way they do. And I'm not just talking about the uneducated masses. After I first realized that I was an atheist, and was ready to give up all the superstitions, I told two of my friends at a yearly retreat. Both have their doctorates. The next morning, for the first time, one of them initiated prayer over breakfast. In a business setting, working with the public, advertising that I'm an atheist would be economic madness. <hl> Every way that atheism is made to seem more reasonable and more acceptable is a step in the right direction <hl>, and makes it easier for me and those like me to `come out of the closet' with everyone, instead of just close friends and family. A friend of mine who is interested in politics is resigned to staying behind the scenes, because being an atheist is an unelectable characteristic. It has just been a few years since Bush, Sr. said, "I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots."Dawkins has done a public service writing this book. It is thorough, well-done, thought- provoking, and interesting. | Fantastic book. Rather than review the contents as hundreds of others have, I'll explain why this book is important to me. I live in the heart of our country, where being an atheist is suspect and despised. The Christians here are so ethnocentric, they just assume that everyone is like them, everyone believes like them, and everyone feels the same way they do. And I'm not just talking about the uneducated masses. After I first realized that I was an atheist, and was ready to give up all the superstitions, I told two of my friends at a yearly retreat. Both have their doctorates. The next morning, for the first time, one of them initiated prayer over breakfast. In a business setting, working with the public, advertising that I'm an atheist would be economic madness. <hl> Every way that atheism is made to seem more reasonable and more acceptable is a step in the right direction , and makes it easier for me and those like me to `come out of the closet' with everyone, instead of just close friends and family. <hl> A friend of mine who is interested in politics is resigned to staying behind the scenes, because being an atheist is an unelectable characteristic. It has just been a few years since Bush, Sr. said, "I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. "Dawkins has done a public service writing this book. It is thorough, well-done, thought- provoking, and interesting. | 467c311c51427ea497bcaa7ca17bd66f | 2 | 2 | books |
After losing her | question: How good are the details?, context: This is not one of those times where the hype ruined it for me because I picked it up before Oprah selected it for her book club and I went into it with a completely open mind. BUT...it was a complete fail for me.After losing her mother to cancer and divorcing what seemed like the most supportive husband ever, Strayed decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. The idea comes to her after seeing a book on the subject and since she doesn't seem to have anything else going for her, why not? She is essentially homeless as she can't figure out where she wants to settle down and without a job to tie her down, the decision is easy. She's in her mid-twenties and healthy, it can't possibly be that hard, right?It's not unheard of for a non-hiker to hike a trail like this one. Lots of people find closure and peace of mind on the trail. Stripping yourself down to the bare essentials, pain and hunger all have their place in clearing away the cobwebs so Strayed's decision to hike the trail, was not that unusual. However, I expected her story to be about her coming to terms with her mother's death. After all, that is why she set out for the trail in the first place. Instead, what I got is a silly book about a woman who is just a little too full of herself.Here are just a few reasons why this book falls into the ridiculous category:The contents of her pack included an entire package of condoms. Really?Her decision to hike alone. Really not safe and in fact, stupid.Her care packages to herself included sexy lingerie for her potential hook-ups with strange men. Okay, she said it was for her to feel good but when you pack an entire box of condoms you've got to to wonder.The possibility of sex on the trail is of great concern to her. Not her shredded feet or the lack of boots that fit.The actual sex that takes place and her getting a kick out of being able to attract smelly men on the trail. Ick.Ahem, the drug use. She was a hard-core heroin user before the trip and if my memory is correct, manages to find drugs at least once while taking a break from the trail.Clearly, there was not enough hiking and true self discovery for me to take this book seriously. It veered off into numerous directions and although I felt for her at the beginning of her story, I had lost all respect for her by the end of the book. The writing is choppy and I didn't care for her self-absorbed nature. Every thought seemed to turn towards sex or the possibility of sex or had something to do with her looks. I got tired of it. You are hiking and haven't showered in days. How can you be concerned with your looks? Seems like more important things should have been a concern.I can't recommend this one. It's not what it's described to be. I don't feel that she really got the closure she needed and it angers me to see it flying off the shelves just because Oprah picked it for her club.Trust me, it's not all that. | How good are the details? | After losing her mother to cancer and divorcing what seemed like the most supportive husband ever, Strayed decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. | This is not one of those times where the hype ruined it for me because I picked it up before Oprah selected it for her book club and I went into it with a completely open mind. BUT...it was a complete fail for me.After losing her mother to cancer and divorcing what seemed like the most supportive husband ever, Strayed decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. The idea comes to her after seeing a book on the subject and since she doesn't seem to have anything else going for her, why not? She is essentially homeless as she can't figure out where she wants to settle down and without a job to tie her down, the decision is easy. She's in her mid-twenties and healthy, it can't possibly be that hard, right?It's not unheard of for a non-hiker to hike a trail like this one. Lots of people find closure and peace of mind on the trail. Stripping yourself down to the bare essentials, pain and hunger all have their place in clearing away the cobwebs so Strayed's decision to hike the trail, was not that unusual. However, I expected her story to be about her coming to terms with her mother's death. After all, that is why she set out for the trail in the first place. Instead, what I got is a silly book about a woman who is just a little too full of herself.Here are just a few reasons why this book falls into the ridiculous category:The contents of her pack included an entire package of condoms. Really?Her decision to hike alone. Really not safe and in fact, stupid.Her care packages to herself included sexy lingerie for her potential hook-ups with strange men. Okay, she said it was for her to feel good but when you pack an entire box of condoms you've got to to wonder.The possibility of sex on the trail is of great concern to her. Not her shredded feet or the lack of boots that fit.The actual sex that takes place and her getting a kick out of being able to attract smelly men on the trail. Ick.Ahem, the drug use. She was a hard-core heroin user before the trip and if my memory is correct, manages to find drugs at least once while taking a break from the trail.Clearly, there was not enough hiking and true self discovery for me to take this book seriously. It veered off into numerous directions and although I felt for her at the beginning of her story, I had lost all respect for her by the end of the book. The writing is choppy and I didn't care for her self-absorbed nature. Every thought seemed to turn towards sex or the possibility of sex or had something to do with her looks. I got tired of it. You are hiking and haven't showered in days. How can you be concerned with your looks? Seems like more important things should have been a concern.I can't recommend this one. It's not what it's described to be. I don't feel that she really got the closure she needed and it angers me to see it flying off the shelves just because Oprah picked it for her club.Trust me, it's not all that. | <hl> After losing her <hl> mother to cancer and divorcing what seemed like the most supportive husband ever, Strayed decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. | This is not one of those times where the hype ruined it for me because I picked it up before Oprah selected it for her book club and I went into it with a completely open mind. BUT...it was a complete fail for me.<hl> After losing her <hl> mother to cancer and divorcing what seemed like the most supportive husband ever, Strayed decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. The idea comes to her after seeing a book on the subject and since she doesn't seem to have anything else going for her, why not? She is essentially homeless as she can't figure out where she wants to settle down and without a job to tie her down, the decision is easy. She's in her mid-twenties and healthy, it can't possibly be that hard, right?It's not unheard of for a non-hiker to hike a trail like this one. Lots of people find closure and peace of mind on the trail. Stripping yourself down to the bare essentials, pain and hunger all have their place in clearing away the cobwebs so Strayed's decision to hike the trail, was not that unusual. However, I expected her story to be about her coming to terms with her mother's death. After all, that is why she set out for the trail in the first place. Instead, what I got is a silly book about a woman who is just a little too full of herself.Here are just a few reasons why this book falls into the ridiculous category:The contents of her pack included an entire package of condoms. Really?Her decision to hike alone. Really not safe and in fact, stupid.Her care packages to herself included sexy lingerie for her potential hook-ups with strange men. Okay, she said it was for her to feel good but when you pack an entire box of condoms you've got to to wonder.The possibility of sex on the trail is of great concern to her. Not her shredded feet or the lack of boots that fit.The actual sex that takes place and her getting a kick out of being able to attract smelly men on the trail. Ick.Ahem, the drug use. She was a hard-core heroin user before the trip and if my memory is correct, manages to find drugs at least once while taking a break from the trail.Clearly, there was not enough hiking and true self discovery for me to take this book seriously. It veered off into numerous directions and although I felt for her at the beginning of her story, I had lost all respect for her by the end of the book. The writing is choppy and I didn't care for her self-absorbed nature. Every thought seemed to turn towards sex or the possibility of sex or had something to do with her looks. I got tired of it. You are hiking and haven't showered in days. How can you be concerned with your looks? Seems like more important things should have been a concern.I can't recommend this one. It's not what it's described to be. I don't feel that she really got the closure she needed and it angers me to see it flying off the shelves just because Oprah picked it for her club.Trust me, it's not all that. | This is not one of those times where the hype ruined it for me because I picked it up before Oprah selected it for her book club and I went into it with a completely open mind. BUT...it was a complete fail for me. <hl> After losing her mother to cancer and divorcing what seemed like the most supportive husband ever, Strayed decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. <hl> The idea comes to her after seeing a book on the subject and since she doesn't seem to have anything else going for her, why not? She is essentially homeless as she can't figure out where she wants to settle down and without a job to tie her down, the decision is easy. She's in her mid-twenties and healthy, it can't possibly be that hard, right?It's not unheard of for a non-hiker to hike a trail like this one. Lots of people find closure and peace of mind on the trail. Stripping yourself down to the bare essentials, pain and hunger all have their place in clearing away the cobwebs so Strayed's decision to hike the trail, was not that unusual. However, I expected her story to be about her coming to terms with her mother's death. After all, that is why she set out for the trail in the first place. Instead, what I got is a silly book about a woman who is just a little too full of herself. Here are just a few reasons why this book falls into the ridiculous category:The contents of her pack included an entire package of condoms. Really?Her decision to hike alone. Really not safe and in fact, stupid. Her care packages to herself included sexy lingerie for her potential hook-ups with strange men. Okay, she said it was for her to feel good but when you pack an entire box of condoms you've got to to wonder. The possibility of sex on the trail is of great concern to her. Not her shredded feet or the lack of boots that fit. The actual sex that takes place and her getting a kick out of being able to attract smelly men on the trail. Ick. Ahem, the drug use. She was a hard-core heroin user before the trip and if my memory is correct, manages to find drugs at least once while taking a break from the trail. Clearly, there was not enough hiking and true self discovery for me to take this book seriously. It veered off into numerous directions and although I felt for her at the beginning of her story, I had lost all respect for her by the end of the book. The writing is choppy and I didn't care for her self-absorbed nature. Every thought seemed to turn towards sex or the possibility of sex or had something to do with her looks. I got tired of it. You are hiking and haven't showered in days. How can you be concerned with your looks? Seems like more important things should have been a concern. I can't recommend this one. It's not what it's described to be. I don't feel that she really got the closure she needed and it angers me to see it flying off the shelves just because Oprah picked it for her club. Trust me, it's not all that. | 53d3d9f2399dfc97b6f960b57f0bf9ea | 1 | 1 | books |
Even when the author TRIED to explain it when the depressing sheriff was sent out | question: How did you like the story?, context: I think this book could have been so much better than it was. The writing (at times) was captivating. The descriptions were vivid and rich. However, I just didn't...get it.I cannot see people living in a silo which has a bazillion floors and no elevator. First of all, there are no silos big enough. Yes, this is sci-fi/dystopian but dang! At least make the setting halfway believable. Second, I never saw the point of the criminals having to clean the window-mirror things when they were cast out into the toxic world. Even when the author TRIED to explain it when the depressing sheriff was sent out, it made no sense.This book wasn't for me. Maybe if I took a chance on the second in the series, some questions I have would be answered. Honestly, I don't want to waste my money. I understand cliff-hangers and leaving the readers wanting more, but the first book has to at least make sense for me to read the second. | How did you like the story? | Even when the author TRIED to explain it when the depressing sheriff was sent out , it made no sense. | I think this book could have been so much better than it was. The writing (at times) was captivating. The descriptions were vivid and rich. However, I just didn't...get it.I cannot see people living in a silo which has a bazillion floors and no elevator. First of all, there are no silos big enough. Yes, this is sci-fi/dystopian but dang! At least make the setting halfway believable. Second, I never saw the point of the criminals having to clean the window-mirror things when they were cast out into the toxic world. Even when the author TRIED to explain it when the depressing sheriff was sent out, it made no sense.This book wasn't for me. Maybe if I took a chance on the second in the series, some questions I have would be answered. Honestly, I don't want to waste my money. I understand cliff-hangers and leaving the readers wanting more, but the first book has to at least make sense for me to read the second. | <hl> Even when the author TRIED to explain it when the depressing sheriff was sent out <hl> , it made no sense. | I think this book could have been so much better than it was. The writing (at times) was captivating. The descriptions were vivid and rich. However, I just didn't...get it.I cannot see people living in a silo which has a bazillion floors and no elevator. First of all, there are no silos big enough. Yes, this is sci-fi/dystopian but dang! At least make the setting halfway believable. Second, I never saw the point of the criminals having to clean the window-mirror things when they were cast out into the toxic world. <hl> Even when the author TRIED to explain it when the depressing sheriff was sent out <hl>, it made no sense.This book wasn't for me. Maybe if I took a chance on the second in the series, some questions I have would be answered. Honestly, I don't want to waste my money. I understand cliff-hangers and leaving the readers wanting more, but the first book has to at least make sense for me to read the second. | I think this book could have been so much better than it was. The writing (at times) was captivating. The descriptions were vivid and rich. However, I just didn't...get it. I cannot see people living in a silo which has a bazillion floors and no elevator. First of all, there are no silos big enough. Yes, this is sci-fi/dystopian but dang! At least make the setting halfway believable. Second, I never saw the point of the criminals having to clean the window-mirror things when they were cast out into the toxic world. <hl> Even when the author TRIED to explain it when the depressing sheriff was sent out , it made no sense. <hl> This book wasn't for me. Maybe if I took a chance on the second in the series, some questions I have would be answered. Honestly, I don't want to waste my money. I understand cliff-hangers and leaving the readers wanting more, but the first book has to at least make sense for me to read the second. | b78a9d57210587857305f56b359a7faf | 1 | 1 | books |
This series was great | question: What is the quality of the series?, context: This series was great. I really enjoyed them, and though some people were saying the book were poorly written, I 100% disagree. | What is the quality of the series? | This series was great . | This series was great. I really enjoyed them, and though some people were saying the book were poorly written, I 100% disagree. | <hl> This series was great <hl> . | <hl> This series was great <hl>. I really enjoyed them, and though some people were saying the book were poorly written, I 100% disagree. | <hl> This series was great . <hl> I really enjoyed them, and though some people were saying the book were poorly written, I 100% disagree. | bf237494fd640ca19419f634b3aad400 | 1 | 1 | books |
Told from the perspective of Christopher | question: What is your rating on the book The Promised Land by Grace Ogot?, context: Told from the perspective of Christopher, an autistic but mathematically gifted 15-year old, this story essentially is a diary of his experiences over the course of a week or so during which he unwittingly opens a can of worms while attempting to figure out who killed the neighbor's dog.The plot is secondary to the perspective in which the book is written. Haddon does an excellent job of getting us inside the head of Christopher, who is so emotionally detached from the world and so logical in his thinking that while deftly observing the events around him he can not understand them or draw proper conclusions.The resulting story is both sad and humorous. Sad, because we realize that on top of just the sheer challenge of coping with life, Christopher's condition has robbed him (and his family, to some extent) of the very essence of what is rewarding in life - the ability to connect emotionally with others. In a sense we see that his autism has stolen a significant part of his humanity from him, rendering him an island unto himself unable to truly relate to others. The nuance and subtlety of life is lost on him. And humorous because we see how Christopher's condition allows him to be more or less oblivious to the annoyance or outrage of others attempting to deal with what they see as his weird behavior.Ultimately, this story is well-worth reading simply because it expands our understanding of the human condition. Rather than being just another book in the long line of stories that we will read, and ultimately forget - this story shows us the world from a very different perspective. And in doing so, it causes us to evaluate our own lives and to realize just how important feelings and emotions are to our ability to derive enjoyment from others and from life. | What is your rating on the book The Promised Land by Grace Ogot? | Told from the perspective of Christopher , an autistic but mathematically gifted 15-year old, this story essentially is a diary of his experiences over the course of a week or so during which he unwittingly opens a can of worms while attempting to figure out who killed the neighbor's dog. | Told from the perspective of Christopher, an autistic but mathematically gifted 15-year old, this story essentially is a diary of his experiences over the course of a week or so during which he unwittingly opens a can of worms while attempting to figure out who killed the neighbor's dog.The plot is secondary to the perspective in which the book is written. Haddon does an excellent job of getting us inside the head of Christopher, who is so emotionally detached from the world and so logical in his thinking that while deftly observing the events around him he can not understand them or draw proper conclusions.The resulting story is both sad and humorous. Sad, because we realize that on top of just the sheer challenge of coping with life, Christopher's condition has robbed him (and his family, to some extent) of the very essence of what is rewarding in life - the ability to connect emotionally with others. In a sense we see that his autism has stolen a significant part of his humanity from him, rendering him an island unto himself unable to truly relate to others. The nuance and subtlety of life is lost on him. And humorous because we see how Christopher's condition allows him to be more or less oblivious to the annoyance or outrage of others attempting to deal with what they see as his weird behavior.Ultimately, this story is well-worth reading simply because it expands our understanding of the human condition. Rather than being just another book in the long line of stories that we will read, and ultimately forget - this story shows us the world from a very different perspective. And in doing so, it causes us to evaluate our own lives and to realize just how important feelings and emotions are to our ability to derive enjoyment from others and from life. | <hl> Told from the perspective of Christopher <hl> , an autistic but mathematically gifted 15-year old, this story essentially is a diary of his experiences over the course of a week or so during which he unwittingly opens a can of worms while attempting to figure out who killed the neighbor's dog. | <hl> Told from the perspective of Christopher <hl>, an autistic but mathematically gifted 15-year old, this story essentially is a diary of his experiences over the course of a week or so during which he unwittingly opens a can of worms while attempting to figure out who killed the neighbor's dog.The plot is secondary to the perspective in which the book is written. Haddon does an excellent job of getting us inside the head of Christopher, who is so emotionally detached from the world and so logical in his thinking that while deftly observing the events around him he can not understand them or draw proper conclusions.The resulting story is both sad and humorous. Sad, because we realize that on top of just the sheer challenge of coping with life, Christopher's condition has robbed him (and his family, to some extent) of the very essence of what is rewarding in life - the ability to connect emotionally with others. In a sense we see that his autism has stolen a significant part of his humanity from him, rendering him an island unto himself unable to truly relate to others. The nuance and subtlety of life is lost on him. And humorous because we see how Christopher's condition allows him to be more or less oblivious to the annoyance or outrage of others attempting to deal with what they see as his weird behavior.Ultimately, this story is well-worth reading simply because it expands our understanding of the human condition. Rather than being just another book in the long line of stories that we will read, and ultimately forget - this story shows us the world from a very different perspective. And in doing so, it causes us to evaluate our own lives and to realize just how important feelings and emotions are to our ability to derive enjoyment from others and from life. | <hl> Told from the perspective of Christopher , an autistic but mathematically gifted 15-year old, this story essentially is a diary of his experiences over the course of a week or so during which he unwittingly opens a can of worms while attempting to figure out who killed the neighbor's dog. <hl> The plot is secondary to the perspective in which the book is written. Haddon does an excellent job of getting us inside the head of Christopher, who is so emotionally detached from the world and so logical in his thinking that while deftly observing the events around him he can not understand them or draw proper conclusions. The resulting story is both sad and humorous. Sad, because we realize that on top of just the sheer challenge of coping with life, Christopher's condition has robbed him (and his family, to some extent) of the very essence of what is rewarding in life - the ability to connect emotionally with others. In a sense we see that his autism has stolen a significant part of his humanity from him, rendering him an island unto himself unable to truly relate to others. The nuance and subtlety of life is lost on him. And humorous because we see how Christopher's condition allows him to be more or less oblivious to the annoyance or outrage of others attempting to deal with what they see as his weird behavior. Ultimately, this story is well-worth reading simply because it expands our understanding of the human condition. Rather than being just another book in the long line of stories that we will read, and ultimately forget - this story shows us the world from a very different perspective. And in doing so, it causes us to evaluate our own lives and to realize just how important feelings and emotions are to our ability to derive enjoyment from others and from life. | d32600f504701d9c5df0c3475a6663bb | 1 | 1 | books |
this book is useful in the training or motivation of employees epitomizes everything that is wrong with corporate education today | question: How is the message to the reader?, context: I spent seven years in the corporate/workforce training field, and never reached lower points than my run-ins with this unfortunately popular piece of tripe. My job was to train employees in the use of extremely complex software systems � training that required deep analytical thinking by the employees. I was never more distressed than to teach a high-impact software class to a group of people who had been exposed to �Who Moved My Cheese� in the recent past by another trainer. Any company that thinks this book is useful in the training or motivation of employees epitomizes everything that is wrong with corporate education today. This book does contain a useful premise in how employees have to deal with change and competition in the workplace. However, distilling these important matters into the inane parable of mice in a maze is a device meant for grade school students. Parables are used to teach complicated topics to kids. But using a parable to teach an important but non-complex topic to freethinking adults who are smart enough to get a job at a corporation is as nonsensical as it is insulting to their intelligence. Any company that subjects their employees to this dribble (plus the dreaded �group activities� that go with it) is too concerned with weak trends and not concerned enough about encouraging independent and intelligent thought among their employees. If you work for a company that makes you read this book, consider working elsewhere because they obviously don�t think you�re very smart. | How is the message to the reader? | Any company that thinks this book is useful in the training or motivation of employees epitomizes everything that is wrong with corporate education today . | I spent seven years in the corporate/workforce training field, and never reached lower points than my run-ins with this unfortunately popular piece of tripe. My job was to train employees in the use of extremely complex software systems � training that required deep analytical thinking by the employees. I was never more distressed than to teach a high-impact software class to a group of people who had been exposed to �Who Moved My Cheese� in the recent past by another trainer. Any company that thinks this book is useful in the training or motivation of employees epitomizes everything that is wrong with corporate education today. This book does contain a useful premise in how employees have to deal with change and competition in the workplace. However, distilling these important matters into the inane parable of mice in a maze is a device meant for grade school students. Parables are used to teach complicated topics to kids. But using a parable to teach an important but non-complex topic to freethinking adults who are smart enough to get a job at a corporation is as nonsensical as it is insulting to their intelligence. Any company that subjects their employees to this dribble (plus the dreaded �group activities� that go with it) is too concerned with weak trends and not concerned enough about encouraging independent and intelligent thought among their employees. If you work for a company that makes you read this book, consider working elsewhere because they obviously don�t think you�re very smart. | Any company that thinks <hl> this book is useful in the training or motivation of employees epitomizes everything that is wrong with corporate education today <hl> . | I spent seven years in the corporate/workforce training field, and never reached lower points than my run-ins with this unfortunately popular piece of tripe. My job was to train employees in the use of extremely complex software systems � training that required deep analytical thinking by the employees. I was never more distressed than to teach a high-impact software class to a group of people who had been exposed to �Who Moved My Cheese� in the recent past by another trainer. Any company that thinks <hl> this book is useful in the training or motivation of employees epitomizes everything that is wrong with corporate education today <hl>. This book does contain a useful premise in how employees have to deal with change and competition in the workplace. However, distilling these important matters into the inane parable of mice in a maze is a device meant for grade school students. Parables are used to teach complicated topics to kids. But using a parable to teach an important but non-complex topic to freethinking adults who are smart enough to get a job at a corporation is as nonsensical as it is insulting to their intelligence. Any company that subjects their employees to this dribble (plus the dreaded �group activities� that go with it) is too concerned with weak trends and not concerned enough about encouraging independent and intelligent thought among their employees. If you work for a company that makes you read this book, consider working elsewhere because they obviously don�t think you�re very smart. | I spent seven years in the corporate/workforce training field, and never reached lower points than my run-ins with this unfortunately popular piece of tripe. My job was to train employees in the use of extremely complex software systems � training that required deep analytical thinking by the employees. I was never more distressed than to teach a high-impact software class to a group of people who had been exposed to �Who Moved My Cheese� in the recent past by another trainer. <hl> Any company that thinks this book is useful in the training or motivation of employees epitomizes everything that is wrong with corporate education today . <hl> This book does contain a useful premise in how employees have to deal with change and competition in the workplace. However, distilling these important matters into the inane parable of mice in a maze is a device meant for grade school students. Parables are used to teach complicated topics to kids. But using a parable to teach an important but non-complex topic to freethinking adults who are smart enough to get a job at a corporation is as nonsensical as it is insulting to their intelligence. Any company that subjects their employees to this dribble (plus the dreaded �group activities� that go with it) is too concerned with weak trends and not concerned enough about encouraging independent and intelligent thought among their employees. If you work for a company that makes you read this book, consider working elsewhere because they obviously don�t think you�re very smart. | f45b2ab13b3b5baf708af8b1972ba9c3 | 1 | 1 | books |
the book leaves you satisfied | question: How was the book?, context: In the end, the book leaves you satisfied: there is a twist, the story is well tied up and the character becomes likeable eventually. However, it is not a page-turner from the very start. I almost gave up the book after having read about a quarter of it, because the story looked flat and there wasn't really anything happening. On the whole, it is a solid thriller (although not very thrilling), better than lots of rubbish which lands in bestseller charts lately - but by far not the best book of the year, not even close. | How was the book? | In the end, the book leaves you satisfied : there is a twist, the story is well tied up and the character becomes likeable eventually. | In the end, the book leaves you satisfied: there is a twist, the story is well tied up and the character becomes likeable eventually. However, it is not a page-turner from the very start. I almost gave up the book after having read about a quarter of it, because the story looked flat and there wasn't really anything happening. On the whole, it is a solid thriller (although not very thrilling), better than lots of rubbish which lands in bestseller charts lately - but by far not the best book of the year, not even close. | In the end, <hl> the book leaves you satisfied <hl> : there is a twist, the story is well tied up and the character becomes likeable eventually. | In the end, <hl> the book leaves you satisfied <hl>: there is a twist, the story is well tied up and the character becomes likeable eventually. However, it is not a page-turner from the very start. I almost gave up the book after having read about a quarter of it, because the story looked flat and there wasn't really anything happening. On the whole, it is a solid thriller (although not very thrilling), better than lots of rubbish which lands in bestseller charts lately - but by far not the best book of the year, not even close. | <hl> In the end, the book leaves you satisfied : there is a twist, the story is well tied up and the character becomes likeable eventually. <hl> However, it is not a page-turner from the very start. I almost gave up the book after having read about a quarter of it, because the story looked flat and there wasn't really anything happening. On the whole, it is a solid thriller (although not very thrilling), better than lots of rubbish which lands in bestseller charts lately - but by far not the best book of the year, not even close. | 42b17ed90c2a5a08a5f80fc8045a69a3 | 1 | 1 | books |
The audio version is spectacularly good | question: Why were the people angry at the release of the novel by Martin?, context: The audio version is spectacularly good. I listened to all but the last few chapters, then read those last chapters on an iPad, then listened to them on CD. The narration adds a lot. The story is riveting. It's full of surprises. But the narration really adds another dimension. I enjoyed the first two books, and I wondered if the third could measure up. No need to worry. Just like we are still reading Charles Dickens, in 200 years they will still be reading Allegiant. It's not flawless, but it's awesome. | Why were the people angry at the release of the novel by Martin? | The audio version is spectacularly good . | The audio version is spectacularly good. I listened to all but the last few chapters, then read those last chapters on an iPad, then listened to them on CD. The narration adds a lot. The story is riveting. It's full of surprises. But the narration really adds another dimension. I enjoyed the first two books, and I wondered if the third could measure up. No need to worry. Just like we are still reading Charles Dickens, in 200 years they will still be reading Allegiant. It's not flawless, but it's awesome. | <hl> The audio version is spectacularly good <hl> . | <hl> The audio version is spectacularly good <hl>. I listened to all but the last few chapters, then read those last chapters on an iPad, then listened to them on CD. The narration adds a lot. The story is riveting. It's full of surprises. But the narration really adds another dimension. I enjoyed the first two books, and I wondered if the third could measure up. No need to worry. Just like we are still reading Charles Dickens, in 200 years they will still be reading Allegiant. It's not flawless, but it's awesome. | <hl> The audio version is spectacularly good . <hl> I listened to all but the last few chapters, then read those last chapters on an iPad, then listened to them on CD. The narration adds a lot. The story is riveting. It's full of surprises. But the narration really adds another dimension. I enjoyed the first two books, and I wondered if the third could measure up. No need to worry. Just like we are still reading Charles Dickens, in 200 years they will still be reading Allegiant. It's not flawless, but it's awesome. | 4f1ac5362076dd41ba523449bab4603c | 5 | 5 | books |
She is unflinching honest | question: How is the life?, context: Ordinary people whose lives intersect in extraordinary ways. Each of the three main characters have very different lives and dilemmas to face. Their stories build and intertwine until it becomes impossible to put the book down. The author has great insight into people and their motivations. She is unflinching honest! | How is the life? | She is unflinching honest ! | Ordinary people whose lives intersect in extraordinary ways. Each of the three main characters have very different lives and dilemmas to face. Their stories build and intertwine until it becomes impossible to put the book down. The author has great insight into people and their motivations. She is unflinching honest! | <hl> She is unflinching honest <hl> ! | Ordinary people whose lives intersect in extraordinary ways. Each of the three main characters have very different lives and dilemmas to face. Their stories build and intertwine until it becomes impossible to put the book down. The author has great insight into people and their motivations. <hl> She is unflinching honest <hl>! | Ordinary people whose lives intersect in extraordinary ways. Each of the three main characters have very different lives and dilemmas to face. Their stories build and intertwine until it becomes impossible to put the book down. The author has great insight into people and their motivations. <hl> She is unflinching honest ! <hl> | a150eab132197d0d89c9cf4178233a95 | 2 | 2 | books |
the story from that point. | question: Is the story of the novel good?, context: Overall i really liked this book. I have never read a book of this sort before, so it was a little hard to follow along with at first. I kept reading other books instead. So i finally forced myself to read it. Then i really got into it. Lots of twist and turns. My biggest disappointment was the return and the story from that point. The characters just became weak and somewhat annoying after that. Maybe i was just hoping for too much. But, non-the-less, it was a great read. | Is the story of the novel good? | My biggest disappointment was the return and the story from that point. The characters just became weak and somewhat annoying after that. | Overall i really liked this book. I have never read a book of this sort before, so it was a little hard to follow along with at first. I kept reading other books instead. So i finally forced myself to read it. Then i really got into it. Lots of twist and turns. My biggest disappointment was the return and the story from that point. The characters just became weak and somewhat annoying after that. Maybe i was just hoping for too much. But, non-the-less, it was a great read. | My biggest disappointment was the return and <hl> the story from that point. <hl> The characters just became weak and somewhat annoying after that. | Overall i really liked this book. I have never read a book of this sort before, so it was a little hard to follow along with at first. I kept reading other books instead. So i finally forced myself to read it. Then i really got into it. Lots of twist and turns. My biggest disappointment was the return and <hl> the story from that point. <hl> The characters just became weak and somewhat annoying after that. Maybe i was just hoping for too much. But, non-the-less, it was a great read. | Overall i really liked this book. I have never read a book of this sort before, so it was a little hard to follow along with at first. I kept reading other books instead. So i finally forced myself to read it. Then i really got into it. Lots of twist and turns. <hl> My biggest disappointment was the return and the story from that point. The characters just became weak and somewhat annoying after that. <hl> Maybe i was just hoping for too much. But, non-the-less, it was a great read. | 3cdb67d19102d6d59ff5020802fbd2db | 1 | 1 | books |
The writing is interesting and detailed. Gripping and painful | question: How is Robinson's prose?, context: I enjoyed this book very much. The writing is interesting and detailed. Gripping and painful. Amazing author. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to understand war. | How is Robinson's prose? | The writing is interesting and detailed. Gripping and painful . | I enjoyed this book very much. The writing is interesting and detailed. Gripping and painful. Amazing author. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to understand war. | <hl> The writing is interesting and detailed. Gripping and painful <hl> . | I enjoyed this book very much. <hl> The writing is interesting and detailed. Gripping and painful <hl>. Amazing author. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to understand war. | I enjoyed this book very much. <hl> The writing is interesting and detailed. Gripping and painful . <hl> Amazing author. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to understand war. | d3c24133c92d7453240898c590777d76 | 1 | 1 | books |
Her ability to tickle our psyche is genius | question: What were the scenes like?, context: Kathryn Stockett has created a story in The Help with an updated reflection upon a time in our nation when there was a divisive chasm between the races. A time when Americans, especially the "gentile Southerner", felt superior to their fellow black citizens. A time when our generation can now only hang their heads in shame for what an earlier generation did, said, felt and acted upon fellow black Americans.Stockett's fiction creatively twists the story so that the reader can only ponder along with the story's characters if this story is indeed fiction or not. Her ability to tickle our psyche is genius.The characters are fresh and easily identifiable while the language puts the reader right in the room with the characters. Her ability to put the reader into the character's mind in each chapter is equally intelligent as we become the thoughts of the character very readily. She enables this transference without the use of quotations of the character and uses the language of the character in their musings. (Such as when a character is thinking: I gone take that breakfast to her. Not: I'm going to take that breakfast to her.Nice read, somewhat compelling with the reader wanting to discover the outcome of the book Skeeter submits for publication, what the locals reactions will be, will there be repercussions with the contributors and what will Skeeter's life path become.Read it, read it. Great book. | What were the scenes like? | Her ability to tickle our psyche is genius .The characters are fresh and easily identifiable while the language puts the reader right in the room with the characters. | Kathryn Stockett has created a story in The Help with an updated reflection upon a time in our nation when there was a divisive chasm between the races. A time when Americans, especially the "gentile Southerner", felt superior to their fellow black citizens. A time when our generation can now only hang their heads in shame for what an earlier generation did, said, felt and acted upon fellow black Americans.Stockett's fiction creatively twists the story so that the reader can only ponder along with the story's characters if this story is indeed fiction or not. Her ability to tickle our psyche is genius.The characters are fresh and easily identifiable while the language puts the reader right in the room with the characters. Her ability to put the reader into the character's mind in each chapter is equally intelligent as we become the thoughts of the character very readily. She enables this transference without the use of quotations of the character and uses the language of the character in their musings. (Such as when a character is thinking: I gone take that breakfast to her. Not: I'm going to take that breakfast to her.Nice read, somewhat compelling with the reader wanting to discover the outcome of the book Skeeter submits for publication, what the locals reactions will be, will there be repercussions with the contributors and what will Skeeter's life path become.Read it, read it. Great book. | <hl> Her ability to tickle our psyche is genius <hl> .The characters are fresh and easily identifiable while the language puts the reader right in the room with the characters. | Kathryn Stockett has created a story in The Help with an updated reflection upon a time in our nation when there was a divisive chasm between the races. A time when Americans, especially the "gentile Southerner", felt superior to their fellow black citizens. A time when our generation can now only hang their heads in shame for what an earlier generation did, said, felt and acted upon fellow black Americans.Stockett's fiction creatively twists the story so that the reader can only ponder along with the story's characters if this story is indeed fiction or not. <hl> Her ability to tickle our psyche is genius <hl>.The characters are fresh and easily identifiable while the language puts the reader right in the room with the characters. Her ability to put the reader into the character's mind in each chapter is equally intelligent as we become the thoughts of the character very readily. She enables this transference without the use of quotations of the character and uses the language of the character in their musings. (Such as when a character is thinking: I gone take that breakfast to her. Not: I'm going to take that breakfast to her.Nice read, somewhat compelling with the reader wanting to discover the outcome of the book Skeeter submits for publication, what the locals reactions will be, will there be repercussions with the contributors and what will Skeeter's life path become.Read it, read it. Great book. | Kathryn Stockett has created a story in The Help with an updated reflection upon a time in our nation when there was a divisive chasm between the races. A time when Americans, especially the "gentile Southerner", felt superior to their fellow black citizens. A time when our generation can now only hang their heads in shame for what an earlier generation did, said, felt and acted upon fellow black Americans. Stockett's fiction creatively twists the story so that the reader can only ponder along with the story's characters if this story is indeed fiction or not. <hl> Her ability to tickle our psyche is genius .The characters are fresh and easily identifiable while the language puts the reader right in the room with the characters. <hl> Her ability to put the reader into the character's mind in each chapter is equally intelligent as we become the thoughts of the character very readily. She enables this transference without the use of quotations of the character and uses the language of the character in their musings. (Such as when a character is thinking: I gone take that breakfast to her. Not: I'm going to take that breakfast to her. Nice read, somewhat compelling with the reader wanting to discover the outcome of the book Skeeter submits for publication, what the locals reactions will be, will there be repercussions with the contributors and what will Skeeter's life path become. Read it, read it. Great book. | 232402def4f4cb4372ac43167dfff463 | 1 | 1 | books |
Some of that carried through to the story | question: How is the future in that story?, context: I put off reading Divergent just because the premise was so...unbelievable. Some of that carried through to the story but the most promising thing about this series is Tris as a character. She is well-developed and likable. I think Four could have been better developed, but since it was Tris' POV, you can't really expect the same level of intimacy. I will definitely read the second book, but while the character development of Tris was great, the world-building wasn't so hot. Nor was the ending. I was really enjoying the book up until the crisis, and then I was like...nah, that's just not believable. I didn't really think the Dauntless world was believable either. Too many gaps in what they were doing and the whole piercing and tattoo thing...was it just me, or did that just allow the author to make the book more "edgy"? Maybe it was just me. And besides, it didn't really work. I liked the factions, but had totally forgotten by the end that there were more than three!!!! (Surprise, surprise!) I'd say the price is a little high for a Kindle book, but the story exceeded most of my expectations. | How is the future in that story? | Some of that carried through to the story but the most promising thing about this series is Tris as a character. | I put off reading Divergent just because the premise was so...unbelievable. Some of that carried through to the story but the most promising thing about this series is Tris as a character. She is well-developed and likable. I think Four could have been better developed, but since it was Tris' POV, you can't really expect the same level of intimacy. I will definitely read the second book, but while the character development of Tris was great, the world-building wasn't so hot. Nor was the ending. I was really enjoying the book up until the crisis, and then I was like...nah, that's just not believable. I didn't really think the Dauntless world was believable either. Too many gaps in what they were doing and the whole piercing and tattoo thing...was it just me, or did that just allow the author to make the book more "edgy"? Maybe it was just me. And besides, it didn't really work. I liked the factions, but had totally forgotten by the end that there were more than three!!!! (Surprise, surprise!) I'd say the price is a little high for a Kindle book, but the story exceeded most of my expectations. | <hl> Some of that carried through to the story <hl> but the most promising thing about this series is Tris as a character. | I put off reading Divergent just because the premise was so...unbelievable. <hl> Some of that carried through to the story <hl> but the most promising thing about this series is Tris as a character. She is well-developed and likable. I think Four could have been better developed, but since it was Tris' POV, you can't really expect the same level of intimacy. I will definitely read the second book, but while the character development of Tris was great, the world-building wasn't so hot. Nor was the ending. I was really enjoying the book up until the crisis, and then I was like...nah, that's just not believable. I didn't really think the Dauntless world was believable either. Too many gaps in what they were doing and the whole piercing and tattoo thing...was it just me, or did that just allow the author to make the book more "edgy"? Maybe it was just me. And besides, it didn't really work. I liked the factions, but had totally forgotten by the end that there were more than three!!!! (Surprise, surprise!) I'd say the price is a little high for a Kindle book, but the story exceeded most of my expectations. | I put off reading Divergent just because the premise was so...unbelievable. <hl> Some of that carried through to the story but the most promising thing about this series is Tris as a character. <hl> She is well-developed and likable. I think Four could have been better developed, but since it was Tris' POV, you can't really expect the same level of intimacy. I will definitely read the second book, but while the character development of Tris was great, the world-building wasn't so hot. Nor was the ending. I was really enjoying the book up until the crisis, and then I was like... nah, that's just not believable. I didn't really think the Dauntless world was believable either. Too many gaps in what they were doing and the whole piercing and tattoo thing...was it just me, or did that just allow the author to make the book more "edgy"? Maybe it was just me. And besides, it didn't really work. I liked the factions, but had totally forgotten by the end that there were more than three!!!! (Surprise, surprise!) I'd say the price is a little high for a Kindle book, but the story exceeded most of my expectations. | 3bdee8d96a417e6be54f43499ff37b77 | 1 | 1 | books |
This book was really good and surprisingly deep | question: Do you have good feelings?, context: This book was really good and surprisingly deep. The whole thing felt real to me. Sure some of the coincidences were a little far fetched, but what book isn't like that. I wish poetry had really been like that in school. If it had, I might have actually enjoyed that unit instead of the old, highly metaphorical stuff we had to read.The twist toward the beginning threw me off, but it didn't make the book super awkward or anything, so it was okay. I'm looking forward to reading the next book and reading more of Layken and Will's story. | Do you have good feelings? | This book was really good and surprisingly deep . | This book was really good and surprisingly deep. The whole thing felt real to me. Sure some of the coincidences were a little far fetched, but what book isn't like that. I wish poetry had really been like that in school. If it had, I might have actually enjoyed that unit instead of the old, highly metaphorical stuff we had to read.The twist toward the beginning threw me off, but it didn't make the book super awkward or anything, so it was okay. I'm looking forward to reading the next book and reading more of Layken and Will's story. | <hl> This book was really good and surprisingly deep <hl> . | <hl> This book was really good and surprisingly deep <hl>. The whole thing felt real to me. Sure some of the coincidences were a little far fetched, but what book isn't like that. I wish poetry had really been like that in school. If it had, I might have actually enjoyed that unit instead of the old, highly metaphorical stuff we had to read.The twist toward the beginning threw me off, but it didn't make the book super awkward or anything, so it was okay. I'm looking forward to reading the next book and reading more of Layken and Will's story. | <hl> This book was really good and surprisingly deep . <hl> The whole thing felt real to me. Sure some of the coincidences were a little far fetched, but what book isn't like that. I wish poetry had really been like that in school. If it had, I might have actually enjoyed that unit instead of the old, highly metaphorical stuff we had to read. The twist toward the beginning threw me off, but it didn't make the book super awkward or anything, so it was okay. I'm looking forward to reading the next book and reading more of Layken and Will's story. | 9cc44144f5db9c51c1de92f342124ddf | 1 | 1 | books |
story is too good | question: How rewarding is the story?, context: Have you read a book before that after reading “The End” all you wanted to do is fall to your knees, raise your fists towards the sky, shake them and wail “Why God, why?”. No? Then this is the book for you cause this is how I just felt after finishing “Raw” by Belle Aurora. With this book it took all my willpower not to lock myself in the bathroom while the family was celebrating New Year’s Eve just so I could finish it – needing to find out what happens next. This book destroyed me, it broke me. I felt as if Belle Aurora stuck my heart, my mind and my soul in a blender and set it on high and then just walked away. For the last quarter of the book and still about three hours later I was a sobbing and blubbering mess. It was so much more than I expected and I already had high expectations. This book evoked so many emotions in me – pain, despair, disbelief, contentment, happiness, hate, disgust, fear and a broken heart. The story gave me whiplash as I was basically torn between emotions on a minutely basis. One moment I was full of hate, the next moment that was replaced by sympathy. Then swooning like a love-sick lunatic, right before feeling appalled and out of my comfort zone. And I loved every bit of it.When Belle Aurora said that this is a story about a love gone wrong, she wasn’t kidding. I really should have believed it. This story is different and original. Not something I have read before. It is dark and twisted and transformed my brain to mush. Well, my heart too. And my ovaries suffered a little as well.It is the story of Twitch and Lexi. Each of them having lived through a difficult and tormented past and still managed to succeed – each in their own way. Their meeting and relationship is, well, let’s say unusual and twisted as hell. But that is to be expected if you develop feelings for your stalker. And that is exactly what Lexi does. Little does she know there is more to him than just some guy that likes to follow women around. And little does he know that she is the only one that can save him from himself. Their relationship made me cringe at times. I found myself shaking my head in disbelief, wanting to shake the characters to make them wake-up and see what was going on. This couple and their relationship is unique. I’ve never read about a relationship like theirs. And yes, at times it took me out of my comfort zone. But that means the book is good. It makes me feel and think new things, it makes me reconsider my point of view. Amazing, when a story can do this.I can’t tell you much more about the story without giving too much away. And that is not something I want to do. The story is too good for you not to experience it yourself.What I can tell you is a bit about the characters.There is Lexi. She is a woman to look up to. Having overcome pain and sorrow that her childhood and youth have been filled with, she is now someone who helps others – giving all her heart and soul. She believes in the good of people and doesn’t judge. I liked her character a lot. Despite what she went through she wasn’t broken. She was happy and loving, stable and caring. Her friendship with Dave and Nikki was absolutely adorable. But when it came to Twitch, that girl left her brain on the bedside table. Sometimes I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and give her a decent shake in the hopes of maybe bringing her brain cells back to life. But then I suppose the heart will win over the brain any time and there was not much she could do about it.Twitch on the other hand is one complex and twisted man. Most of the time I was torn between wanting to punch him in the throat or rip his clothes off. He was all domineering, controlling alpha-male with a big dose of bad-to-the-bone added to the mix. And yet, despite his often brutal, demeaning and heartless behaviour, I just couldn’t help but like him a bit. There was more to him than this sick-in-the-head man. And finding out what it was – that was excruciating as hell. I love that up until the end of the book, I could not make up my mind if I hate him or love him. But yet I couldn’t help wishing for him to be happy, not able to just think in black and white. Not able to just judge him. To make me feel like this about a character like Twitch, that was a job well done by Belle Aurora.The story will shock and rock you and trust me, you will love every second of it. For me, this is the best start possible to a new book year. Do yourself the favor and read this book.5+ unique, mind-numbing, heart-wrenching, sobfest-inducing, thought-altering stars. | How rewarding is the story? | The story is too good for you not to experience it yourself. | Have you read a book before that after reading “The End” all you wanted to do is fall to your knees, raise your fists towards the sky, shake them and wail “Why God, why?”. No? Then this is the book for you cause this is how I just felt after finishing “Raw” by Belle Aurora. With this book it took all my willpower not to lock myself in the bathroom while the family was celebrating New Year’s Eve just so I could finish it – needing to find out what happens next. This book destroyed me, it broke me. I felt as if Belle Aurora stuck my heart, my mind and my soul in a blender and set it on high and then just walked away. For the last quarter of the book and still about three hours later I was a sobbing and blubbering mess. It was so much more than I expected and I already had high expectations. This book evoked so many emotions in me – pain, despair, disbelief, contentment, happiness, hate, disgust, fear and a broken heart. The story gave me whiplash as I was basically torn between emotions on a minutely basis. One moment I was full of hate, the next moment that was replaced by sympathy. Then swooning like a love-sick lunatic, right before feeling appalled and out of my comfort zone. And I loved every bit of it.When Belle Aurora said that this is a story about a love gone wrong, she wasn’t kidding. I really should have believed it. This story is different and original. Not something I have read before. It is dark and twisted and transformed my brain to mush. Well, my heart too. And my ovaries suffered a little as well.It is the story of Twitch and Lexi. Each of them having lived through a difficult and tormented past and still managed to succeed – each in their own way. Their meeting and relationship is, well, let’s say unusual and twisted as hell. But that is to be expected if you develop feelings for your stalker. And that is exactly what Lexi does. Little does she know there is more to him than just some guy that likes to follow women around. And little does he know that she is the only one that can save him from himself. Their relationship made me cringe at times. I found myself shaking my head in disbelief, wanting to shake the characters to make them wake-up and see what was going on. This couple and their relationship is unique. I’ve never read about a relationship like theirs. And yes, at times it took me out of my comfort zone. But that means the book is good. It makes me feel and think new things, it makes me reconsider my point of view. Amazing, when a story can do this.I can’t tell you much more about the story without giving too much away. And that is not something I want to do. The story is too good for you not to experience it yourself.What I can tell you is a bit about the characters.There is Lexi. She is a woman to look up to. Having overcome pain and sorrow that her childhood and youth have been filled with, she is now someone who helps others – giving all her heart and soul. She believes in the good of people and doesn’t judge. I liked her character a lot. Despite what she went through she wasn’t broken. She was happy and loving, stable and caring. Her friendship with Dave and Nikki was absolutely adorable. But when it came to Twitch, that girl left her brain on the bedside table. Sometimes I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and give her a decent shake in the hopes of maybe bringing her brain cells back to life. But then I suppose the heart will win over the brain any time and there was not much she could do about it.Twitch on the other hand is one complex and twisted man. Most of the time I was torn between wanting to punch him in the throat or rip his clothes off. He was all domineering, controlling alpha-male with a big dose of bad-to-the-bone added to the mix. And yet, despite his often brutal, demeaning and heartless behaviour, I just couldn’t help but like him a bit. There was more to him than this sick-in-the-head man. And finding out what it was – that was excruciating as hell. I love that up until the end of the book, I could not make up my mind if I hate him or love him. But yet I couldn’t help wishing for him to be happy, not able to just think in black and white. Not able to just judge him. To make me feel like this about a character like Twitch, that was a job well done by Belle Aurora.The story will shock and rock you and trust me, you will love every second of it. For me, this is the best start possible to a new book year. Do yourself the favor and read this book.5+ unique, mind-numbing, heart-wrenching, sobfest-inducing, thought-altering stars. | The <hl> story is too good <hl> for you not to experience it yourself. | Have you read a book before that after reading “The End” all you wanted to do is fall to your knees, raise your fists towards the sky, shake them and wail “Why God, why?”. No? Then this is the book for you cause this is how I just felt after finishing “Raw” by Belle Aurora. With this book it took all my willpower not to lock myself in the bathroom while the family was celebrating New Year’s Eve just so I could finish it – needing to find out what happens next. This book destroyed me, it broke me. I felt as if Belle Aurora stuck my heart, my mind and my soul in a blender and set it on high and then just walked away. For the last quarter of the book and still about three hours later I was a sobbing and blubbering mess. It was so much more than I expected and I already had high expectations. This book evoked so many emotions in me – pain, despair, disbelief, contentment, happiness, hate, disgust, fear and a broken heart. The story gave me whiplash as I was basically torn between emotions on a minutely basis. One moment I was full of hate, the next moment that was replaced by sympathy. Then swooning like a love-sick lunatic, right before feeling appalled and out of my comfort zone. And I loved every bit of it.When Belle Aurora said that this is a story about a love gone wrong, she wasn’t kidding. I really should have believed it. This story is different and original. Not something I have read before. It is dark and twisted and transformed my brain to mush. Well, my heart too. And my ovaries suffered a little as well.It is the story of Twitch and Lexi. Each of them having lived through a difficult and tormented past and still managed to succeed – each in their own way. Their meeting and relationship is, well, let’s say unusual and twisted as hell. But that is to be expected if you develop feelings for your stalker. And that is exactly what Lexi does. Little does she know there is more to him than just some guy that likes to follow women around. And little does he know that she is the only one that can save him from himself. Their relationship made me cringe at times. I found myself shaking my head in disbelief, wanting to shake the characters to make them wake-up and see what was going on. This couple and their relationship is unique. I’ve never read about a relationship like theirs. And yes, at times it took me out of my comfort zone. But that means the book is good. It makes me feel and think new things, it makes me reconsider my point of view. Amazing, when a story can do this.I can’t tell you much more about the story without giving too much away. And that is not something I want to do. The <hl> story is too good <hl> for you not to experience it yourself.What I can tell you is a bit about the characters.There is Lexi. She is a woman to look up to. Having overcome pain and sorrow that her childhood and youth have been filled with, she is now someone who helps others – giving all her heart and soul. She believes in the good of people and doesn’t judge. I liked her character a lot. Despite what she went through she wasn’t broken. She was happy and loving, stable and caring. Her friendship with Dave and Nikki was absolutely adorable. But when it came to Twitch, that girl left her brain on the bedside table. Sometimes I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and give her a decent shake in the hopes of maybe bringing her brain cells back to life. But then I suppose the heart will win over the brain any time and there was not much she could do about it.Twitch on the other hand is one complex and twisted man. Most of the time I was torn between wanting to punch him in the throat or rip his clothes off. He was all domineering, controlling alpha-male with a big dose of bad-to-the-bone added to the mix. And yet, despite his often brutal, demeaning and heartless behaviour, I just couldn’t help but like him a bit. There was more to him than this sick-in-the-head man. And finding out what it was – that was excruciating as hell. I love that up until the end of the book, I could not make up my mind if I hate him or love him. But yet I couldn’t help wishing for him to be happy, not able to just think in black and white. Not able to just judge him. To make me feel like this about a character like Twitch, that was a job well done by Belle Aurora.The story will shock and rock you and trust me, you will love every second of it. For me, this is the best start possible to a new book year. Do yourself the favor and read this book.5+ unique, mind-numbing, heart-wrenching, sobfest-inducing, thought-altering stars. | Have you read a book before that after reading “The End” all you wanted to do is fall to your knees, raise your fists towards the sky, shake them and wail “Why God, why?”. No? Then this is the book for you cause this is how I just felt after finishing “Raw” by Belle Aurora. With this book it took all my willpower not to lock myself in the bathroom while the family was celebrating New Year’s Eve just so I could finish it – needing to find out what happens next. This book destroyed me, it broke me. I felt as if Belle Aurora stuck my heart, my mind and my soul in a blender and set it on high and then just walked away. For the last quarter of the book and still about three hours later I was a sobbing and blubbering mess. It was so much more than I expected and I already had high expectations. This book evoked so many emotions in me – pain, despair, disbelief, contentment, happiness, hate, disgust, fear and a broken heart. The story gave me whiplash as I was basically torn between emotions on a minutely basis. One moment I was full of hate, the next moment that was replaced by sympathy. Then swooning like a love-sick lunatic, right before feeling appalled and out of my comfort zone. And I loved every bit of it. When Belle Aurora said that this is a story about a love gone wrong, she wasn’t kidding. I really should have believed it. This story is different and original. Not something I have read before. It is dark and twisted and transformed my brain to mush. Well, my heart too. And my ovaries suffered a little as well. It is the story of Twitch and Lexi. Each of them having lived through a difficult and tormented past and still managed to succeed – each in their own way. Their meeting and relationship is, well, let’s say unusual and twisted as hell. But that is to be expected if you develop feelings for your stalker. And that is exactly what Lexi does. Little does she know there is more to him than just some guy that likes to follow women around. And little does he know that she is the only one that can save him from himself. Their relationship made me cringe at times. I found myself shaking my head in disbelief, wanting to shake the characters to make them wake-up and see what was going on. This couple and their relationship is unique. I’ve never read about a relationship like theirs. And yes, at times it took me out of my comfort zone. But that means the book is good. It makes me feel and think new things, it makes me reconsider my point of view. Amazing, when a story can do this. I can’t tell you much more about the story without giving too much away. And that is not something I want to do. <hl> The story is too good for you not to experience it yourself. <hl> What I can tell you is a bit about the characters. There is Lexi. She is a woman to look up to. Having overcome pain and sorrow that her childhood and youth have been filled with, she is now someone who helps others – giving all her heart and soul. She believes in the good of people and doesn’t judge. I liked her character a lot. Despite what she went through she wasn’t broken. She was happy and loving, stable and caring. Her friendship with Dave and Nikki was absolutely adorable. But when it came to Twitch, that girl left her brain on the bedside table. Sometimes I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and give her a decent shake in the hopes of maybe bringing her brain cells back to life. But then I suppose the heart will win over the brain any time and there was not much she could do about it. Twitch on the other hand is one complex and twisted man. Most of the time I was torn between wanting to punch him in the throat or rip his clothes off. He was all domineering, controlling alpha-male with a big dose of bad-to-the-bone added to the mix. And yet, despite his often brutal, demeaning and heartless behaviour, I just couldn’t help but like him a bit. There was more to him than this sick-in-the-head man. And finding out what it was – that was excruciating as hell. I love that up until the end of the book, I could not make up my mind if I hate him or love him. But yet I couldn’t help wishing for him to be happy, not able to just think in black and white. Not able to just judge him. To make me feel like this about a character like Twitch, that was a job well done by Belle Aurora. The story will shock and rock you and trust me, you will love every second of it. For me, this is the best start possible to a new book year. Do yourself the favor and read this book.5+ unique, mind-numbing, heart-wrenching, sobfest-inducing, thought-altering stars. | ae76ada2577dc071ad77dad7b27ce416 | 1 | 1 | books |
it is well-written | question: How did you learn to write?, context: This book is incredible and terrifying, it is well-written and the topic is highly salient to our time. This is about more than communism, but about humanity. If you have read We, by Yvegeny Zamyatin, you really must read 1984. (I, for some reason, read them in that order) I would say that 1984 is the superior. Erich Fromm's afterword is worthwhile, additionally, it is quite short and readable. | How did you learn to write? | This book is incredible and terrifying, it is well-written and the topic is highly salient to our time. | This book is incredible and terrifying, it is well-written and the topic is highly salient to our time. This is about more than communism, but about humanity. If you have read We, by Yvegeny Zamyatin, you really must read 1984. (I, for some reason, read them in that order) I would say that 1984 is the superior. Erich Fromm's afterword is worthwhile, additionally, it is quite short and readable. | This book is incredible and terrifying, <hl> it is well-written <hl> and the topic is highly salient to our time. | This book is incredible and terrifying, <hl> it is well-written <hl> and the topic is highly salient to our time. This is about more than communism, but about humanity. If you have read We, by Yvegeny Zamyatin, you really must read 1984. (I, for some reason, read them in that order) I would say that 1984 is the superior. Erich Fromm's afterword is worthwhile, additionally, it is quite short and readable. | <hl> This book is incredible and terrifying, it is well-written and the topic is highly salient to our time. <hl> This is about more than communism, but about humanity. If you have read We, by Yvegeny Zamyatin, you really must read 1984. (I, for some reason, read them in that order) I would say that 1984 is the superior. Erich Fromm's afterword is worthwhile, additionally, it is quite short and readable. | 0d270b9ab8445c0603cf6c9070081034 | 1 | 5 | books |
This book was AMAZING | question: Does this book have a fresh story?, context: This book was AMAZING!!! I've been trying to find a book that different, and this is it! There is so much detail and imagery. I love the unique twist about the angels being the enemy. Penryn is such a great character. She's strong and kicks ass when she needs to. I love that she's so tough and the insight about her mother and family is a great added dynamic. And i just LOVE Raffe. This book has such an unique and original story line. I thought it was cool that some of the Angels don't believe in God. There are so many twists to explore. I can't wait to start the next book. Hopefully it won't take 2 years for the third one comes out :/ Great book! | Does this book have a fresh story? | This book was AMAZING !!! | This book was AMAZING!!! I've been trying to find a book that different, and this is it! There is so much detail and imagery. I love the unique twist about the angels being the enemy. Penryn is such a great character. She's strong and kicks ass when she needs to. I love that she's so tough and the insight about her mother and family is a great added dynamic. And i just LOVE Raffe. This book has such an unique and original story line. I thought it was cool that some of the Angels don't believe in God. There are so many twists to explore. I can't wait to start the next book. Hopefully it won't take 2 years for the third one comes out :/ Great book! | <hl> This book was AMAZING <hl> !!! | <hl> This book was AMAZING <hl>!!! I've been trying to find a book that different, and this is it! There is so much detail and imagery. I love the unique twist about the angels being the enemy. Penryn is such a great character. She's strong and kicks ass when she needs to. I love that she's so tough and the insight about her mother and family is a great added dynamic. And i just LOVE Raffe. This book has such an unique and original story line. I thought it was cool that some of the Angels don't believe in God. There are so many twists to explore. I can't wait to start the next book. Hopefully it won't take 2 years for the third one comes out :/ Great book! | <hl> This book was AMAZING !!! <hl> I've been trying to find a book that different, and this is it! There is so much detail and imagery. I love the unique twist about the angels being the enemy. Penryn is such a great character. She's strong and kicks ass when she needs to. I love that she's so tough and the insight about her mother and family is a great added dynamic. And i just LOVE Raffe. This book has such an unique and original story line. I thought it was cool that some of the Angels don't believe in God. There are so many twists to explore. I can't wait to start the next book. Hopefully it won't take 2 years for the third one comes out :/ Great book! | ae7f3fcac26d3061ac8c08c647641fd7 | 1 | 1 | books |
author's extensive research is obvious | question: Is there a lot of depth in that great hole?, context: I enjoyed this book although it wasn't quite up to my expectations having been recommended it after finishing a Salmon Rushdie's 'Midnights Children'. There was certainly plenty of suspense and interest in the story and the author's extensive research is obvious. There are some great characters in the novel and it has a lovely ending with a twist. | Is there a lot of depth in that great hole? | There was certainly plenty of suspense and interest in the story and the author's extensive research is obvious . | I enjoyed this book although it wasn't quite up to my expectations having been recommended it after finishing a Salmon Rushdie's 'Midnights Children'. There was certainly plenty of suspense and interest in the story and the author's extensive research is obvious. There are some great characters in the novel and it has a lovely ending with a twist. | There was certainly plenty of suspense and interest in the story and the <hl> author's extensive research is obvious <hl> . | I enjoyed this book although it wasn't quite up to my expectations having been recommended it after finishing a Salmon Rushdie's 'Midnights Children'. There was certainly plenty of suspense and interest in the story and the <hl> author's extensive research is obvious <hl>. There are some great characters in the novel and it has a lovely ending with a twist. | I enjoyed this book although it wasn't quite up to my expectations having been recommended it after finishing a Salmon Rushdie's 'Midnights Children'. <hl> There was certainly plenty of suspense and interest in the story and the author's extensive research is obvious . <hl> There are some great characters in the novel and it has a lovely ending with a twist. | cd4d94532f33d4f8edc3dc856d1bb3f0 | 3 | 2 | books |
I love all of the covers for this series | question: Do you travel or flying in chapter?, context: *********SPOILERS****************The cover, oh the glorious cover. I love all of the covers for this series. This one, with the mockingjay bursting out of the circle, is just beautiful and a bit symbolic. I literally was petting this book when it arrived on my porch. I probably shouldn't be telling people that.I'll start off my review by saying that I really loved this book and it's one of my favorite series' as a whole. I think Suzanne Collins' writing is beautiful and she never fails to surprise me. Typically I can figure out what is going to happen in a story, but I find myself always saying things like, "wow!" or "oh my gosh" while reading her books. A huge bravo to her there. Mockingjay was heartbreaking and beautiful.Finnick is the character that grew the most for me. He caused me to tear up on more than one occasion and his death was the one that hit me the hardest. There were a few moments with Finnick that I found myself re-reading the passages. They included his monologue for the propos where he outed President Snow for what he was putting the victors through, his reunion with Annie, his final moments and when he gave Katniss the rope. Picture Annie without Finnick and I dare you not to cry. Wah. He became one of my favorite characters out of all three books. I think he even beat Rue out.I wish we would have found out exactly what happened to Cinna. I cried when they gave Katniss the book from him. I so wished he was coming back.Now, I do have one major gripe with the book....Gale. I felt like he was cheated. Having some fancy job in District 2 where he was on the TV was insulting to his character, I think. Gale having a high-profile job seems so out of character for him. He felt out of character for most of the book, in fact. His story is something I am still thinking about and I don't think I will ever be satisfied with it. My friend, Laura, commented that he would have been better off heading off into the wilderness with only a knife and a bow. I couldn't agree more. I didn't need him to end up with Katniss, I just needed him to be himself. Oh well, I could go on and on with this one.Another smaller one is that I found it a bit unbelievable for the main four (Katniss, Gale, Peeta and Haymitch) to all survive. Death is a huge part of that world, it is a war after all, so it seems as if all four of them making it out, damaged as they were, was unrealistic.Also, here is a little grumble for the fan-base. I really, really don't like when "teams" are brought into the foreground with this trilogy. I get the whole "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" thing because, face it, Twilight is basically a love story with a dash of paranormal. The Hunger Games trilogy is so much more. It's a dystopian war society where the love story is just a small part of what is happening. I would have loved the books just as much (probably a bit more) if the love triangle wasn't involved. I mean, do love triangles actually happen in real life? I have a hard enough time getting one guy to have an interest in me, let alone two guys who would absolutely do anything for me. That's another story, I suppose. Sorry if I offended anyone there, that wasn't my intention at all. | Do you travel or flying in chapter? | I love all of the covers for this series . | *********SPOILERS****************The cover, oh the glorious cover. I love all of the covers for this series. This one, with the mockingjay bursting out of the circle, is just beautiful and a bit symbolic. I literally was petting this book when it arrived on my porch. I probably shouldn't be telling people that.I'll start off my review by saying that I really loved this book and it's one of my favorite series' as a whole. I think Suzanne Collins' writing is beautiful and she never fails to surprise me. Typically I can figure out what is going to happen in a story, but I find myself always saying things like, "wow!" or "oh my gosh" while reading her books. A huge bravo to her there. Mockingjay was heartbreaking and beautiful.Finnick is the character that grew the most for me. He caused me to tear up on more than one occasion and his death was the one that hit me the hardest. There were a few moments with Finnick that I found myself re-reading the passages. They included his monologue for the propos where he outed President Snow for what he was putting the victors through, his reunion with Annie, his final moments and when he gave Katniss the rope. Picture Annie without Finnick and I dare you not to cry. Wah. He became one of my favorite characters out of all three books. I think he even beat Rue out.I wish we would have found out exactly what happened to Cinna. I cried when they gave Katniss the book from him. I so wished he was coming back.Now, I do have one major gripe with the book....Gale. I felt like he was cheated. Having some fancy job in District 2 where he was on the TV was insulting to his character, I think. Gale having a high-profile job seems so out of character for him. He felt out of character for most of the book, in fact. His story is something I am still thinking about and I don't think I will ever be satisfied with it. My friend, Laura, commented that he would have been better off heading off into the wilderness with only a knife and a bow. I couldn't agree more. I didn't need him to end up with Katniss, I just needed him to be himself. Oh well, I could go on and on with this one.Another smaller one is that I found it a bit unbelievable for the main four (Katniss, Gale, Peeta and Haymitch) to all survive. Death is a huge part of that world, it is a war after all, so it seems as if all four of them making it out, damaged as they were, was unrealistic.Also, here is a little grumble for the fan-base. I really, really don't like when "teams" are brought into the foreground with this trilogy. I get the whole "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" thing because, face it, Twilight is basically a love story with a dash of paranormal. The Hunger Games trilogy is so much more. It's a dystopian war society where the love story is just a small part of what is happening. I would have loved the books just as much (probably a bit more) if the love triangle wasn't involved. I mean, do love triangles actually happen in real life? I have a hard enough time getting one guy to have an interest in me, let alone two guys who would absolutely do anything for me. That's another story, I suppose. Sorry if I offended anyone there, that wasn't my intention at all. | <hl> I love all of the covers for this series <hl> . | *********SPOILERS****************The cover, oh the glorious cover. <hl> I love all of the covers for this series <hl>. This one, with the mockingjay bursting out of the circle, is just beautiful and a bit symbolic. I literally was petting this book when it arrived on my porch. I probably shouldn't be telling people that.I'll start off my review by saying that I really loved this book and it's one of my favorite series' as a whole. I think Suzanne Collins' writing is beautiful and she never fails to surprise me. Typically I can figure out what is going to happen in a story, but I find myself always saying things like, "wow!" or "oh my gosh" while reading her books. A huge bravo to her there. Mockingjay was heartbreaking and beautiful.Finnick is the character that grew the most for me. He caused me to tear up on more than one occasion and his death was the one that hit me the hardest. There were a few moments with Finnick that I found myself re-reading the passages. They included his monologue for the propos where he outed President Snow for what he was putting the victors through, his reunion with Annie, his final moments and when he gave Katniss the rope. Picture Annie without Finnick and I dare you not to cry. Wah. He became one of my favorite characters out of all three books. I think he even beat Rue out.I wish we would have found out exactly what happened to Cinna. I cried when they gave Katniss the book from him. I so wished he was coming back.Now, I do have one major gripe with the book....Gale. I felt like he was cheated. Having some fancy job in District 2 where he was on the TV was insulting to his character, I think. Gale having a high-profile job seems so out of character for him. He felt out of character for most of the book, in fact. His story is something I am still thinking about and I don't think I will ever be satisfied with it. My friend, Laura, commented that he would have been better off heading off into the wilderness with only a knife and a bow. I couldn't agree more. I didn't need him to end up with Katniss, I just needed him to be himself. Oh well, I could go on and on with this one.Another smaller one is that I found it a bit unbelievable for the main four (Katniss, Gale, Peeta and Haymitch) to all survive. Death is a huge part of that world, it is a war after all, so it seems as if all four of them making it out, damaged as they were, was unrealistic.Also, here is a little grumble for the fan-base. I really, really don't like when "teams" are brought into the foreground with this trilogy. I get the whole "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" thing because, face it, Twilight is basically a love story with a dash of paranormal. The Hunger Games trilogy is so much more. It's a dystopian war society where the love story is just a small part of what is happening. I would have loved the books just as much (probably a bit more) if the love triangle wasn't involved. I mean, do love triangles actually happen in real life? I have a hard enough time getting one guy to have an interest in me, let alone two guys who would absolutely do anything for me. That's another story, I suppose. Sorry if I offended anyone there, that wasn't my intention at all. | *********SPOILERS****************The cover, oh the glorious cover. <hl> I love all of the covers for this series . <hl> This one, with the mockingjay bursting out of the circle, is just beautiful and a bit symbolic. I literally was petting this book when it arrived on my porch. I probably shouldn't be telling people that. I'll start off my review by saying that I really loved this book and it's one of my favorite series' as a whole. I think Suzanne Collins' writing is beautiful and she never fails to surprise me. Typically I can figure out what is going to happen in a story, but I find myself always saying things like, "wow!" or "oh my gosh" while reading her books. A huge bravo to her there. Mockingjay was heartbreaking and beautiful. Finnick is the character that grew the most for me. He caused me to tear up on more than one occasion and his death was the one that hit me the hardest. There were a few moments with Finnick that I found myself re-reading the passages. They included his monologue for the propos where he outed President Snow for what he was putting the victors through, his reunion with Annie, his final moments and when he gave Katniss the rope. Picture Annie without Finnick and I dare you not to cry. Wah. He became one of my favorite characters out of all three books. I think he even beat Rue out. I wish we would have found out exactly what happened to Cinna. I cried when they gave Katniss the book from him. I so wished he was coming back. Now, I do have one major gripe with the book.... Gale. I felt like he was cheated. Having some fancy job in District 2 where he was on the TV was insulting to his character, I think. Gale having a high-profile job seems so out of character for him. He felt out of character for most of the book, in fact. His story is something I am still thinking about and I don't think I will ever be satisfied with it. My friend, Laura, commented that he would have been better off heading off into the wilderness with only a knife and a bow. I couldn't agree more. I didn't need him to end up with Katniss, I just needed him to be himself. Oh well, I could go on and on with this one. Another smaller one is that I found it a bit unbelievable for the main four (Katniss, Gale, Peeta and Haymitch) to all survive. Death is a huge part of that world, it is a war after all, so it seems as if all four of them making it out, damaged as they were, was unrealistic. Also, here is a little grumble for the fan-base. I really, really don't like when "teams" are brought into the foreground with this trilogy. I get the whole "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" thing because, face it, Twilight is basically a love story with a dash of paranormal. The Hunger Games trilogy is so much more. It's a dystopian war society where the love story is just a small part of what is happening. I would have loved the books just as much (probably a bit more) if the love triangle wasn't involved. I mean, do love triangles actually happen in real life? I have a hard enough time getting one guy to have an interest in me, let alone two guys who would absolutely do anything for me. That's another story, I suppose. Sorry if I offended anyone there, that wasn't my intention at all. | 36890372dc3855cfcb2001a02d2b90b7 | 1 | 1 | books |
The recipes are simple and with few ingredients. They do no require a lot of strange spices or food items that would require a trip to the store | question: How is the recipe?, context: The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook arrived at my house. I really appreciated the heavy duty notebook and pages. After watching the America's Test Kitchen show on PBS for several years and purchasing their cookbook "The Best Recipe", I knew that the recipes in this book would be great.The recipes are simple and with few ingredients. They do no require a lot of strange spices or food items that would require a trip to the store. Many of the recipes are so great looking in the photographs, I know I will be experimenting with them for many days.So far, they have been great. In the front of the book are instructional pages. They are a good teaching tool for beginning cooks and a good reminder for those of us who have been at it a long time. It goes from cooking terms to kitchen equipment.One thing I would have liked to have in this cookbook is a section on easy candy making. | How is the recipe? | The recipes are simple and with few ingredients. They do no require a lot of strange spices or food items that would require a trip to the store . | The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook arrived at my house. I really appreciated the heavy duty notebook and pages. After watching the America's Test Kitchen show on PBS for several years and purchasing their cookbook "The Best Recipe", I knew that the recipes in this book would be great.The recipes are simple and with few ingredients. They do no require a lot of strange spices or food items that would require a trip to the store. Many of the recipes are so great looking in the photographs, I know I will be experimenting with them for many days.So far, they have been great. In the front of the book are instructional pages. They are a good teaching tool for beginning cooks and a good reminder for those of us who have been at it a long time. It goes from cooking terms to kitchen equipment.One thing I would have liked to have in this cookbook is a section on easy candy making. | <hl> The recipes are simple and with few ingredients. They do no require a lot of strange spices or food items that would require a trip to the store <hl> . | The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook arrived at my house. I really appreciated the heavy duty notebook and pages. After watching the America's Test Kitchen show on PBS for several years and purchasing their cookbook "The Best Recipe", I knew that the recipes in this book would be great.<hl> The recipes are simple and with few ingredients. They do no require a lot of strange spices or food items that would require a trip to the store <hl>. Many of the recipes are so great looking in the photographs, I know I will be experimenting with them for many days.So far, they have been great. In the front of the book are instructional pages. They are a good teaching tool for beginning cooks and a good reminder for those of us who have been at it a long time. It goes from cooking terms to kitchen equipment.One thing I would have liked to have in this cookbook is a section on easy candy making. | The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook arrived at my house. I really appreciated the heavy duty notebook and pages. After watching the America's Test Kitchen show on PBS for several years and purchasing their cookbook "The Best Recipe", I knew that the recipes in this book would be great. <hl> The recipes are simple and with few ingredients. They do no require a lot of strange spices or food items that would require a trip to the store . <hl> Many of the recipes are so great looking in the photographs, I know I will be experimenting with them for many days. So far, they have been great. In the front of the book are instructional pages. They are a good teaching tool for beginning cooks and a good reminder for those of us who have been at it a long time. It goes from cooking terms to kitchen equipment. One thing I would have liked to have in this cookbook is a section on easy candy making. | 17f398df90f5a09db6fd050b080ea2a9 | 1 | 2 | books |
this is quality story | question: Is it good for so much star awarded?, context: MY HEART IS FULL OF LOVE!!The story of Travis and Abby is a great read and is written quite well. Travis – “Maddox” is rough, wild and incredibly sexy. Abby is a good girl trying to put some distance between her current and life and her dark past. What Abby finds with Travis makes for a good love story, but I found that I both loved and hated these characters. Pulling the two together over a “bet” wasn’t as engaging as it could have been. I wasn’t really sure I appreciated their complicated attraction. The sexual tension that builds through the first half of the book is captivating, but I was not fond of how beating someone to a pulp was glamorized. The second half of book is a bit rushed, and I believe portrayed drinking and illegal fight clubs as hip. I can’t decide if their love story was truly beautiful, or like watching something so dysfunctional it is hard to look away. The story gets high marks for strong dialogue and fantastic supporting characters. This always brings life to the main characters. Even though I wasn’t fond of the way Travis and Abby meet, this is quality story-telling with a well-crafted plot. There is a great deal of passion and suspense which ignites interest. I enjoyed my happily ever after ending and will read the retell. | Is it good for so much star awarded? | Even though I wasn’t fond of the way Travis and Abby meet, this is quality story -telling with a well-crafted plot. | MY HEART IS FULL OF LOVE!!The story of Travis and Abby is a great read and is written quite well. Travis – “Maddox” is rough, wild and incredibly sexy. Abby is a good girl trying to put some distance between her current and life and her dark past. What Abby finds with Travis makes for a good love story, but I found that I both loved and hated these characters. Pulling the two together over a “bet” wasn’t as engaging as it could have been. I wasn’t really sure I appreciated their complicated attraction. The sexual tension that builds through the first half of the book is captivating, but I was not fond of how beating someone to a pulp was glamorized. The second half of book is a bit rushed, and I believe portrayed drinking and illegal fight clubs as hip. I can’t decide if their love story was truly beautiful, or like watching something so dysfunctional it is hard to look away. The story gets high marks for strong dialogue and fantastic supporting characters. This always brings life to the main characters. Even though I wasn’t fond of the way Travis and Abby meet, this is quality story-telling with a well-crafted plot. There is a great deal of passion and suspense which ignites interest. I enjoyed my happily ever after ending and will read the retell. | Even though I wasn’t fond of the way Travis and Abby meet, <hl> this is quality story <hl> -telling with a well-crafted plot. | MY HEART IS FULL OF LOVE!!The story of Travis and Abby is a great read and is written quite well. Travis – “Maddox” is rough, wild and incredibly sexy. Abby is a good girl trying to put some distance between her current and life and her dark past. What Abby finds with Travis makes for a good love story, but I found that I both loved and hated these characters. Pulling the two together over a “bet” wasn’t as engaging as it could have been. I wasn’t really sure I appreciated their complicated attraction. The sexual tension that builds through the first half of the book is captivating, but I was not fond of how beating someone to a pulp was glamorized. The second half of book is a bit rushed, and I believe portrayed drinking and illegal fight clubs as hip. I can’t decide if their love story was truly beautiful, or like watching something so dysfunctional it is hard to look away. The story gets high marks for strong dialogue and fantastic supporting characters. This always brings life to the main characters. Even though I wasn’t fond of the way Travis and Abby meet, <hl> this is quality story <hl>-telling with a well-crafted plot. There is a great deal of passion and suspense which ignites interest. I enjoyed my happily ever after ending and will read the retell. | MY HEART IS FULL OF LOVE!!The story of Travis and Abby is a great read and is written quite well. Travis – “Maddox” is rough, wild and incredibly sexy. Abby is a good girl trying to put some distance between her current and life and her dark past. What Abby finds with Travis makes for a good love story, but I found that I both loved and hated these characters. Pulling the two together over a “bet” wasn’t as engaging as it could have been. I wasn’t really sure I appreciated their complicated attraction. The sexual tension that builds through the first half of the book is captivating, but I was not fond of how beating someone to a pulp was glamorized. The second half of book is a bit rushed, and I believe portrayed drinking and illegal fight clubs as hip. I can’t decide if their love story was truly beautiful, or like watching something so dysfunctional it is hard to look away. The story gets high marks for strong dialogue and fantastic supporting characters. This always brings life to the main characters. <hl> Even though I wasn’t fond of the way Travis and Abby meet, this is quality story -telling with a well-crafted plot. <hl> There is a great deal of passion and suspense which ignites interest. I enjoyed my happily ever after ending and will read the retell. | f4fbad2fde92155bc415430c22fbe859 | 2 | 2 | books |
Both characters are well described | question: What is your impression of this interaction?, context: These books are excellent. I couldn't wait to get back to the story and I can't wait for book three. Very well written, characters are likeable and real in there emotions. Both characters are well described and real life issues and reactions to events in there life. Love it. | What is your impression of this interaction? | Both characters are well described and real life issues and reactions to events in there life. | These books are excellent. I couldn't wait to get back to the story and I can't wait for book three. Very well written, characters are likeable and real in there emotions. Both characters are well described and real life issues and reactions to events in there life. Love it. | <hl> Both characters are well described <hl> and real life issues and reactions to events in there life. | These books are excellent. I couldn't wait to get back to the story and I can't wait for book three. Very well written, characters are likeable and real in there emotions. <hl> Both characters are well described <hl> and real life issues and reactions to events in there life. Love it. | These books are excellent. I couldn't wait to get back to the story and I can't wait for book three. Very well written, characters are likeable and real in there emotions. <hl> Both characters are well described and real life issues and reactions to events in there life. <hl> Love it. | 0622bc26d9c64db0de66a9841a101ee7 | 1 | 1 | books |
this has to be one of the finest mysteries ever written | question: How is the fact?, context: I am overwhelmed by this remarkable novel that totally blew me away, with its richly detailed narrative and intricate plot. Sat on the edge of my seat in suspense throughout this has to be one of the finest mysteries ever written, with the author adding such realism (via facts and atmospheric elements) as to bring the story to life. Fascinating, intriguing and so interesting this absorbing book is one that captures your interest as you loose yourself within the most intense, dramatic and momentous mystery of all-time. Wow! This extraordinarily brainy thriller is just perfection itself and which not since reading Harry Potter by JK Rowling, have I been swept away by this breathless chase and compelling tale. Lies and deception amidst truth shrouded in secrets and secrecy where intrigue and menace mingle; the enigma that is piled on secrets and stacked on riddles will have you guessing until the very last page. This amazing, astonishing tale was so full of fascinating detail that I just could not get enough of Dan Brown; hence I can now honestly say that I am a ardent fan.Harvard Professor Robert Langdon one night receives an urgent phone call whilst he is staying in Paris; stating that the elderly curator (Jacques Sauniérè) of the Louvre has been brutally murdered inside the museum in the Grand gallery. Alongside the body the police have found some baffling codes and as Langdon together with renowned Cryptologist Sophie Neveu, try to decipher them and uncover the message that the Professor was trying to give other secrets are being hidden from them both... As they sort through the bizarre riddles they are stunned to find that it leads them to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci - suggesting the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vault of history itself. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code and quickly assemble the pieces of the puzzle, a stunning historical truth will be lost forever.This fast-paced, action packed story is one that never looses momentum with the chase never letting up until all the pieces of the puzzle are found. The entire concept is just pure genius and which is so exceedingly clever, and a masterful achievement by an author whose writing has exceeded all expectations for a wide-readership. Facts within the book include:*The Priory of Sion - A European secret society founded in 1099, which is a real organization. In 1975 Paris's Bibliothèque Nationale discovered parchments known as Les Dossiers secrets, identifying numerous members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Sandro Botticelli, Victor Hugo and Leonardo Da Vinci.The Vatican prelature known as Opus Dei is a deeply devout Catholic sect that has been the topic of recent controversy due to reports of brain-washing, coercion and a dangerous practice known as `Corporal Mortification'. Opus Dei has just completed construction of a $47 million national headquarters at 243 Lexington Avenue in New York City.*All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals within this novel are accurate.The Bishop Aringarosa and his protégé the albino Silas are two characters whom really stand-out within this novel of good VS evil, propelling the exciting plot on as you plunge head-first into a most thrilling tale. Murder, lies and secrecy envelop you as you follow Robert Langdon and Sophie on their quest to expose the truth beneath all the camouflage and out into the open. I never thought that I would be so deeply moved by a graphic, explicit and at times horrific thriller that was bloodthirsty and driven by ambitious men who in the name of God took the liberty of concealing one of the greatest secrets of all-time. Dan Brown's masterpiece is truly epic, mind-blowing and totally spectacular therefore I cannot enthuse enough about it nor praise it more highly - as this is not a genre that I would read often. Mind games are played as you unravel the past which cleverly merges into the present, linking us to our past in such a way that is astonishing and awe-inspiring. If you are looking for adventure, danger, twists & turns and those moments that send chills down your spine then this is a must-read!!! | How is the fact? | Sat on the edge of my seat in suspense throughout this has to be one of the finest mysteries ever written , with the author adding such realism (via facts and atmospheric elements) as to bring the story to life. | I am overwhelmed by this remarkable novel that totally blew me away, with its richly detailed narrative and intricate plot. Sat on the edge of my seat in suspense throughout this has to be one of the finest mysteries ever written, with the author adding such realism (via facts and atmospheric elements) as to bring the story to life. Fascinating, intriguing and so interesting this absorbing book is one that captures your interest as you loose yourself within the most intense, dramatic and momentous mystery of all-time. Wow! This extraordinarily brainy thriller is just perfection itself and which not since reading Harry Potter by JK Rowling, have I been swept away by this breathless chase and compelling tale. Lies and deception amidst truth shrouded in secrets and secrecy where intrigue and menace mingle; the enigma that is piled on secrets and stacked on riddles will have you guessing until the very last page. This amazing, astonishing tale was so full of fascinating detail that I just could not get enough of Dan Brown; hence I can now honestly say that I am a ardent fan.Harvard Professor Robert Langdon one night receives an urgent phone call whilst he is staying in Paris; stating that the elderly curator (Jacques Sauniérè) of the Louvre has been brutally murdered inside the museum in the Grand gallery. Alongside the body the police have found some baffling codes and as Langdon together with renowned Cryptologist Sophie Neveu, try to decipher them and uncover the message that the Professor was trying to give other secrets are being hidden from them both... As they sort through the bizarre riddles they are stunned to find that it leads them to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci - suggesting the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vault of history itself. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code and quickly assemble the pieces of the puzzle, a stunning historical truth will be lost forever.This fast-paced, action packed story is one that never looses momentum with the chase never letting up until all the pieces of the puzzle are found. The entire concept is just pure genius and which is so exceedingly clever, and a masterful achievement by an author whose writing has exceeded all expectations for a wide-readership. Facts within the book include:*The Priory of Sion - A European secret society founded in 1099, which is a real organization. In 1975 Paris's Bibliothèque Nationale discovered parchments known as Les Dossiers secrets, identifying numerous members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Sandro Botticelli, Victor Hugo and Leonardo Da Vinci.The Vatican prelature known as Opus Dei is a deeply devout Catholic sect that has been the topic of recent controversy due to reports of brain-washing, coercion and a dangerous practice known as `Corporal Mortification'. Opus Dei has just completed construction of a $47 million national headquarters at 243 Lexington Avenue in New York City.*All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals within this novel are accurate.The Bishop Aringarosa and his protégé the albino Silas are two characters whom really stand-out within this novel of good VS evil, propelling the exciting plot on as you plunge head-first into a most thrilling tale. Murder, lies and secrecy envelop you as you follow Robert Langdon and Sophie on their quest to expose the truth beneath all the camouflage and out into the open. I never thought that I would be so deeply moved by a graphic, explicit and at times horrific thriller that was bloodthirsty and driven by ambitious men who in the name of God took the liberty of concealing one of the greatest secrets of all-time. Dan Brown's masterpiece is truly epic, mind-blowing and totally spectacular therefore I cannot enthuse enough about it nor praise it more highly - as this is not a genre that I would read often. Mind games are played as you unravel the past which cleverly merges into the present, linking us to our past in such a way that is astonishing and awe-inspiring. If you are looking for adventure, danger, twists & turns and those moments that send chills down your spine then this is a must-read!!! | Sat on the edge of my seat in suspense throughout <hl> this has to be one of the finest mysteries ever written <hl> , with the author adding such realism (via facts and atmospheric elements) as to bring the story to life. | I am overwhelmed by this remarkable novel that totally blew me away, with its richly detailed narrative and intricate plot. Sat on the edge of my seat in suspense throughout <hl> this has to be one of the finest mysteries ever written <hl>, with the author adding such realism (via facts and atmospheric elements) as to bring the story to life. Fascinating, intriguing and so interesting this absorbing book is one that captures your interest as you loose yourself within the most intense, dramatic and momentous mystery of all-time. Wow! This extraordinarily brainy thriller is just perfection itself and which not since reading Harry Potter by JK Rowling, have I been swept away by this breathless chase and compelling tale. Lies and deception amidst truth shrouded in secrets and secrecy where intrigue and menace mingle; the enigma that is piled on secrets and stacked on riddles will have you guessing until the very last page. This amazing, astonishing tale was so full of fascinating detail that I just could not get enough of Dan Brown; hence I can now honestly say that I am a ardent fan.Harvard Professor Robert Langdon one night receives an urgent phone call whilst he is staying in Paris; stating that the elderly curator (Jacques Sauniérè) of the Louvre has been brutally murdered inside the museum in the Grand gallery. Alongside the body the police have found some baffling codes and as Langdon together with renowned Cryptologist Sophie Neveu, try to decipher them and uncover the message that the Professor was trying to give other secrets are being hidden from them both... As they sort through the bizarre riddles they are stunned to find that it leads them to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci - suggesting the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vault of history itself. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code and quickly assemble the pieces of the puzzle, a stunning historical truth will be lost forever.This fast-paced, action packed story is one that never looses momentum with the chase never letting up until all the pieces of the puzzle are found. The entire concept is just pure genius and which is so exceedingly clever, and a masterful achievement by an author whose writing has exceeded all expectations for a wide-readership. Facts within the book include:*The Priory of Sion - A European secret society founded in 1099, which is a real organization. In 1975 Paris's Bibliothèque Nationale discovered parchments known as Les Dossiers secrets, identifying numerous members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Sandro Botticelli, Victor Hugo and Leonardo Da Vinci.The Vatican prelature known as Opus Dei is a deeply devout Catholic sect that has been the topic of recent controversy due to reports of brain-washing, coercion and a dangerous practice known as `Corporal Mortification'. Opus Dei has just completed construction of a $47 million national headquarters at 243 Lexington Avenue in New York City.*All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals within this novel are accurate.The Bishop Aringarosa and his protégé the albino Silas are two characters whom really stand-out within this novel of good VS evil, propelling the exciting plot on as you plunge head-first into a most thrilling tale. Murder, lies and secrecy envelop you as you follow Robert Langdon and Sophie on their quest to expose the truth beneath all the camouflage and out into the open. I never thought that I would be so deeply moved by a graphic, explicit and at times horrific thriller that was bloodthirsty and driven by ambitious men who in the name of God took the liberty of concealing one of the greatest secrets of all-time. Dan Brown's masterpiece is truly epic, mind-blowing and totally spectacular therefore I cannot enthuse enough about it nor praise it more highly - as this is not a genre that I would read often. Mind games are played as you unravel the past which cleverly merges into the present, linking us to our past in such a way that is astonishing and awe-inspiring. If you are looking for adventure, danger, twists & turns and those moments that send chills down your spine then this is a must-read!!! | I am overwhelmed by this remarkable novel that totally blew me away, with its richly detailed narrative and intricate plot. <hl> Sat on the edge of my seat in suspense throughout this has to be one of the finest mysteries ever written , with the author adding such realism (via facts and atmospheric elements) as to bring the story to life. <hl> Fascinating, intriguing and so interesting this absorbing book is one that captures your interest as you loose yourself within the most intense, dramatic and momentous mystery of all-time. Wow! This extraordinarily brainy thriller is just perfection itself and which not since reading Harry Potter by JK Rowling, have I been swept away by this breathless chase and compelling tale. Lies and deception amidst truth shrouded in secrets and secrecy where intrigue and menace mingle; the enigma that is piled on secrets and stacked on riddles will have you guessing until the very last page. This amazing, astonishing tale was so full of fascinating detail that I just could not get enough of Dan Brown; hence I can now honestly say that I am a ardent fan. Harvard Professor Robert Langdon one night receives an urgent phone call whilst he is staying in Paris; stating that the elderly curator (Jacques Sauniérè) of the Louvre has been brutally murdered inside the museum in the Grand gallery. Alongside the body the police have found some baffling codes and as Langdon together with renowned Cryptologist Sophie Neveu, try to decipher them and uncover the message that the Professor was trying to give other secrets are being hidden from them both... As they sort through the bizarre riddles they are stunned to find that it leads them to the works of Leonardo Da Vinci - suggesting the answer to a mystery that stretches deep into the vault of history itself. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine code and quickly assemble the pieces of the puzzle, a stunning historical truth will be lost forever. This fast-paced, action packed story is one that never looses momentum with the chase never letting up until all the pieces of the puzzle are found. The entire concept is just pure genius and which is so exceedingly clever, and a masterful achievement by an author whose writing has exceeded all expectations for a wide-readership. Facts within the book include:*The Priory of Sion - A European secret society founded in 1099, which is a real organization. In 1975 Paris's Bibliothèque Nationale discovered parchments known as Les Dossiers secrets, identifying numerous members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Sandro Botticelli, Victor Hugo and Leonardo Da Vinci. The Vatican prelature known as Opus Dei is a deeply devout Catholic sect that has been the topic of recent controversy due to reports of brain-washing, coercion and a dangerous practice known as `Corporal Mortification'. Opus Dei has just completed construction of a $47 million national headquarters at 243 Lexington Avenue in New York City.*All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals within this novel are accurate. The Bishop Aringarosa and his protégé the albino Silas are two characters whom really stand-out within this novel of good VS evil, propelling the exciting plot on as you plunge head-first into a most thrilling tale. Murder, lies and secrecy envelop you as you follow Robert Langdon and Sophie on their quest to expose the truth beneath all the camouflage and out into the open. I never thought that I would be so deeply moved by a graphic, explicit and at times horrific thriller that was bloodthirsty and driven by ambitious men who in the name of God took the liberty of concealing one of the greatest secrets of all-time. Dan Brown's masterpiece is truly epic, mind-blowing and totally spectacular therefore I cannot enthuse enough about it nor praise it more highly - as this is not a genre that I would read often. Mind games are played as you unravel the past which cleverly merges into the present, linking us to our past in such a way that is astonishing and awe-inspiring. If you are looking for adventure, danger, twists & turns and those moments that send chills down your spine then this is a must-read!!! | 9141d3eb387819c0c6bb15e5a1f496ae | 1 | 1 | books |
I loved this book | question: What is actually better sequel?, context: I loved this book. The plot was awesome and very intriguing. The love between the two is very endearing. I recommend this to all of my friends. | What is actually better sequel? | I loved this book . | I loved this book. The plot was awesome and very intriguing. The love between the two is very endearing. I recommend this to all of my friends. | <hl> I loved this book <hl> . | <hl> I loved this book <hl>. The plot was awesome and very intriguing. The love between the two is very endearing. I recommend this to all of my friends. | <hl> I loved this book . <hl> The plot was awesome and very intriguing. The love between the two is very endearing. I recommend this to all of my friends. | 55299f4f6115596579b7b4a908a467ce | 2 | 2 | books |
ending for the third book really ruined the entire series for me. And I LOVED this series! I mean before the third book came out, I read and reread the other two over and over because they were just so good! But this ending was horrible | question: How is the end?, context: I don't know what to say positive about this book...I was so disappointed in it. It felt like an entirely different author wrote the third book compared to the first and second. The first and second books had more complicated plot lines and it felt like the story was working up to something huge in the third book, like saving-all-of-mankind huge. But this plot line seemed so weak compared to the other two, and the character development was minimal and there wasn't much meaningful action going on.The ending....oh gosh don't get me started on the ending. (SPOILERS) The ending for the third book really ruined the entire series for me. And I LOVED this series! I mean before the third book came out, I read and reread the other two over and over because they were just so good! But this ending was horrible, and not just because a very important character dies, but because I don't feel like they died for a very important cause. No one was going to die, the world wasn't going to come to an end, really I feel like they just died because they wanted to have the final say in what happens. It didn't feel meaningful like when characters were killed off in Harry Potter, it just felt like useless death and then the epilogue talks about how they can't really get on their lives after this person is dead? Okay I'm ranting now but I would just really like to caution anyone thinking about starting this series that if you like happy endings, even somewhat happy endings, you should NOT start reading this series, or just don't read the last book. Please! | How is the end? | The ending for the third book really ruined the entire series for me. And I LOVED this series! I mean before the third book came out, I read and reread the other two over and over because they were just so good! But this ending was horrible , and not just because a very important character dies, but because I don't feel like they died for a very important cause. | I don't know what to say positive about this book...I was so disappointed in it. It felt like an entirely different author wrote the third book compared to the first and second. The first and second books had more complicated plot lines and it felt like the story was working up to something huge in the third book, like saving-all-of-mankind huge. But this plot line seemed so weak compared to the other two, and the character development was minimal and there wasn't much meaningful action going on.The ending....oh gosh don't get me started on the ending. (SPOILERS) The ending for the third book really ruined the entire series for me. And I LOVED this series! I mean before the third book came out, I read and reread the other two over and over because they were just so good! But this ending was horrible, and not just because a very important character dies, but because I don't feel like they died for a very important cause. No one was going to die, the world wasn't going to come to an end, really I feel like they just died because they wanted to have the final say in what happens. It didn't feel meaningful like when characters were killed off in Harry Potter, it just felt like useless death and then the epilogue talks about how they can't really get on their lives after this person is dead? Okay I'm ranting now but I would just really like to caution anyone thinking about starting this series that if you like happy endings, even somewhat happy endings, you should NOT start reading this series, or just don't read the last book. Please! | The <hl> ending for the third book really ruined the entire series for me. And I LOVED this series! I mean before the third book came out, I read and reread the other two over and over because they were just so good! But this ending was horrible <hl> , and not just because a very important character dies, but because I don't feel like they died for a very important cause. | I don't know what to say positive about this book...I was so disappointed in it. It felt like an entirely different author wrote the third book compared to the first and second. The first and second books had more complicated plot lines and it felt like the story was working up to something huge in the third book, like saving-all-of-mankind huge. But this plot line seemed so weak compared to the other two, and the character development was minimal and there wasn't much meaningful action going on.The ending....oh gosh don't get me started on the ending. (SPOILERS) The <hl> ending for the third book really ruined the entire series for me. And I LOVED this series! I mean before the third book came out, I read and reread the other two over and over because they were just so good! But this ending was horrible <hl>, and not just because a very important character dies, but because I don't feel like they died for a very important cause. No one was going to die, the world wasn't going to come to an end, really I feel like they just died because they wanted to have the final say in what happens. It didn't feel meaningful like when characters were killed off in Harry Potter, it just felt like useless death and then the epilogue talks about how they can't really get on their lives after this person is dead? Okay I'm ranting now but I would just really like to caution anyone thinking about starting this series that if you like happy endings, even somewhat happy endings, you should NOT start reading this series, or just don't read the last book. Please! | I don't know what to say positive about this book...I was so disappointed in it. It felt like an entirely different author wrote the third book compared to the first and second. The first and second books had more complicated plot lines and it felt like the story was working up to something huge in the third book, like saving-all-of-mankind huge. But this plot line seemed so weak compared to the other two, and the character development was minimal and there wasn't much meaningful action going on. The ending.... oh gosh don't get me started on the ending. (SPOILERS) <hl> The ending for the third book really ruined the entire series for me. And I LOVED this series! I mean before the third book came out, I read and reread the other two over and over because they were just so good! But this ending was horrible , and not just because a very important character dies, but because I don't feel like they died for a very important cause. <hl> No one was going to die, the world wasn't going to come to an end, really I feel like they just died because they wanted to have the final say in what happens. It didn't feel meaningful like when characters were killed off in Harry Potter, it just felt like useless death and then the epilogue talks about how they can't really get on their lives after this person is dead? Okay I'm ranting now but I would just really like to caution anyone thinking about starting this series that if you like happy endings, even somewhat happy endings, you should NOT start reading this series, or just don't read the last book. Please! | 7760823badcfd8e314f6d770739269d7 | 1 | 2 | books |
The whole thing was well done | question: What is her ability?, context: I enjoyed this book thoroughly. The whole thing was well done. The characters were really well developed. The book is very fast paced and enjoyable. If you are looking for an exceptional read this book will fit the bill. | What is her ability? | The whole thing was well done . | I enjoyed this book thoroughly. The whole thing was well done. The characters were really well developed. The book is very fast paced and enjoyable. If you are looking for an exceptional read this book will fit the bill. | <hl> The whole thing was well done <hl> . | I enjoyed this book thoroughly. <hl> The whole thing was well done <hl>. The characters were really well developed. The book is very fast paced and enjoyable. If you are looking for an exceptional read this book will fit the bill. | I enjoyed this book thoroughly. <hl> The whole thing was well done . <hl> The characters were really well developed. The book is very fast paced and enjoyable. If you are looking for an exceptional read this book will fit the bill. | ea9bb2beb948de916d86f1e3a6281219 | 5 | 5 | books |
is a great read and definitely recommended | question: What do you think about thing?, context: I am a big fan of Gillian Flynn, having read and loved her first two novels. She does not disappoint this time. You probably have already heard about the plot, which revolves around the strange disappearance of Amy Dunne on the day of her fifth wedding anniversary to Nick. There is no need to give more plot detail as that will spoil the twists and turns. The writing is excellent and engaging. Flynn continues to explore the darker side of humanity, although I did not find this book as wrenching and disturbing as her first two. But there is plenty of nasty stuff in here, don't worry!This is a great read and definitely recommended. I am already looking forward to her next book. | What do you think about thing? | But there is plenty of nasty stuff in here, don't worry!This is a great read and definitely recommended . | I am a big fan of Gillian Flynn, having read and loved her first two novels. She does not disappoint this time. You probably have already heard about the plot, which revolves around the strange disappearance of Amy Dunne on the day of her fifth wedding anniversary to Nick. There is no need to give more plot detail as that will spoil the twists and turns. The writing is excellent and engaging. Flynn continues to explore the darker side of humanity, although I did not find this book as wrenching and disturbing as her first two. But there is plenty of nasty stuff in here, don't worry!This is a great read and definitely recommended. I am already looking forward to her next book. | But there is plenty of nasty stuff in here, don't worry!This <hl> is a great read and definitely recommended <hl> . | I am a big fan of Gillian Flynn, having read and loved her first two novels. She does not disappoint this time. You probably have already heard about the plot, which revolves around the strange disappearance of Amy Dunne on the day of her fifth wedding anniversary to Nick. There is no need to give more plot detail as that will spoil the twists and turns. The writing is excellent and engaging. Flynn continues to explore the darker side of humanity, although I did not find this book as wrenching and disturbing as her first two. But there is plenty of nasty stuff in here, don't worry!This <hl> is a great read and definitely recommended <hl>. I am already looking forward to her next book. | I am a big fan of Gillian Flynn, having read and loved her first two novels. She does not disappoint this time. You probably have already heard about the plot, which revolves around the strange disappearance of Amy Dunne on the day of her fifth wedding anniversary to Nick. There is no need to give more plot detail as that will spoil the twists and turns. The writing is excellent and engaging. Flynn continues to explore the darker side of humanity, although I did not find this book as wrenching and disturbing as her first two. <hl> But there is plenty of nasty stuff in here, don't worry!This is a great read and definitely recommended . <hl> I am already looking forward to her next book. | 885aa822438e4ceac47f34bed1e21ffb | 1 | 1 | books |
E & B's relationship | question: How is the relationship?, context: Wow, I had to push myself through this book. Between the movie preview and the 5 star reviews, I gave THE HOST another chance (lost interest a year ago after chapter 2). This time I was optimistic about it developing into a moving story. Despite my disdain for S.M's hideous overuse of adverbs and said-bookisms, I knew she was a superb storyteller, so I let myself be drawn into the exciting premise of Melanie meeting Jared again, and having to prove she was still her, even though her eyes reflected the truth that a different soul also lived in her.But this was "Wanderer's" story, and I found her ... robotic and mundane (for the first 9 chapters, especially). She had NO humour, NO goals (apart from smother Melanie out of her body), NO hobbies, NO friends or family, NO personality. So I had NO compassion for her. I also loathed her telling me, a human, over and over what it was like to be in a human's body. Tell me something I don't know! And I SO wasn't interested in her other planets and "hosts": those details were very uninteresting and gross (the fact that she'd liked sharing one of a huge alien "spider's" 3 brains made me disconnect with her further).I still have great admiration for S. Meyer for creating such mystery around the character of Edward, in Twilight, and if the POV character in THE HOST had have been Jared, Meyer could have created a similar chemistry. Jared's re-discovery of Melanie could've been as exciting as Bella being told by Edward all his secrets and intricacies. We would have been fearful for Jared to trust Melanie again, but excited that she could be telling the truth. Also, her other-world and other-host details would have ACTUALLY been interesting if heard for the first time through Jared's ears. And I'm sure his time away from the cave would've been MUCH more exciting and heart-rendering (how did he deal, after seeing the face of the girl he's still mourning?) to read than Wanda's POV: every. single. detail and every. single. conversation being relayed."Wanderer" was such a boring narrator, and Jared was absent for MOST of the first half of the book! I didn't understand the alien worm falling for Jared, because EYE hadn't even gotten to know him! The movie seems to correct this and play out in chronological order, and I can't help but ponder on how intensely I would have wanted Melanie and Jared to get back together if the book had STARTED with them, STARTED with Jared finding Melanie in that kitchen. I would have been riveted to the pages! We would have gone through his mourning when Melanie left him that note and felt his intense loss, felt his anguish in having to tell her brother, felt his bravery in plucking up and finding a new home, looking after the little brother of the girl he was mourning. Then we would've felt his ache and anger whenever he looked at Melanie's face, her eyes now reflective (such a cool detail by S. Meyer! What's with her and eyes? So good!). THAT'S all conflict. Very interesting conflict!The sad thing is, Stephenie Meyer HAS THIS POTENTIAL for great conflict and feelings.Anyway, I lost so much interest in the possibilities of THE HOST that I started skimming (periodically) through Wanda's cave-time during Jared's absence, and all I found was more of the same. It reminded me of Eclipse, when Bella goes to the bonfire with Jacob and we have meaningless (plot-wise) conversations that take up a whole CHUNK of that book. And the other chunks in the series where we have PAGES of inner monologues and every detail on housecleaning and hair-washing. But with those books I kept reading because I was invested in E & B's relationship.I was not invested in "Wanderer," and Melanie (a more interesting, gutsy character) was fading more and more into the background by halfway. I gave up. I was so frustrated, I did more than just skim each page to the end, I skimmed every fiftieth page. Nothing grabbed me. They were STILL in the caves.Oh, and Wanderer had become so much like Bella ... minus the humour and stumbling. All that serious caring-for-others and stubbornness, yet no interests or personality of her own.I HOPE S. Meyer can write in a different POV voice! Perhaps that's why she didn't write from Jared's perspective. I haven't written her off yet, however, like I have THE HOST. | How is the relationship? | But with those books I kept reading because I was invested in E & B's relationship .I was not invested in "Wanderer," and Melanie (a more interesting, gutsy character) was fading more and more into the background by halfway. | Wow, I had to push myself through this book. Between the movie preview and the 5 star reviews, I gave THE HOST another chance (lost interest a year ago after chapter 2). This time I was optimistic about it developing into a moving story. Despite my disdain for S.M's hideous overuse of adverbs and said-bookisms, I knew she was a superb storyteller, so I let myself be drawn into the exciting premise of Melanie meeting Jared again, and having to prove she was still her, even though her eyes reflected the truth that a different soul also lived in her.But this was "Wanderer's" story, and I found her ... robotic and mundane (for the first 9 chapters, especially). She had NO humour, NO goals (apart from smother Melanie out of her body), NO hobbies, NO friends or family, NO personality. So I had NO compassion for her. I also loathed her telling me, a human, over and over what it was like to be in a human's body. Tell me something I don't know! And I SO wasn't interested in her other planets and "hosts": those details were very uninteresting and gross (the fact that she'd liked sharing one of a huge alien "spider's" 3 brains made me disconnect with her further).I still have great admiration for S. Meyer for creating such mystery around the character of Edward, in Twilight, and if the POV character in THE HOST had have been Jared, Meyer could have created a similar chemistry. Jared's re-discovery of Melanie could've been as exciting as Bella being told by Edward all his secrets and intricacies. We would have been fearful for Jared to trust Melanie again, but excited that she could be telling the truth. Also, her other-world and other-host details would have ACTUALLY been interesting if heard for the first time through Jared's ears. And I'm sure his time away from the cave would've been MUCH more exciting and heart-rendering (how did he deal, after seeing the face of the girl he's still mourning?) to read than Wanda's POV: every. single. detail and every. single. conversation being relayed."Wanderer" was such a boring narrator, and Jared was absent for MOST of the first half of the book! I didn't understand the alien worm falling for Jared, because EYE hadn't even gotten to know him! The movie seems to correct this and play out in chronological order, and I can't help but ponder on how intensely I would have wanted Melanie and Jared to get back together if the book had STARTED with them, STARTED with Jared finding Melanie in that kitchen. I would have been riveted to the pages! We would have gone through his mourning when Melanie left him that note and felt his intense loss, felt his anguish in having to tell her brother, felt his bravery in plucking up and finding a new home, looking after the little brother of the girl he was mourning. Then we would've felt his ache and anger whenever he looked at Melanie's face, her eyes now reflective (such a cool detail by S. Meyer! What's with her and eyes? So good!). THAT'S all conflict. Very interesting conflict!The sad thing is, Stephenie Meyer HAS THIS POTENTIAL for great conflict and feelings.Anyway, I lost so much interest in the possibilities of THE HOST that I started skimming (periodically) through Wanda's cave-time during Jared's absence, and all I found was more of the same. It reminded me of Eclipse, when Bella goes to the bonfire with Jacob and we have meaningless (plot-wise) conversations that take up a whole CHUNK of that book. And the other chunks in the series where we have PAGES of inner monologues and every detail on housecleaning and hair-washing. But with those books I kept reading because I was invested in E & B's relationship.I was not invested in "Wanderer," and Melanie (a more interesting, gutsy character) was fading more and more into the background by halfway. I gave up. I was so frustrated, I did more than just skim each page to the end, I skimmed every fiftieth page. Nothing grabbed me. They were STILL in the caves.Oh, and Wanderer had become so much like Bella ... minus the humour and stumbling. All that serious caring-for-others and stubbornness, yet no interests or personality of her own.I HOPE S. Meyer can write in a different POV voice! Perhaps that's why she didn't write from Jared's perspective. I haven't written her off yet, however, like I have THE HOST. | But with those books I kept reading because I was invested in <hl> E & B's relationship <hl> .I was not invested in "Wanderer," and Melanie (a more interesting, gutsy character) was fading more and more into the background by halfway. | Wow, I had to push myself through this book. Between the movie preview and the 5 star reviews, I gave THE HOST another chance (lost interest a year ago after chapter 2). This time I was optimistic about it developing into a moving story. Despite my disdain for S.M's hideous overuse of adverbs and said-bookisms, I knew she was a superb storyteller, so I let myself be drawn into the exciting premise of Melanie meeting Jared again, and having to prove she was still her, even though her eyes reflected the truth that a different soul also lived in her.But this was "Wanderer's" story, and I found her ... robotic and mundane (for the first 9 chapters, especially). She had NO humour, NO goals (apart from smother Melanie out of her body), NO hobbies, NO friends or family, NO personality. So I had NO compassion for her. I also loathed her telling me, a human, over and over what it was like to be in a human's body. Tell me something I don't know! And I SO wasn't interested in her other planets and "hosts": those details were very uninteresting and gross (the fact that she'd liked sharing one of a huge alien "spider's" 3 brains made me disconnect with her further).I still have great admiration for S. Meyer for creating such mystery around the character of Edward, in Twilight, and if the POV character in THE HOST had have been Jared, Meyer could have created a similar chemistry. Jared's re-discovery of Melanie could've been as exciting as Bella being told by Edward all his secrets and intricacies. We would have been fearful for Jared to trust Melanie again, but excited that she could be telling the truth. Also, her other-world and other-host details would have ACTUALLY been interesting if heard for the first time through Jared's ears. And I'm sure his time away from the cave would've been MUCH more exciting and heart-rendering (how did he deal, after seeing the face of the girl he's still mourning?) to read than Wanda's POV: every. single. detail and every. single. conversation being relayed."Wanderer" was such a boring narrator, and Jared was absent for MOST of the first half of the book! I didn't understand the alien worm falling for Jared, because EYE hadn't even gotten to know him! The movie seems to correct this and play out in chronological order, and I can't help but ponder on how intensely I would have wanted Melanie and Jared to get back together if the book had STARTED with them, STARTED with Jared finding Melanie in that kitchen. I would have been riveted to the pages! We would have gone through his mourning when Melanie left him that note and felt his intense loss, felt his anguish in having to tell her brother, felt his bravery in plucking up and finding a new home, looking after the little brother of the girl he was mourning. Then we would've felt his ache and anger whenever he looked at Melanie's face, her eyes now reflective (such a cool detail by S. Meyer! What's with her and eyes? So good!). THAT'S all conflict. Very interesting conflict!The sad thing is, Stephenie Meyer HAS THIS POTENTIAL for great conflict and feelings.Anyway, I lost so much interest in the possibilities of THE HOST that I started skimming (periodically) through Wanda's cave-time during Jared's absence, and all I found was more of the same. It reminded me of Eclipse, when Bella goes to the bonfire with Jacob and we have meaningless (plot-wise) conversations that take up a whole CHUNK of that book. And the other chunks in the series where we have PAGES of inner monologues and every detail on housecleaning and hair-washing. But with those books I kept reading because I was invested in <hl> E & B's relationship <hl>.I was not invested in "Wanderer," and Melanie (a more interesting, gutsy character) was fading more and more into the background by halfway. I gave up. I was so frustrated, I did more than just skim each page to the end, I skimmed every fiftieth page. Nothing grabbed me. They were STILL in the caves.Oh, and Wanderer had become so much like Bella ... minus the humour and stumbling. All that serious caring-for-others and stubbornness, yet no interests or personality of her own.I HOPE S. Meyer can write in a different POV voice! Perhaps that's why she didn't write from Jared's perspective. I haven't written her off yet, however, like I have THE HOST. | Wow, I had to push myself through this book. Between the movie preview and the 5 star reviews, I gave THE HOST another chance (lost interest a year ago after chapter 2). This time I was optimistic about it developing into a moving story. Despite my disdain for S.M's hideous overuse of adverbs and said-bookisms, I knew she was a superb storyteller, so I let myself be drawn into the exciting premise of Melanie meeting Jared again, and having to prove she was still her, even though her eyes reflected the truth that a different soul also lived in her. But this was "Wanderer's" story, and I found her ... robotic and mundane (for the first 9 chapters, especially). She had NO humour, NO goals (apart from smother Melanie out of her body), NO hobbies, NO friends or family, NO personality. So I had NO compassion for her. I also loathed her telling me, a human, over and over what it was like to be in a human's body. Tell me something I don't know! And I SO wasn't interested in her other planets and "hosts": those details were very uninteresting and gross (the fact that she'd liked sharing one of a huge alien "spider's" 3 brains made me disconnect with her further).I still have great admiration for S. Meyer for creating such mystery around the character of Edward, in Twilight, and if the POV character in THE HOST had have been Jared, Meyer could have created a similar chemistry. Jared's re-discovery of Melanie could've been as exciting as Bella being told by Edward all his secrets and intricacies. We would have been fearful for Jared to trust Melanie again, but excited that she could be telling the truth. Also, her other-world and other-host details would have ACTUALLY been interesting if heard for the first time through Jared's ears. And I'm sure his time away from the cave would've been MUCH more exciting and heart-rendering (how did he deal, after seeing the face of the girl he's still mourning?) to read than Wanda's POV: every. single. detail and every. single. conversation being relayed. "Wanderer" was such a boring narrator, and Jared was absent for MOST of the first half of the book! I didn't understand the alien worm falling for Jared, because EYE hadn't even gotten to know him! The movie seems to correct this and play out in chronological order, and I can't help but ponder on how intensely I would have wanted Melanie and Jared to get back together if the book had STARTED with them, STARTED with Jared finding Melanie in that kitchen. I would have been riveted to the pages! We would have gone through his mourning when Melanie left him that note and felt his intense loss, felt his anguish in having to tell her brother, felt his bravery in plucking up and finding a new home, looking after the little brother of the girl he was mourning. Then we would've felt his ache and anger whenever he looked at Melanie's face, her eyes now reflective (such a cool detail by S. Meyer! What's with her and eyes? So good!). THAT'S all conflict. Very interesting conflict!The sad thing is, Stephenie Meyer HAS THIS POTENTIAL for great conflict and feelings. Anyway, I lost so much interest in the possibilities of THE HOST that I started skimming (periodically) through Wanda's cave-time during Jared's absence, and all I found was more of the same. It reminded me of Eclipse, when Bella goes to the bonfire with Jacob and we have meaningless (plot-wise) conversations that take up a whole CHUNK of that book. And the other chunks in the series where we have PAGES of inner monologues and every detail on housecleaning and hair-washing. <hl> But with those books I kept reading because I was invested in E & B's relationship .I was not invested in "Wanderer," and Melanie (a more interesting, gutsy character) was fading more and more into the background by halfway. <hl> I gave up. I was so frustrated, I did more than just skim each page to the end, I skimmed every fiftieth page. Nothing grabbed me. They were STILL in the caves. Oh, and Wanderer had become so much like Bella ... minus the humour and stumbling. All that serious caring-for-others and stubbornness, yet no interests or personality of her own. I HOPE S. Meyer can write in a different POV voice! Perhaps that's why she didn't write from Jared's perspective. I haven't written her off yet, however, like I have THE HOST. | 285a2d940fb8769c486e7bc83c0700c2 | 2 | 2 | books |
This story is suspenseful, touching, and informative | question: How emotional is the story?, context: I started out thinking the book was ok, but the more I read, the better I liked it. It tells of a family ( and a few friends) who livein constant danger in war- torn Germany. There is an ever-prevent danger of being arrested for the slightest suspicionof disloyalty to Hitler and any of his doctrines. No one can be trusted to keep a secret. Into this comes a young girl witha love for books, a refugee who is Jewish and in hiding, and the girl's introduction into the dangers and heartaches ofgrowing up in a neighborhood that is rife with fear, death and suffering. This story is suspenseful, touching, and informative. | How emotional is the story? | This story is suspenseful, touching, and informative . | I started out thinking the book was ok, but the more I read, the better I liked it. It tells of a family ( and a few friends) who livein constant danger in war- torn Germany. There is an ever-prevent danger of being arrested for the slightest suspicionof disloyalty to Hitler and any of his doctrines. No one can be trusted to keep a secret. Into this comes a young girl witha love for books, a refugee who is Jewish and in hiding, and the girl's introduction into the dangers and heartaches ofgrowing up in a neighborhood that is rife with fear, death and suffering. This story is suspenseful, touching, and informative. | <hl> This story is suspenseful, touching, and informative <hl> . | I started out thinking the book was ok, but the more I read, the better I liked it. It tells of a family ( and a few friends) who livein constant danger in war- torn Germany. There is an ever-prevent danger of being arrested for the slightest suspicionof disloyalty to Hitler and any of his doctrines. No one can be trusted to keep a secret. Into this comes a young girl witha love for books, a refugee who is Jewish and in hiding, and the girl's introduction into the dangers and heartaches ofgrowing up in a neighborhood that is rife with fear, death and suffering. <hl> This story is suspenseful, touching, and informative <hl>. | I started out thinking the book was ok, but the more I read, the better I liked it. It tells of a family ( and a few friends) who livein constant danger in war- torn Germany. There is an ever-prevent danger of being arrested for the slightest suspicionof disloyalty to Hitler and any of his doctrines. No one can be trusted to keep a secret. Into this comes a young girl witha love for books, a refugee who is Jewish and in hiding, and the girl's introduction into the dangers and heartaches ofgrowing up in a neighborhood that is rife with fear, death and suffering. <hl> This story is suspenseful, touching, and informative . <hl> | 3c3ab9a1c204cbd7c0a616818bbf0cf9 | 1 | 1 | books |
sense of humor and an enjoyable writing style | question: How is your sense?, context: Alice Clayton has a wicked sense of humor and an enjoyable writing style. The characters come to life. Love it!! | How is your sense? | Alice Clayton has a wicked sense of humor and an enjoyable writing style . | Alice Clayton has a wicked sense of humor and an enjoyable writing style. The characters come to life. Love it!! | Alice Clayton has a wicked <hl> sense of humor and an enjoyable writing style <hl> . | Alice Clayton has a wicked <hl> sense of humor and an enjoyable writing style <hl>. The characters come to life. Love it!! | <hl> Alice Clayton has a wicked sense of humor and an enjoyable writing style . <hl> The characters come to life. Love it!! | 7cff739c10a9e39da90a7dd1fed206cb | 5 | 5 | books |
The story line is very interesting | question: How is story line?, context: The story line is very interesting giving the reader a different perspective of the German people during WWII . I had seen the movie and loved it. This is what drew me to read the book. However, I like the movie better because it did not tell you ahead of the story the outcomes, while the book does. I like to be surprised by an ending. | How is story line? | The story line is very interesting giving the reader a different perspective of the German people during WWII . | The story line is very interesting giving the reader a different perspective of the German people during WWII . I had seen the movie and loved it. This is what drew me to read the book. However, I like the movie better because it did not tell you ahead of the story the outcomes, while the book does. I like to be surprised by an ending. | <hl> The story line is very interesting <hl> giving the reader a different perspective of the German people during WWII . | <hl> The story line is very interesting <hl> giving the reader a different perspective of the German people during WWII . I had seen the movie and loved it. This is what drew me to read the book. However, I like the movie better because it did not tell you ahead of the story the outcomes, while the book does. I like to be surprised by an ending. | <hl> The story line is very interesting giving the reader a different perspective of the German people during WWII . <hl> I had seen the movie and loved it. This is what drew me to read the book. However, I like the movie better because it did not tell you ahead of the story the outcomes, while the book does. I like to be surprised by an ending. | f8b79505d5cd5bf40a0d46069818c986 | 1 | 1 | books |
is delightful | question: How is the write like?, context: The opening chapter narrated by Briony is delightful. For me, it went downhill after that. I found the first third of the book to be so slow that I considered giving up, but I plowed ahead and then was so incredibly frustrated by the ending that I almost regretted my decision. Don't get me wrong, McEwan is a fantastic writer. His writing is so lovely and crystal clear. I just felt like there was something missing here. The characters seem too flat. And the big plot twist at the end? Ugh... There's clever and then there's tricking the reader, and unfortunately, I felt tricked -- and cheated. | How is the write like? | The opening chapter narrated by Briony is delightful . | The opening chapter narrated by Briony is delightful. For me, it went downhill after that. I found the first third of the book to be so slow that I considered giving up, but I plowed ahead and then was so incredibly frustrated by the ending that I almost regretted my decision. Don't get me wrong, McEwan is a fantastic writer. His writing is so lovely and crystal clear. I just felt like there was something missing here. The characters seem too flat. And the big plot twist at the end? Ugh... There's clever and then there's tricking the reader, and unfortunately, I felt tricked -- and cheated. | The opening chapter narrated by Briony <hl> is delightful <hl> . | The opening chapter narrated by Briony <hl> is delightful <hl>. For me, it went downhill after that. I found the first third of the book to be so slow that I considered giving up, but I plowed ahead and then was so incredibly frustrated by the ending that I almost regretted my decision. Don't get me wrong, McEwan is a fantastic writer. His writing is so lovely and crystal clear. I just felt like there was something missing here. The characters seem too flat. And the big plot twist at the end? Ugh... There's clever and then there's tricking the reader, and unfortunately, I felt tricked -- and cheated. | <hl> The opening chapter narrated by Briony is delightful . <hl> For me, it went downhill after that. I found the first third of the book to be so slow that I considered giving up, but I plowed ahead and then was so incredibly frustrated by the ending that I almost regretted my decision. Don't get me wrong, McEwan is a fantastic writer. His writing is so lovely and crystal clear. I just felt like there was something missing here. The characters seem too flat. And the big plot twist at the end? Ugh... There's clever and then there's tricking the reader, and unfortunately, I felt tricked -- and cheated. | 6c80e2d3d579ed5bcfe74c9a05b2951a | 1 | 1 | books |
This book is HOT | question: How is the one?, context: Man oh man..... This book is HOT, HOT, HOT and then some..... What a guy Jas is, lucky Noelle!!Characters are awesome - totally alpha males, strong sassy females and loads of action!!Looking forward to the reading Lex & Dallas's story, as well as the rest of the books in the series - have read the teaser 1st chapter to 'Beyond Control' and just know this is gonna be another scorcher of a book!!!I'm sure loads more cold showers will be required... Roll on 19/03/13..... ;D | How is the one? | This book is HOT , HOT, HOT and then some..... | Man oh man..... This book is HOT, HOT, HOT and then some..... What a guy Jas is, lucky Noelle!!Characters are awesome - totally alpha males, strong sassy females and loads of action!!Looking forward to the reading Lex & Dallas's story, as well as the rest of the books in the series - have read the teaser 1st chapter to 'Beyond Control' and just know this is gonna be another scorcher of a book!!!I'm sure loads more cold showers will be required... Roll on 19/03/13..... ;D | <hl> This book is HOT <hl> , HOT, HOT and then some..... | Man oh man..... <hl> This book is HOT <hl>, HOT, HOT and then some..... What a guy Jas is, lucky Noelle!!Characters are awesome - totally alpha males, strong sassy females and loads of action!!Looking forward to the reading Lex & Dallas's story, as well as the rest of the books in the series - have read the teaser 1st chapter to 'Beyond Control' and just know this is gonna be another scorcher of a book!!!I'm sure loads more cold showers will be required... Roll on 19/03/13..... ;D | Man oh man..... <hl> This book is HOT , HOT, HOT and then some..... <hl> What a guy Jas is, lucky Noelle!!Characters are awesome - totally alpha males, strong sassy females and loads of action!!Looking forward to the reading Lex & Dallas's story, as well as the rest of the books in the series - have read the teaser 1st chapter to 'Beyond Control' and just know this is gonna be another scorcher of a book!!!I'm sure loads more cold showers will be required... Roll on 19/03/13..... ;D | be1a8420c8423ba65267543626d73555 | 1 | 1 | books |
this book just wasn't that interesting | question: Does this novel have a lot of tension?, context: It deserves no more than those three stars it currently has, for disappointment.I have lost my interest in the story, which is the authors fault not mine; this book just wasn't that interesting. It's a forgettable story or collection of events and I only laughed once. The plot is centered around a couple mysterious deaths and people gone missing (nothing new and settled in a very nothing new way), the Eric, Sookie and Queen of Oklahoma love triangle, and tying up loose ends but leaving others open. Nothing significant happens or is accomplished. All in all there is no Romance or Fun, nor any excitement. (Sookie was in danger once, but it was her own stupid fault). Don't buy it, just get it from the library or download a pdf version online somewhere, and be prepared to do a lot of skimming. I used to be so excited for these books to come out.For Eric fans, which includes most of the fans I think (take note Harris!), this book made me worry about Eric/Sookie but I dont feel like its over yet. Couples go through things, either their relationship is stronger than that or they separate. I still have hope for them even if it means to hell what Harris actually writes. Things do get rockier and theres more Sam moments(screw him!) and "Oh I want a baby" stuff going on.*Small Spoilers: One thing that bothered me though was Sookie's exaggerated worry that Eric would dump her for the Queen. I can understand some insecurity, its Eric, but Sookie totally jumps to conclusions and spends a lot of time being angry over what seems to me to be nothing, it's annoying. She even says something about not loving him anymore. Eric is also way too insecure, in the end you will see he is even more insecure and unreasonable than Sookie. Most of these problems stem from Eric not talking to Sookie and Sookie always getting pissy. I was hoping they could be such a kick ass and exciting couple...*sigh*...it hasn't happend in the past 2 books and it doesn't happen in this one. The amazing chemistry these two had died as soon as they got together, nice one Harris...**SPOILERS**Oh and all the Fae leave D: quite sad, I was liking Dermot and Bellenos. And Eric doesn't give Sookie a birthday present, but he comes to her house to wish her a happy birthday. He desided he would let petty insecurity bickering get in the way. What happend to Eric spending hundreds even thousands on a Sookie angry with him, when they weren't even going out? Very dissapointing | Does this novel have a lot of tension? | I have lost my interest in the story, which is the authors fault not mine; this book just wasn't that interesting . | It deserves no more than those three stars it currently has, for disappointment.I have lost my interest in the story, which is the authors fault not mine; this book just wasn't that interesting. It's a forgettable story or collection of events and I only laughed once. The plot is centered around a couple mysterious deaths and people gone missing (nothing new and settled in a very nothing new way), the Eric, Sookie and Queen of Oklahoma love triangle, and tying up loose ends but leaving others open. Nothing significant happens or is accomplished. All in all there is no Romance or Fun, nor any excitement. (Sookie was in danger once, but it was her own stupid fault). Don't buy it, just get it from the library or download a pdf version online somewhere, and be prepared to do a lot of skimming. I used to be so excited for these books to come out.For Eric fans, which includes most of the fans I think (take note Harris!), this book made me worry about Eric/Sookie but I dont feel like its over yet. Couples go through things, either their relationship is stronger than that or they separate. I still have hope for them even if it means to hell what Harris actually writes. Things do get rockier and theres more Sam moments(screw him!) and "Oh I want a baby" stuff going on.*Small Spoilers: One thing that bothered me though was Sookie's exaggerated worry that Eric would dump her for the Queen. I can understand some insecurity, its Eric, but Sookie totally jumps to conclusions and spends a lot of time being angry over what seems to me to be nothing, it's annoying. She even says something about not loving him anymore. Eric is also way too insecure, in the end you will see he is even more insecure and unreasonable than Sookie. Most of these problems stem from Eric not talking to Sookie and Sookie always getting pissy. I was hoping they could be such a kick ass and exciting couple...*sigh*...it hasn't happend in the past 2 books and it doesn't happen in this one. The amazing chemistry these two had died as soon as they got together, nice one Harris...**SPOILERS**Oh and all the Fae leave D: quite sad, I was liking Dermot and Bellenos. And Eric doesn't give Sookie a birthday present, but he comes to her house to wish her a happy birthday. He desided he would let petty insecurity bickering get in the way. What happend to Eric spending hundreds even thousands on a Sookie angry with him, when they weren't even going out? Very dissapointing | I have lost my interest in the story, which is the authors fault not mine; <hl> this book just wasn't that interesting <hl> . | It deserves no more than those three stars it currently has, for disappointment.I have lost my interest in the story, which is the authors fault not mine; <hl> this book just wasn't that interesting <hl>. It's a forgettable story or collection of events and I only laughed once. The plot is centered around a couple mysterious deaths and people gone missing (nothing new and settled in a very nothing new way), the Eric, Sookie and Queen of Oklahoma love triangle, and tying up loose ends but leaving others open. Nothing significant happens or is accomplished. All in all there is no Romance or Fun, nor any excitement. (Sookie was in danger once, but it was her own stupid fault). Don't buy it, just get it from the library or download a pdf version online somewhere, and be prepared to do a lot of skimming. I used to be so excited for these books to come out.For Eric fans, which includes most of the fans I think (take note Harris!), this book made me worry about Eric/Sookie but I dont feel like its over yet. Couples go through things, either their relationship is stronger than that or they separate. I still have hope for them even if it means to hell what Harris actually writes. Things do get rockier and theres more Sam moments(screw him!) and "Oh I want a baby" stuff going on.*Small Spoilers: One thing that bothered me though was Sookie's exaggerated worry that Eric would dump her for the Queen. I can understand some insecurity, its Eric, but Sookie totally jumps to conclusions and spends a lot of time being angry over what seems to me to be nothing, it's annoying. She even says something about not loving him anymore. Eric is also way too insecure, in the end you will see he is even more insecure and unreasonable than Sookie. Most of these problems stem from Eric not talking to Sookie and Sookie always getting pissy. I was hoping they could be such a kick ass and exciting couple...*sigh*...it hasn't happend in the past 2 books and it doesn't happen in this one. The amazing chemistry these two had died as soon as they got together, nice one Harris...**SPOILERS**Oh and all the Fae leave D: quite sad, I was liking Dermot and Bellenos. And Eric doesn't give Sookie a birthday present, but he comes to her house to wish her a happy birthday. He desided he would let petty insecurity bickering get in the way. What happend to Eric spending hundreds even thousands on a Sookie angry with him, when they weren't even going out? Very dissapointing | It deserves no more than those three stars it currently has, for disappointment. <hl> I have lost my interest in the story, which is the authors fault not mine; this book just wasn't that interesting . <hl> It's a forgettable story or collection of events and I only laughed once. The plot is centered around a couple mysterious deaths and people gone missing (nothing new and settled in a very nothing new way), the Eric, Sookie and Queen of Oklahoma love triangle, and tying up loose ends but leaving others open. Nothing significant happens or is accomplished. All in all there is no Romance or Fun, nor any excitement. (Sookie was in danger once, but it was her own stupid fault). Don't buy it, just get it from the library or download a pdf version online somewhere, and be prepared to do a lot of skimming. I used to be so excited for these books to come out. For Eric fans, which includes most of the fans I think (take note Harris!), this book made me worry about Eric/Sookie but I dont feel like its over yet. Couples go through things, either their relationship is stronger than that or they separate. I still have hope for them even if it means to hell what Harris actually writes. Things do get rockier and theres more Sam moments(screw him!) and "Oh I want a baby" stuff going on.*Small Spoilers: One thing that bothered me though was Sookie's exaggerated worry that Eric would dump her for the Queen. I can understand some insecurity, its Eric, but Sookie totally jumps to conclusions and spends a lot of time being angry over what seems to me to be nothing, it's annoying. She even says something about not loving him anymore. Eric is also way too insecure, in the end you will see he is even more insecure and unreasonable than Sookie. Most of these problems stem from Eric not talking to Sookie and Sookie always getting pissy. I was hoping they could be such a kick ass and exciting couple... *sigh*...it hasn't happend in the past 2 books and it doesn't happen in this one. The amazing chemistry these two had died as soon as they got together, nice one Harris...**SPOILERS**Oh and all the Fae leave D: quite sad, I was liking Dermot and Bellenos. And Eric doesn't give Sookie a birthday present, but he comes to her house to wish her a happy birthday. He desided he would let petty insecurity bickering get in the way. What happend to Eric spending hundreds even thousands on a Sookie angry with him, when they weren't even going out? Very dissapointing | 3ef74a83115519b17bbe585a07ccf32e | 3 | 3 | books |
that one can stand | question: Do you consider the author a person skilled?, context: The writer is very good at her trade, but the problem for me was that this reads somewhat like a country music song with all the "he cheated on me, my dog died and they repossessed my pick-up truck" that one can stand. More like a soap opera drama than a real story. I suppose it may fall into a category some might describe as "chick flick chic", but nothing I'd recommend for the average mystery or biography lover. | Do you consider the author a person skilled? | The writer is very good at her trade, but the problem for me was that this reads somewhat like a country music song with all the "he cheated on me, my dog died and they repossessed my pick-up truck" that one can stand . | The writer is very good at her trade, but the problem for me was that this reads somewhat like a country music song with all the "he cheated on me, my dog died and they repossessed my pick-up truck" that one can stand. More like a soap opera drama than a real story. I suppose it may fall into a category some might describe as "chick flick chic", but nothing I'd recommend for the average mystery or biography lover. | The writer is very good at her trade, but the problem for me was that this reads somewhat like a country music song with all the "he cheated on me, my dog died and they repossessed my pick-up truck" <hl> that one can stand <hl> . | The writer is very good at her trade, but the problem for me was that this reads somewhat like a country music song with all the "he cheated on me, my dog died and they repossessed my pick-up truck" <hl> that one can stand <hl>. More like a soap opera drama than a real story. I suppose it may fall into a category some might describe as "chick flick chic", but nothing I'd recommend for the average mystery or biography lover. | <hl> The writer is very good at her trade, but the problem for me was that this reads somewhat like a country music song with all the "he cheated on me, my dog died and they repossessed my pick-up truck" that one can stand . <hl> More like a soap opera drama than a real story. I suppose it may fall into a category some might describe as "chick flick chic", but nothing I'd recommend for the average mystery or biography lover. | b03e0853555f27cd8d1275fbd69bf990 | 1 | 1 | books |
the characters were solidly depicted | question: How is character development?, context: I highly recommend this book!!!As a novel it was a compelling read. I read it "from cover-to-cover" as fast as I could. The plot was intriguing and moved along nicely; the characters were solidly depicted.I grew up in a machine shop, and appreciated some of the details that were included. For example, when Jules adds an air hose to a helmet she describes how she used the tap to create the thread. I've done that hundreds of times and this made her actions more realistic. Details like this would probably be overlooked in a movie.I am a software developer by profession, so the idea of IT was familiar. However, in Wool the IT function was more political and media-control than "IT". That's Okay.After finishing the book I thought about how "complete" the story was. It's like a miniature world history of people we can relate to (to some extent...) placed in a "smaller world" and living under different rules ("religion"). Whether the author intended to or not, the story touches on survival, political, military, media manipulation and environmental issues. Makes you (or at least me...) think!Great job, Hugh! | How is character development? | The plot was intriguing and moved along nicely; the characters were solidly depicted .I grew up in a machine shop, and appreciated some of the details that were included. | I highly recommend this book!!!As a novel it was a compelling read. I read it "from cover-to-cover" as fast as I could. The plot was intriguing and moved along nicely; the characters were solidly depicted.I grew up in a machine shop, and appreciated some of the details that were included. For example, when Jules adds an air hose to a helmet she describes how she used the tap to create the thread. I've done that hundreds of times and this made her actions more realistic. Details like this would probably be overlooked in a movie.I am a software developer by profession, so the idea of IT was familiar. However, in Wool the IT function was more political and media-control than "IT". That's Okay.After finishing the book I thought about how "complete" the story was. It's like a miniature world history of people we can relate to (to some extent...) placed in a "smaller world" and living under different rules ("religion"). Whether the author intended to or not, the story touches on survival, political, military, media manipulation and environmental issues. Makes you (or at least me...) think!Great job, Hugh! | The plot was intriguing and moved along nicely; <hl> the characters were solidly depicted <hl> .I grew up in a machine shop, and appreciated some of the details that were included. | I highly recommend this book!!!As a novel it was a compelling read. I read it "from cover-to-cover" as fast as I could. The plot was intriguing and moved along nicely; <hl> the characters were solidly depicted <hl>.I grew up in a machine shop, and appreciated some of the details that were included. For example, when Jules adds an air hose to a helmet she describes how she used the tap to create the thread. I've done that hundreds of times and this made her actions more realistic. Details like this would probably be overlooked in a movie.I am a software developer by profession, so the idea of IT was familiar. However, in Wool the IT function was more political and media-control than "IT". That's Okay.After finishing the book I thought about how "complete" the story was. It's like a miniature world history of people we can relate to (to some extent...) placed in a "smaller world" and living under different rules ("religion"). Whether the author intended to or not, the story touches on survival, political, military, media manipulation and environmental issues. Makes you (or at least me...) think!Great job, Hugh! | I highly recommend this book!!!As a novel it was a compelling read. I read it "from cover-to-cover" as fast as I could. <hl> The plot was intriguing and moved along nicely; the characters were solidly depicted .I grew up in a machine shop, and appreciated some of the details that were included. <hl> For example, when Jules adds an air hose to a helmet she describes how she used the tap to create the thread. I've done that hundreds of times and this made her actions more realistic. Details like this would probably be overlooked in a movie. I am a software developer by profession, so the idea of IT was familiar. However, in Wool the IT function was more political and media-control than "IT". That's Okay. After finishing the book I thought about how "complete" the story was. It's like a miniature world history of people we can relate to (to some extent...) placed in a "smaller world" and living under different rules ("religion"). Whether the author intended to or not, the story touches on survival, political, military, media manipulation and environmental issues. Makes you (or at least me...) think!Great job, Hugh! | d51437a4f1c7580cbdf195198cf20d41 | 2 | 2 | books |
individual voices are so clear you can practically | question: How is the voice?, context: This is one of those books where the author has created unique characters whose individual voices are so clear you can practically hear them as you read. I read that NPR reviewed this book as the most important book of fiction since To Kill A Mockingbird. I'm not sure about that, but I do agree that you WILL want to own this one and read it over and over again. I've been surprised at how many different people with different reading styles have absolutely loved this book. I would say that's what makes a book a classic - being able to reach across all kinds of cultural, educational and economic lines.You will not be disappointed! | How is the voice? | whose individual voices are so clear you can practically hear them as you read. | This is one of those books where the author has created unique characters whose individual voices are so clear you can practically hear them as you read. I read that NPR reviewed this book as the most important book of fiction since To Kill A Mockingbird. I'm not sure about that, but I do agree that you WILL want to own this one and read it over and over again. I've been surprised at how many different people with different reading styles have absolutely loved this book. I would say that's what makes a book a classic - being able to reach across all kinds of cultural, educational and economic lines.You will not be disappointed! | whose <hl> individual voices are so clear you can practically <hl> hear them as you read. | This is one of those books where the author has created unique characters whose <hl> individual voices are so clear you can practically <hl> hear them as you read. I read that NPR reviewed this book as the most important book of fiction since To Kill A Mockingbird. I'm not sure about that, but I do agree that you WILL want to own this one and read it over and over again. I've been surprised at how many different people with different reading styles have absolutely loved this book. I would say that's what makes a book a classic - being able to reach across all kinds of cultural, educational and economic lines.You will not be disappointed! | This is one of those books where the author has created unique characters <hl> whose individual voices are so clear you can practically hear them as you read. <hl> I read that NPR reviewed this book as the most important book of fiction since To Kill A Mockingbird. I'm not sure about that, but I do agree that you WILL want to own this one and read it over and over again. I've been surprised at how many different people with different reading styles have absolutely loved this book. I would say that's what makes a book a classic - being able to reach across all kinds of cultural, educational and economic lines. You will not be disappointed! | 76a34ae3e168b97811ba5755c37b7d71 | 5 | 5 | books |
The writing is horrible | question: What is write?, context: There is nothing in this book that is believable. The writing is horrible. The only reason I am giving it two stars is because it is a page turner, though you are rolling your eyes most of the time. | What is write? | The writing is horrible . | There is nothing in this book that is believable. The writing is horrible. The only reason I am giving it two stars is because it is a page turner, though you are rolling your eyes most of the time. | <hl> The writing is horrible <hl> . | There is nothing in this book that is believable. <hl> The writing is horrible <hl>. The only reason I am giving it two stars is because it is a page turner, though you are rolling your eyes most of the time. | There is nothing in this book that is believable. <hl> The writing is horrible . <hl> The only reason I am giving it two stars is because it is a page turner, though you are rolling your eyes most of the time. | f4a851e9b17313dcd9182e4b559d6fb6 | 1 | 1 | books |
This book wasn't horrible | question: How did you like the storyline?, context: This book wasn't horrible, but I just don't get why all the good/great reviews. I read it. It's a good premise for a story, but I thought it was choppy in parts and that the writing wasn't all that great. It did hold my attention somewhat through most parts, but at the same time I wasn't emotionally invested. It just didn't pull me in, I think because the writing was at times choppy and/or too rushed in certain parts. | How did you like the storyline? | This book wasn't horrible , but I just don't get why all the good/great reviews. | This book wasn't horrible, but I just don't get why all the good/great reviews. I read it. It's a good premise for a story, but I thought it was choppy in parts and that the writing wasn't all that great. It did hold my attention somewhat through most parts, but at the same time I wasn't emotionally invested. It just didn't pull me in, I think because the writing was at times choppy and/or too rushed in certain parts. | <hl> This book wasn't horrible <hl> , but I just don't get why all the good/great reviews. | <hl> This book wasn't horrible <hl>, but I just don't get why all the good/great reviews. I read it. It's a good premise for a story, but I thought it was choppy in parts and that the writing wasn't all that great. It did hold my attention somewhat through most parts, but at the same time I wasn't emotionally invested. It just didn't pull me in, I think because the writing was at times choppy and/or too rushed in certain parts. | <hl> This book wasn't horrible , but I just don't get why all the good/great reviews. <hl> I read it. It's a good premise for a story, but I thought it was choppy in parts and that the writing wasn't all that great. It did hold my attention somewhat through most parts, but at the same time I wasn't emotionally invested. It just didn't pull me in, I think because the writing was at times choppy and/or too rushed in certain parts. | 595dff8175e6450ac6347fd57975b8ef | 5 | 1 | books |
The plots have become predictable | question: How is the story?, context: Some authors (Patterson, Clancy) don't so much write books any more as create franchises. I'm very sorry to say that Preston and Child seem to be at the same place. Pendergast's preternatural abilities, close calls, and absolute freedom from the FBI for which he purportedly works, have worn thin. The plots have become predictable. It's simply no longer fun and the character, once rather distinctive, has become cliché. It's hard to believe these guys wrote Relic and have wound up here. | How is the story? | The plots have become predictable . | Some authors (Patterson, Clancy) don't so much write books any more as create franchises. I'm very sorry to say that Preston and Child seem to be at the same place. Pendergast's preternatural abilities, close calls, and absolute freedom from the FBI for which he purportedly works, have worn thin. The plots have become predictable. It's simply no longer fun and the character, once rather distinctive, has become cliché. It's hard to believe these guys wrote Relic and have wound up here. | <hl> The plots have become predictable <hl> . | Some authors (Patterson, Clancy) don't so much write books any more as create franchises. I'm very sorry to say that Preston and Child seem to be at the same place. Pendergast's preternatural abilities, close calls, and absolute freedom from the FBI for which he purportedly works, have worn thin. <hl> The plots have become predictable <hl>. It's simply no longer fun and the character, once rather distinctive, has become cliché. It's hard to believe these guys wrote Relic and have wound up here. | Some authors (Patterson, Clancy) don't so much write books any more as create franchises. I'm very sorry to say that Preston and Child seem to be at the same place. Pendergast's preternatural abilities, close calls, and absolute freedom from the FBI for which he purportedly works, have worn thin. <hl> The plots have become predictable . <hl> It's simply no longer fun and the character, once rather distinctive, has become cliché. It's hard to believe these guys wrote Relic and have wound up here. | 763f7bfe2d22e4e38d9814d1cf890319 | 1 | 1 | books |
going | question: Was the interaction between gareth and hyacinth funny?, context: This is going to be a short review because I can sum up Tangled in one sentence.::Start Review::Tangled Freakin' ROCKS, read it right now!::End Review::No, seriously that's all that needs to be said. Tangled is hilarious and memorable. Almost a year after reading it I'd still rank it as one of my top 15 books. And my number one most funny book... ever.I could not put this book down when I was reading it. It was one of the first books that had me up all night reading because I just.couldn't.stop. I remember even waking Matt up at one point because I was shaking the bed so hard from my laughter.Tangled is written in Drew's point of view. Yes, that's right male point of view and it's one hell of a point of view. Drew's inner thoughts are hilarious, his insight into the male brain was not only spot on, but hilarious as well. Drew is one of my all time top book boyfriends.Kate won't be on the book bestie list, but for a heroine she isn't bad. The interactions and 'arguments' between her and Drew were hilarious. I loved that she did some of the things she did to him. Kate was right there playing the game alone with Drew and all of us as readers. It made her enduring.Whenever someone ask me for recommendations and asks for something funny Tangled is my go to pick. I want to make each and every single person read this book. If you want something light and funny this is definitely the book to read. In fact I'm disgusted you're still reading this review rather than one-clicking Tangled.Do yourself a favor and add this one to your kindle today. | Was the interaction between gareth and hyacinth funny? | This is going to be a short review because I can sum up | This is going to be a short review because I can sum up Tangled in one sentence.::Start Review::Tangled Freakin' ROCKS, read it right now!::End Review::No, seriously that's all that needs to be said. Tangled is hilarious and memorable. Almost a year after reading it I'd still rank it as one of my top 15 books. And my number one most funny book... ever.I could not put this book down when I was reading it. It was one of the first books that had me up all night reading because I just.couldn't.stop. I remember even waking Matt up at one point because I was shaking the bed so hard from my laughter.Tangled is written in Drew's point of view. Yes, that's right male point of view and it's one hell of a point of view. Drew's inner thoughts are hilarious, his insight into the male brain was not only spot on, but hilarious as well. Drew is one of my all time top book boyfriends.Kate won't be on the book bestie list, but for a heroine she isn't bad. The interactions and 'arguments' between her and Drew were hilarious. I loved that she did some of the things she did to him. Kate was right there playing the game alone with Drew and all of us as readers. It made her enduring.Whenever someone ask me for recommendations and asks for something funny Tangled is my go to pick. I want to make each and every single person read this book. If you want something light and funny this is definitely the book to read. In fact I'm disgusted you're still reading this review rather than one-clicking Tangled.Do yourself a favor and add this one to your kindle today. | This is <hl> going <hl> to be a short review because I can sum up | This is <hl> going <hl> to be a short review because I can sum up Tangled in one sentence.::Start Review::Tangled Freakin' ROCKS, read it right now!::End Review::No, seriously that's all that needs to be said. Tangled is hilarious and memorable. Almost a year after reading it I'd still rank it as one of my top 15 books. And my number one most funny book... ever.I could not put this book down when I was reading it. It was one of the first books that had me up all night reading because I just.couldn't.stop. I remember even waking Matt up at one point because I was shaking the bed so hard from my laughter.Tangled is written in Drew's point of view. Yes, that's right male point of view and it's one hell of a point of view. Drew's inner thoughts are hilarious, his insight into the male brain was not only spot on, but hilarious as well. Drew is one of my all time top book boyfriends.Kate won't be on the book bestie list, but for a heroine she isn't bad. The interactions and 'arguments' between her and Drew were hilarious. I loved that she did some of the things she did to him. Kate was right there playing the game alone with Drew and all of us as readers. It made her enduring.Whenever someone ask me for recommendations and asks for something funny Tangled is my go to pick. I want to make each and every single person read this book. If you want something light and funny this is definitely the book to read. In fact I'm disgusted you're still reading this review rather than one-clicking Tangled.Do yourself a favor and add this one to your kindle today. | <hl> This is going to be a short review because I can sum up <hl> Tangled in one sentence.::Start Review::Tangled Freakin' ROCKS, read it right now!::End Review::No, seriously that's all that needs to be said. Tangled is hilarious and memorable. Almost a year after reading it I'd still rank it as one of my top 15 books. And my number one most funny book... ever. I could not put this book down when I was reading it. It was one of the first books that had me up all night reading because I just.couldn't.stop. I remember even waking Matt up at one point because I was shaking the bed so hard from my laughter. Tangled is written in Drew's point of view. Yes, that's right male point of view and it's one hell of a point of view. Drew's inner thoughts are hilarious, his insight into the male brain was not only spot on, but hilarious as well. Drew is one of my all time top book boyfriends. Kate won't be on the book bestie list, but for a heroine she isn't bad. The interactions and 'arguments' between her and Drew were hilarious. I loved that she did some of the things she did to him. Kate was right there playing the game alone with Drew and all of us as readers. It made her enduring. Whenever someone ask me for recommendations and asks for something funny Tangled is my go to pick. I want to make each and every single person read this book. If you want something light and funny this is definitely the book to read. In fact I'm disgusted you're still reading this review rather than one-clicking Tangled. Do yourself a favor and add this one to your kindle today. | 66a35f065acb392b44af14bab731a3d5 | 1 | 1 | books |
it's an addictive series | question: How is the series?, context: Everyone I know seems to have read or be reading this book series. Mind you, none of us are in our teens! ;) My hubby was passed along the first book to read on a plane ride. Normally, he doesn't get too interested in books in general since he's more of a video/movie guy. So when he got hooked, I knew I had to give it a try! It took me a while to get connected to the characters and storyline. The main reason being that I'm not really into post apocalyptic, sci-fi reading or excessive violence. I normally love historical fiction. That being said, once I got into the storyline, I read the entire trilogy in 2 days. It had enough of the "real world" in it to ground the book and make it interesting to me, with lots of unexpected twists in some parts. It is not as predictable as you think it's going to be. The first book can stand on its own, but it's definitely better read as a trilogy. While the second book is not as strong as the first, it has good parts (my favorite is the development of Katniss and Peeta's bond) and leaves you with such a big cliffhanger that it's pretty much impossible not to immediately want to start reading the third book. The third book is definitely more dark than the first two with heavy sad parts, etc. I like that this book really focuses more on Gale to develop his character. By now, most of us are attached to Peeta since we don't know Gale as well. Even though this final book is sad in many ways, it is a more realistic approach to what life (and character's personalities) would be like after being exposed to so many different life changing hardships. So if it would have ended differently, I would have been very upset! It doesn't sugarcoat things or have a sticky sweet fairy tale ending, but that wouldn't have matched up with the whole theme of the books. Overall, even though it's not normally my thing, it's an addictive series and I'm glad I read it! I'm sort of glad it ended because those fictional characters went through so much, it would have been depressing to drag it out longer! Great series! Read it! | How is the series? | Overall, even though it's not normally my thing, it's an addictive series and I'm glad I read it! | Everyone I know seems to have read or be reading this book series. Mind you, none of us are in our teens! ;) My hubby was passed along the first book to read on a plane ride. Normally, he doesn't get too interested in books in general since he's more of a video/movie guy. So when he got hooked, I knew I had to give it a try! It took me a while to get connected to the characters and storyline. The main reason being that I'm not really into post apocalyptic, sci-fi reading or excessive violence. I normally love historical fiction. That being said, once I got into the storyline, I read the entire trilogy in 2 days. It had enough of the "real world" in it to ground the book and make it interesting to me, with lots of unexpected twists in some parts. It is not as predictable as you think it's going to be. The first book can stand on its own, but it's definitely better read as a trilogy. While the second book is not as strong as the first, it has good parts (my favorite is the development of Katniss and Peeta's bond) and leaves you with such a big cliffhanger that it's pretty much impossible not to immediately want to start reading the third book. The third book is definitely more dark than the first two with heavy sad parts, etc. I like that this book really focuses more on Gale to develop his character. By now, most of us are attached to Peeta since we don't know Gale as well. Even though this final book is sad in many ways, it is a more realistic approach to what life (and character's personalities) would be like after being exposed to so many different life changing hardships. So if it would have ended differently, I would have been very upset! It doesn't sugarcoat things or have a sticky sweet fairy tale ending, but that wouldn't have matched up with the whole theme of the books. Overall, even though it's not normally my thing, it's an addictive series and I'm glad I read it! I'm sort of glad it ended because those fictional characters went through so much, it would have been depressing to drag it out longer! Great series! Read it! | Overall, even though it's not normally my thing, <hl> it's an addictive series <hl> and I'm glad I read it! | Everyone I know seems to have read or be reading this book series. Mind you, none of us are in our teens! ;) My hubby was passed along the first book to read on a plane ride. Normally, he doesn't get too interested in books in general since he's more of a video/movie guy. So when he got hooked, I knew I had to give it a try! It took me a while to get connected to the characters and storyline. The main reason being that I'm not really into post apocalyptic, sci-fi reading or excessive violence. I normally love historical fiction. That being said, once I got into the storyline, I read the entire trilogy in 2 days. It had enough of the "real world" in it to ground the book and make it interesting to me, with lots of unexpected twists in some parts. It is not as predictable as you think it's going to be. The first book can stand on its own, but it's definitely better read as a trilogy. While the second book is not as strong as the first, it has good parts (my favorite is the development of Katniss and Peeta's bond) and leaves you with such a big cliffhanger that it's pretty much impossible not to immediately want to start reading the third book. The third book is definitely more dark than the first two with heavy sad parts, etc. I like that this book really focuses more on Gale to develop his character. By now, most of us are attached to Peeta since we don't know Gale as well. Even though this final book is sad in many ways, it is a more realistic approach to what life (and character's personalities) would be like after being exposed to so many different life changing hardships. So if it would have ended differently, I would have been very upset! It doesn't sugarcoat things or have a sticky sweet fairy tale ending, but that wouldn't have matched up with the whole theme of the books. Overall, even though it's not normally my thing, <hl> it's an addictive series <hl> and I'm glad I read it! I'm sort of glad it ended because those fictional characters went through so much, it would have been depressing to drag it out longer! Great series! Read it! | Everyone I know seems to have read or be reading this book series. Mind you, none of us are in our teens! ;) My hubby was passed along the first book to read on a plane ride. Normally, he doesn't get too interested in books in general since he's more of a video/movie guy. So when he got hooked, I knew I had to give it a try! It took me a while to get connected to the characters and storyline. The main reason being that I'm not really into post apocalyptic, sci-fi reading or excessive violence. I normally love historical fiction. That being said, once I got into the storyline, I read the entire trilogy in 2 days. It had enough of the "real world" in it to ground the book and make it interesting to me, with lots of unexpected twists in some parts. It is not as predictable as you think it's going to be. The first book can stand on its own, but it's definitely better read as a trilogy. While the second book is not as strong as the first, it has good parts (my favorite is the development of Katniss and Peeta's bond) and leaves you with such a big cliffhanger that it's pretty much impossible not to immediately want to start reading the third book. The third book is definitely more dark than the first two with heavy sad parts, etc. I like that this book really focuses more on Gale to develop his character. By now, most of us are attached to Peeta since we don't know Gale as well. Even though this final book is sad in many ways, it is a more realistic approach to what life (and character's personalities) would be like after being exposed to so many different life changing hardships. So if it would have ended differently, I would have been very upset! It doesn't sugarcoat things or have a sticky sweet fairy tale ending, but that wouldn't have matched up with the whole theme of the books. <hl> Overall, even though it's not normally my thing, it's an addictive series and I'm glad I read it! <hl> I'm sort of glad it ended because those fictional characters went through so much, it would have been depressing to drag it out longer! Great series! Read it! | 9c485eb7d064fdbb5ac6816f7c6f22de | 1 | 1 | books |
Flynn's writing was perfect | question: How about your writing style?, context: Flynn, G. (2012). Gone Girl. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group.Genre: Thriller/Mystery, Adult FictionNick and Amy are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary. But, Amy is nowhere to be found. She's missing. She's gone. Amy's disappearance becomes big news quickly and Nick is almost immediately pegged as the perpetrator. Flynn switches the point-of-view back and forth between Nick, in the now, and passages from Amy's diary. And it seems the two are in completely different marriages. One thing seems to hold the truth, an annual scavenger hunt planned by Amy has scattered clues all over town. Will the clues lead us to Amy? Is Nick guilty? Is anything what it seems?Wowzers! What a book!When people ask me why I do not ever want to get married...I will refer them to this book :). Ha ha, but seriously, marriages like this are not rare. Well, this is extreme and fiction but people are dysfunctional.Okay, back to being serious. Flynn's writing was perfect. Yes, perfect. Not in an Amy kind of way perfect, but perfect perfect. And intriguing. It is absolutely scary how real the characters are. Flynn spent a lot of time developing their personalities, voice, mannerisms, etc. and it paid off because their characters are fully developed, multifaceted and it is easy to visualize an accurate depiction of them.A theme or message I took away from the book is, people are natural pretenders, Nick and Amy are pretenders to the world but because Flynn took us inside their heads, we were able to see them for whom they really were. Two individuals so stuck on issues from their childhoods, they cannot function appropriately. Amy is controlling, obsessive, and ruthless. Nick is cowardly, insecure, and emotionally empty.Flynn held my attention throughout the book with her structure and insight into human thinking. Skewed patterns of cognitive processes fascinate me and Flynn captured this phenomenon, so well. People pretend to be cool, good, or whatever they deem favorable because these ideals do not actually exist, we all just want them to.Flynn has some side agendas with this book. The bashing of the media and internet is almost like a second plot line. A good one, but it probably was not necessary.*An afterthought: Go, Nick's twin sister, was my favorite character. She is a nice contrast to these off-putting main characters with her honesty, loyalty, and humor. She was introduced to us as the dysfunctional one but girl has a good head on her shoulders.I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thriller, a mystery, or something different from the typical read. Kudos to Flynn. | How about your writing style? | Flynn's writing was perfect . | Flynn, G. (2012). Gone Girl. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group.Genre: Thriller/Mystery, Adult FictionNick and Amy are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary. But, Amy is nowhere to be found. She's missing. She's gone. Amy's disappearance becomes big news quickly and Nick is almost immediately pegged as the perpetrator. Flynn switches the point-of-view back and forth between Nick, in the now, and passages from Amy's diary. And it seems the two are in completely different marriages. One thing seems to hold the truth, an annual scavenger hunt planned by Amy has scattered clues all over town. Will the clues lead us to Amy? Is Nick guilty? Is anything what it seems?Wowzers! What a book!When people ask me why I do not ever want to get married...I will refer them to this book :). Ha ha, but seriously, marriages like this are not rare. Well, this is extreme and fiction but people are dysfunctional.Okay, back to being serious. Flynn's writing was perfect. Yes, perfect. Not in an Amy kind of way perfect, but perfect perfect. And intriguing. It is absolutely scary how real the characters are. Flynn spent a lot of time developing their personalities, voice, mannerisms, etc. and it paid off because their characters are fully developed, multifaceted and it is easy to visualize an accurate depiction of them.A theme or message I took away from the book is, people are natural pretenders, Nick and Amy are pretenders to the world but because Flynn took us inside their heads, we were able to see them for whom they really were. Two individuals so stuck on issues from their childhoods, they cannot function appropriately. Amy is controlling, obsessive, and ruthless. Nick is cowardly, insecure, and emotionally empty.Flynn held my attention throughout the book with her structure and insight into human thinking. Skewed patterns of cognitive processes fascinate me and Flynn captured this phenomenon, so well. People pretend to be cool, good, or whatever they deem favorable because these ideals do not actually exist, we all just want them to.Flynn has some side agendas with this book. The bashing of the media and internet is almost like a second plot line. A good one, but it probably was not necessary.*An afterthought: Go, Nick's twin sister, was my favorite character. She is a nice contrast to these off-putting main characters with her honesty, loyalty, and humor. She was introduced to us as the dysfunctional one but girl has a good head on her shoulders.I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thriller, a mystery, or something different from the typical read. Kudos to Flynn. | <hl> Flynn's writing was perfect <hl> . | Flynn, G. (2012). Gone Girl. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group.Genre: Thriller/Mystery, Adult FictionNick and Amy are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary. But, Amy is nowhere to be found. She's missing. She's gone. Amy's disappearance becomes big news quickly and Nick is almost immediately pegged as the perpetrator. Flynn switches the point-of-view back and forth between Nick, in the now, and passages from Amy's diary. And it seems the two are in completely different marriages. One thing seems to hold the truth, an annual scavenger hunt planned by Amy has scattered clues all over town. Will the clues lead us to Amy? Is Nick guilty? Is anything what it seems?Wowzers! What a book!When people ask me why I do not ever want to get married...I will refer them to this book :). Ha ha, but seriously, marriages like this are not rare. Well, this is extreme and fiction but people are dysfunctional.Okay, back to being serious. <hl> Flynn's writing was perfect <hl>. Yes, perfect. Not in an Amy kind of way perfect, but perfect perfect. And intriguing. It is absolutely scary how real the characters are. Flynn spent a lot of time developing their personalities, voice, mannerisms, etc. and it paid off because their characters are fully developed, multifaceted and it is easy to visualize an accurate depiction of them.A theme or message I took away from the book is, people are natural pretenders, Nick and Amy are pretenders to the world but because Flynn took us inside their heads, we were able to see them for whom they really were. Two individuals so stuck on issues from their childhoods, they cannot function appropriately. Amy is controlling, obsessive, and ruthless. Nick is cowardly, insecure, and emotionally empty.Flynn held my attention throughout the book with her structure and insight into human thinking. Skewed patterns of cognitive processes fascinate me and Flynn captured this phenomenon, so well. People pretend to be cool, good, or whatever they deem favorable because these ideals do not actually exist, we all just want them to.Flynn has some side agendas with this book. The bashing of the media and internet is almost like a second plot line. A good one, but it probably was not necessary.*An afterthought: Go, Nick's twin sister, was my favorite character. She is a nice contrast to these off-putting main characters with her honesty, loyalty, and humor. She was introduced to us as the dysfunctional one but girl has a good head on her shoulders.I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thriller, a mystery, or something different from the typical read. Kudos to Flynn. | Flynn, G. (2012). Gone Girl. New York, NY: Crown Publishing Group. Genre: Thriller/Mystery, Adult FictionNick and Amy are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary. But, Amy is nowhere to be found. She's missing. She's gone. Amy's disappearance becomes big news quickly and Nick is almost immediately pegged as the perpetrator. Flynn switches the point-of-view back and forth between Nick, in the now, and passages from Amy's diary. And it seems the two are in completely different marriages. One thing seems to hold the truth, an annual scavenger hunt planned by Amy has scattered clues all over town. Will the clues lead us to Amy? Is Nick guilty? Is anything what it seems?Wowzers! What a book!When people ask me why I do not ever want to get married...I will refer them to this book :). Ha ha, but seriously, marriages like this are not rare. Well, this is extreme and fiction but people are dysfunctional. Okay, back to being serious. <hl> Flynn's writing was perfect . <hl> Yes, perfect. Not in an Amy kind of way perfect, but perfect perfect. And intriguing. It is absolutely scary how real the characters are. Flynn spent a lot of time developing their personalities, voice, mannerisms, etc. and it paid off because their characters are fully developed, multifaceted and it is easy to visualize an accurate depiction of them. A theme or message I took away from the book is, people are natural pretenders, Nick and Amy are pretenders to the world but because Flynn took us inside their heads, we were able to see them for whom they really were. Two individuals so stuck on issues from their childhoods, they cannot function appropriately. Amy is controlling, obsessive, and ruthless. Nick is cowardly, insecure, and emotionally empty. Flynn held my attention throughout the book with her structure and insight into human thinking. Skewed patterns of cognitive processes fascinate me and Flynn captured this phenomenon, so well. People pretend to be cool, good, or whatever they deem favorable because these ideals do not actually exist, we all just want them to. Flynn has some side agendas with this book. The bashing of the media and internet is almost like a second plot line. A good one, but it probably was not necessary.*An afterthought: Go, Nick's twin sister, was my favorite character. She is a nice contrast to these off-putting main characters with her honesty, loyalty, and humor. She was introduced to us as the dysfunctional one but girl has a good head on her shoulders. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thriller, a mystery, or something different from the typical read. Kudos to Flynn. | 1a57b7b4337280723a4ec1bad1d0b1b2 | 2 | 1 | books |
the story provoked were amazing and I've never felt more sorry for a family than I did this one | question: How is the story?, context: Story Description:St. Martin's Press|February 29, 2012|Hardcover||ISBN: 978-0-312-36442-7For a mother life comes down to a series of choices. To hold on, to let go, to forget, to forgive. Which road will you take. Night Road?For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children's needs above her own, and it shows - her twins, Mia and Zach are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small close-knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude. Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia's best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable.Jude does everything to keep her kids on track for college and out of harm's way. It has always been easy - until senior year of high school. Suddenly she is at a loss. Nothing feels safe anymore; every time her kids leave the house, she worries about them.On a hot summer's night her worst fears come true. One decision will change the course of their lives. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget...or the courage to forgive.Vivid, universal, and emotionally complex, NIGHT ROAD raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness. It is a luminous, heartbreaking novel that captures both the exquisite pain of loss and the stunning power of hope. This is Kristin Hannah at her very best, telling an unforgettable story about the longing for family, the resilience of the human heart, and the courage it takes to forgive the people we love.My Review:Night Road was a page-turner! I felt warm and fuzzy at the friendship that Mia, Lexi, and Zach held onto so dearly. They were thick as thieves and loved and respected each other in ways that a lot of us wish we had with our friends. They knew how to love and respect each other and they knew how to have fun. Then one night, in one moment it all ended and blame was to be laid at everyone's feet.Jude, the everything mother; the father the surgeon; Zach; Mia; and Lexi all were to blame in one way or another but it was unfortunate that Lexi was the loser in this tragedy. She spent 5 years of her life in jail for a crime that was everyone's fault but someone had to pay the price and she did in more ways than one.After going to prison, she found out she was pregnant and had to give up her baby to be raised by Zach. Everyone in this family lost something but Lexi lost the most and would she ever gain back what was lost? That remains to be seen. I cried, I sympathized and I empathized throughout this novel. The emotions the story provoked were amazing and I've never felt more sorry for a family than I did this one. Kristin Hannah has done an awesome job in evoking all kinds of emotion and teaching us some good lessons about life along the way. I would highly recommend this book! | How is the story? | The emotions the story provoked were amazing and I've never felt more sorry for a family than I did this one . | Story Description:St. Martin's Press|February 29, 2012|Hardcover||ISBN: 978-0-312-36442-7For a mother life comes down to a series of choices. To hold on, to let go, to forget, to forgive. Which road will you take. Night Road?For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children's needs above her own, and it shows - her twins, Mia and Zach are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small close-knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude. Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia's best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable.Jude does everything to keep her kids on track for college and out of harm's way. It has always been easy - until senior year of high school. Suddenly she is at a loss. Nothing feels safe anymore; every time her kids leave the house, she worries about them.On a hot summer's night her worst fears come true. One decision will change the course of their lives. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget...or the courage to forgive.Vivid, universal, and emotionally complex, NIGHT ROAD raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness. It is a luminous, heartbreaking novel that captures both the exquisite pain of loss and the stunning power of hope. This is Kristin Hannah at her very best, telling an unforgettable story about the longing for family, the resilience of the human heart, and the courage it takes to forgive the people we love.My Review:Night Road was a page-turner! I felt warm and fuzzy at the friendship that Mia, Lexi, and Zach held onto so dearly. They were thick as thieves and loved and respected each other in ways that a lot of us wish we had with our friends. They knew how to love and respect each other and they knew how to have fun. Then one night, in one moment it all ended and blame was to be laid at everyone's feet.Jude, the everything mother; the father the surgeon; Zach; Mia; and Lexi all were to blame in one way or another but it was unfortunate that Lexi was the loser in this tragedy. She spent 5 years of her life in jail for a crime that was everyone's fault but someone had to pay the price and she did in more ways than one.After going to prison, she found out she was pregnant and had to give up her baby to be raised by Zach. Everyone in this family lost something but Lexi lost the most and would she ever gain back what was lost? That remains to be seen. I cried, I sympathized and I empathized throughout this novel. The emotions the story provoked were amazing and I've never felt more sorry for a family than I did this one. Kristin Hannah has done an awesome job in evoking all kinds of emotion and teaching us some good lessons about life along the way. I would highly recommend this book! | The emotions <hl> the story provoked were amazing and I've never felt more sorry for a family than I did this one <hl> . | Story Description:St. Martin's Press|February 29, 2012|Hardcover||ISBN: 978-0-312-36442-7For a mother life comes down to a series of choices. To hold on, to let go, to forget, to forgive. Which road will you take. Night Road?For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children's needs above her own, and it shows - her twins, Mia and Zach are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small close-knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude. Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia's best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable.Jude does everything to keep her kids on track for college and out of harm's way. It has always been easy - until senior year of high school. Suddenly she is at a loss. Nothing feels safe anymore; every time her kids leave the house, she worries about them.On a hot summer's night her worst fears come true. One decision will change the course of their lives. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget...or the courage to forgive.Vivid, universal, and emotionally complex, NIGHT ROAD raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness. It is a luminous, heartbreaking novel that captures both the exquisite pain of loss and the stunning power of hope. This is Kristin Hannah at her very best, telling an unforgettable story about the longing for family, the resilience of the human heart, and the courage it takes to forgive the people we love.My Review:Night Road was a page-turner! I felt warm and fuzzy at the friendship that Mia, Lexi, and Zach held onto so dearly. They were thick as thieves and loved and respected each other in ways that a lot of us wish we had with our friends. They knew how to love and respect each other and they knew how to have fun. Then one night, in one moment it all ended and blame was to be laid at everyone's feet.Jude, the everything mother; the father the surgeon; Zach; Mia; and Lexi all were to blame in one way or another but it was unfortunate that Lexi was the loser in this tragedy. She spent 5 years of her life in jail for a crime that was everyone's fault but someone had to pay the price and she did in more ways than one.After going to prison, she found out she was pregnant and had to give up her baby to be raised by Zach. Everyone in this family lost something but Lexi lost the most and would she ever gain back what was lost? That remains to be seen. I cried, I sympathized and I empathized throughout this novel. The emotions <hl> the story provoked were amazing and I've never felt more sorry for a family than I did this one <hl>. Kristin Hannah has done an awesome job in evoking all kinds of emotion and teaching us some good lessons about life along the way. I would highly recommend this book! | Story Description:St. Martin's Press|February 29, 2012|Hardcover||ISBN: 978-0-312-36442-7For a mother life comes down to a series of choices. To hold on, to let go, to forget, to forgive. Which road will you take. Night Road?For eighteen years, Jude Farraday has put her children's needs above her own, and it shows - her twins, Mia and Zach are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill moves into their small close-knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude. Lexi, a former foster child with a dark past, quickly becomes Mia's best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. Jude does everything to keep her kids on track for college and out of harm's way. It has always been easy - until senior year of high school. Suddenly she is at a loss. Nothing feels safe anymore; every time her kids leave the house, she worries about them. On a hot summer's night her worst fears come true. One decision will change the course of their lives. In the blink of an eye, the Farraday family will be torn apart and Lexi will lose everything. In the years that follow, each must face the consequences of that single night and find a way to forget...or the courage to forgive. Vivid, universal, and emotionally complex, NIGHT ROAD raises profound questions about motherhood, identity, love, and forgiveness. It is a luminous, heartbreaking novel that captures both the exquisite pain of loss and the stunning power of hope. This is Kristin Hannah at her very best, telling an unforgettable story about the longing for family, the resilience of the human heart, and the courage it takes to forgive the people we love. My Review:Night Road was a page-turner! I felt warm and fuzzy at the friendship that Mia, Lexi, and Zach held onto so dearly. They were thick as thieves and loved and respected each other in ways that a lot of us wish we had with our friends. They knew how to love and respect each other and they knew how to have fun. Then one night, in one moment it all ended and blame was to be laid at everyone's feet. Jude, the everything mother; the father the surgeon; Zach; Mia; and Lexi all were to blame in one way or another but it was unfortunate that Lexi was the loser in this tragedy. She spent 5 years of her life in jail for a crime that was everyone's fault but someone had to pay the price and she did in more ways than one. After going to prison, she found out she was pregnant and had to give up her baby to be raised by Zach. Everyone in this family lost something but Lexi lost the most and would she ever gain back what was lost? That remains to be seen. I cried, I sympathized and I empathized throughout this novel. <hl> The emotions the story provoked were amazing and I've never felt more sorry for a family than I did this one . <hl> Kristin Hannah has done an awesome job in evoking all kinds of emotion and teaching us some good lessons about life along the way. I would highly recommend this book! | 829934bbf8a75c5f427d816f6dda333b | 1 | 1 | books |
premise is interesting | question: Which is the good premise principal?, context: This is a return to form for Brown. It has the same mechanical plot development as usual but the premise is interesting, being based on the work of Dante. With settings in Venice and Florence, references to "Moonraker" (where Bond throws the bad guy through a Venetian clock) and a famous painting of Dante thrown in, and many many more, this is crammed full of thoroughly-researched aspects of Italy, Italian culture, evil plots to destroy the world and modern science.Thorough research is one thing, but Brown is one of those writers who has to show you all the research he did, and that, in addition to the way he frequently stumbles down winding side alleys of unnecessary thought-associations, make the book a little wearying, now and again.That said, the strange similes, the show-off piling on of irrelevant detail have always been part of Brown's repertoire, without greatly harming the volume of his sales. So you can't exactly blame Brown for giving his readers what they want, can you?Robert Langdon's new female assistant bears some remarkable similarities to the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a leather-wearing, sassy, spiky haired chick with attitude and an itchy trigger finger. But that's either coincidence or a sign that such heroines are a dime a dozen these days.Even if it is a hokey kind of plot, Brown's new book has some interesting, forward-looking elements, and so you keep turning the pages. It may not be especially intelligent or eye-opening, but it does entertain you when you're in that lazy, hazy mood for unchallenging, easy reading.So I would recommend this to all Brown fans - this is a return to form and the standards he set in his finest works. | Which is the good premise principal? | It has the same mechanical plot development as usual but the premise is interesting , being based on the work of Dante. | This is a return to form for Brown. It has the same mechanical plot development as usual but the premise is interesting, being based on the work of Dante. With settings in Venice and Florence, references to "Moonraker" (where Bond throws the bad guy through a Venetian clock) and a famous painting of Dante thrown in, and many many more, this is crammed full of thoroughly-researched aspects of Italy, Italian culture, evil plots to destroy the world and modern science.Thorough research is one thing, but Brown is one of those writers who has to show you all the research he did, and that, in addition to the way he frequently stumbles down winding side alleys of unnecessary thought-associations, make the book a little wearying, now and again.That said, the strange similes, the show-off piling on of irrelevant detail have always been part of Brown's repertoire, without greatly harming the volume of his sales. So you can't exactly blame Brown for giving his readers what they want, can you?Robert Langdon's new female assistant bears some remarkable similarities to the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a leather-wearing, sassy, spiky haired chick with attitude and an itchy trigger finger. But that's either coincidence or a sign that such heroines are a dime a dozen these days.Even if it is a hokey kind of plot, Brown's new book has some interesting, forward-looking elements, and so you keep turning the pages. It may not be especially intelligent or eye-opening, but it does entertain you when you're in that lazy, hazy mood for unchallenging, easy reading.So I would recommend this to all Brown fans - this is a return to form and the standards he set in his finest works. | It has the same mechanical plot development as usual but the <hl> premise is interesting <hl> , being based on the work of Dante. | This is a return to form for Brown. It has the same mechanical plot development as usual but the <hl> premise is interesting <hl>, being based on the work of Dante. With settings in Venice and Florence, references to "Moonraker" (where Bond throws the bad guy through a Venetian clock) and a famous painting of Dante thrown in, and many many more, this is crammed full of thoroughly-researched aspects of Italy, Italian culture, evil plots to destroy the world and modern science.Thorough research is one thing, but Brown is one of those writers who has to show you all the research he did, and that, in addition to the way he frequently stumbles down winding side alleys of unnecessary thought-associations, make the book a little wearying, now and again.That said, the strange similes, the show-off piling on of irrelevant detail have always been part of Brown's repertoire, without greatly harming the volume of his sales. So you can't exactly blame Brown for giving his readers what they want, can you?Robert Langdon's new female assistant bears some remarkable similarities to the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a leather-wearing, sassy, spiky haired chick with attitude and an itchy trigger finger. But that's either coincidence or a sign that such heroines are a dime a dozen these days.Even if it is a hokey kind of plot, Brown's new book has some interesting, forward-looking elements, and so you keep turning the pages. It may not be especially intelligent or eye-opening, but it does entertain you when you're in that lazy, hazy mood for unchallenging, easy reading.So I would recommend this to all Brown fans - this is a return to form and the standards he set in his finest works. | This is a return to form for Brown. <hl> It has the same mechanical plot development as usual but the premise is interesting , being based on the work of Dante. <hl> With settings in Venice and Florence, references to "Moonraker" (where Bond throws the bad guy through a Venetian clock) and a famous painting of Dante thrown in, and many many more, this is crammed full of thoroughly-researched aspects of Italy, Italian culture, evil plots to destroy the world and modern science. Thorough research is one thing, but Brown is one of those writers who has to show you all the research he did, and that, in addition to the way he frequently stumbles down winding side alleys of unnecessary thought-associations, make the book a little wearying, now and again. That said, the strange similes, the show-off piling on of irrelevant detail have always been part of Brown's repertoire, without greatly harming the volume of his sales. So you can't exactly blame Brown for giving his readers what they want, can you?Robert Langdon's new female assistant bears some remarkable similarities to the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a leather-wearing, sassy, spiky haired chick with attitude and an itchy trigger finger. But that's either coincidence or a sign that such heroines are a dime a dozen these days. Even if it is a hokey kind of plot, Brown's new book has some interesting, forward-looking elements, and so you keep turning the pages. It may not be especially intelligent or eye-opening, but it does entertain you when you're in that lazy, hazy mood for unchallenging, easy reading. So I would recommend this to all Brown fans - this is a return to form and the standards he set in his finest works. | bc7f59f82d14ddbbb80defd08e720c4d | 1 | 1 | books |
The first 50 pages were tedious, boring, and uninteresting | question: When the book is more interesting?, context: I admit it. I was drawn in by the multitude of fabulous reviews, and ordered the book, expecting a literary treat. I also admit that I am reviewing a book I never finished. I could not do it. I am a voracious reader, freelance writer, and former teacher of composition. I know a good book when I read it. This did not even come close. It's ultimate sin was BOREDOM. The first 50 pages were tedious, boring, and uninteresting. I slogged through another 50 pages, and gave up. The characters were unlikeable and annoying. The author's attempt at writing a thriller that would draw you in and hook you fell flat. I had no interest in finding out what happened to which tediously tiresome character. Do not waste your money on this one. I am actually returning the book to Amazon with a strong rebuke concerning their intense marketing of this disaster. | When the book is more interesting? | The first 50 pages were tedious, boring, and uninteresting . | I admit it. I was drawn in by the multitude of fabulous reviews, and ordered the book, expecting a literary treat. I also admit that I am reviewing a book I never finished. I could not do it. I am a voracious reader, freelance writer, and former teacher of composition. I know a good book when I read it. This did not even come close. It's ultimate sin was BOREDOM. The first 50 pages were tedious, boring, and uninteresting. I slogged through another 50 pages, and gave up. The characters were unlikeable and annoying. The author's attempt at writing a thriller that would draw you in and hook you fell flat. I had no interest in finding out what happened to which tediously tiresome character. Do not waste your money on this one. I am actually returning the book to Amazon with a strong rebuke concerning their intense marketing of this disaster. | <hl> The first 50 pages were tedious, boring, and uninteresting <hl> . | I admit it. I was drawn in by the multitude of fabulous reviews, and ordered the book, expecting a literary treat. I also admit that I am reviewing a book I never finished. I could not do it. I am a voracious reader, freelance writer, and former teacher of composition. I know a good book when I read it. This did not even come close. It's ultimate sin was BOREDOM. <hl> The first 50 pages were tedious, boring, and uninteresting <hl>. I slogged through another 50 pages, and gave up. The characters were unlikeable and annoying. The author's attempt at writing a thriller that would draw you in and hook you fell flat. I had no interest in finding out what happened to which tediously tiresome character. Do not waste your money on this one. I am actually returning the book to Amazon with a strong rebuke concerning their intense marketing of this disaster. | I admit it. I was drawn in by the multitude of fabulous reviews, and ordered the book, expecting a literary treat. I also admit that I am reviewing a book I never finished. I could not do it. I am a voracious reader, freelance writer, and former teacher of composition. I know a good book when I read it. This did not even come close. It's ultimate sin was BOREDOM. <hl> The first 50 pages were tedious, boring, and uninteresting . <hl> I slogged through another 50 pages, and gave up. The characters were unlikeable and annoying. The author's attempt at writing a thriller that would draw you in and hook you fell flat. I had no interest in finding out what happened to which tediously tiresome character. Do not waste your money on this one. I am actually returning the book to Amazon with a strong rebuke concerning their intense marketing of this disaster. | 234e94615a73541f8cbfad5b0831439e | 2 | 2 | books |
that keep this book suspenseful and intriguing | question: Is the story in a book?, context: Living in a dangerous world controlled by a weak, desperate queen, Charlie is harboring a dangerous secret. In her world, classes are drawn and enforced by the language you speak, and it is a crime punishable by death to know a language other than your own. Charlie doesn't just know another class's language--she knows them all. It's a difficult ability to hide, and her life depends on appearing ignorant. But one night, at an underground club, Charlie meets an intriguing young man, Max, who seems different from everyone else. This is quickly proven when she catches him speaking a language she's never heard before. Their encounter isn't by chance, and soon Charlie's world will be turned upside down.The Pledge is a dark and magical book with a very unique concept. Derting's world, which is a blend of dystopia and fantasy, is dangerous and full of hidden tunnels and carefully kept secrets that Charlie is slowly exposed to soon after meeting Max. Her family has sacrificed a great deal to keep her secret safe throughout her life, so she's always cautious, but she soon gets sucked into a conflict much bigger than herself. There are more than a few shocking surprises along the way--people who aren't at all what they appear, long-kept family secrets, and other secret abilities--that keep this book suspenseful and intriguing, and the threat of a queen who will stop at nothing to get what she wants is chilling. The book ends with a satisfying, open ending that will leaves room for a sequel in which hopefully many unanswered questions and unresolved issues will be addressed. The Pledge is an interesting departure from Derting's other work, but it is unique and promising.Cover Comments: I absolutely love this cover! How the girl's face is partially obscured, how the title is displayed, the darkness of it--it's so intriguing and mysterious! I think that this is one that a LOT of people will be drawn to! | Is the story in a book? | There are more than a few shocking surprises along the way--people who aren't at all what they appear, long-kept family secrets, and other secret abilities-- that keep this book suspenseful and intriguing , and the threat of a queen who will stop at nothing to get what she wants is chilling. | Living in a dangerous world controlled by a weak, desperate queen, Charlie is harboring a dangerous secret. In her world, classes are drawn and enforced by the language you speak, and it is a crime punishable by death to know a language other than your own. Charlie doesn't just know another class's language--she knows them all. It's a difficult ability to hide, and her life depends on appearing ignorant. But one night, at an underground club, Charlie meets an intriguing young man, Max, who seems different from everyone else. This is quickly proven when she catches him speaking a language she's never heard before. Their encounter isn't by chance, and soon Charlie's world will be turned upside down.The Pledge is a dark and magical book with a very unique concept. Derting's world, which is a blend of dystopia and fantasy, is dangerous and full of hidden tunnels and carefully kept secrets that Charlie is slowly exposed to soon after meeting Max. Her family has sacrificed a great deal to keep her secret safe throughout her life, so she's always cautious, but she soon gets sucked into a conflict much bigger than herself. There are more than a few shocking surprises along the way--people who aren't at all what they appear, long-kept family secrets, and other secret abilities--that keep this book suspenseful and intriguing, and the threat of a queen who will stop at nothing to get what she wants is chilling. The book ends with a satisfying, open ending that will leaves room for a sequel in which hopefully many unanswered questions and unresolved issues will be addressed. The Pledge is an interesting departure from Derting's other work, but it is unique and promising.Cover Comments: I absolutely love this cover! How the girl's face is partially obscured, how the title is displayed, the darkness of it--it's so intriguing and mysterious! I think that this is one that a LOT of people will be drawn to! | There are more than a few shocking surprises along the way--people who aren't at all what they appear, long-kept family secrets, and other secret abilities-- <hl> that keep this book suspenseful and intriguing <hl> , and the threat of a queen who will stop at nothing to get what she wants is chilling. | Living in a dangerous world controlled by a weak, desperate queen, Charlie is harboring a dangerous secret. In her world, classes are drawn and enforced by the language you speak, and it is a crime punishable by death to know a language other than your own. Charlie doesn't just know another class's language--she knows them all. It's a difficult ability to hide, and her life depends on appearing ignorant. But one night, at an underground club, Charlie meets an intriguing young man, Max, who seems different from everyone else. This is quickly proven when she catches him speaking a language she's never heard before. Their encounter isn't by chance, and soon Charlie's world will be turned upside down.The Pledge is a dark and magical book with a very unique concept. Derting's world, which is a blend of dystopia and fantasy, is dangerous and full of hidden tunnels and carefully kept secrets that Charlie is slowly exposed to soon after meeting Max. Her family has sacrificed a great deal to keep her secret safe throughout her life, so she's always cautious, but she soon gets sucked into a conflict much bigger than herself. There are more than a few shocking surprises along the way--people who aren't at all what they appear, long-kept family secrets, and other secret abilities--<hl> that keep this book suspenseful and intriguing <hl>, and the threat of a queen who will stop at nothing to get what she wants is chilling. The book ends with a satisfying, open ending that will leaves room for a sequel in which hopefully many unanswered questions and unresolved issues will be addressed. The Pledge is an interesting departure from Derting's other work, but it is unique and promising.Cover Comments: I absolutely love this cover! How the girl's face is partially obscured, how the title is displayed, the darkness of it--it's so intriguing and mysterious! I think that this is one that a LOT of people will be drawn to! | Living in a dangerous world controlled by a weak, desperate queen, Charlie is harboring a dangerous secret. In her world, classes are drawn and enforced by the language you speak, and it is a crime punishable by death to know a language other than your own. Charlie doesn't just know another class's language--she knows them all. It's a difficult ability to hide, and her life depends on appearing ignorant. But one night, at an underground club, Charlie meets an intriguing young man, Max, who seems different from everyone else. This is quickly proven when she catches him speaking a language she's never heard before. Their encounter isn't by chance, and soon Charlie's world will be turned upside down. The Pledge is a dark and magical book with a very unique concept. Derting's world, which is a blend of dystopia and fantasy, is dangerous and full of hidden tunnels and carefully kept secrets that Charlie is slowly exposed to soon after meeting Max. Her family has sacrificed a great deal to keep her secret safe throughout her life, so she's always cautious, but she soon gets sucked into a conflict much bigger than herself. <hl> There are more than a few shocking surprises along the way--people who aren't at all what they appear, long-kept family secrets, and other secret abilities-- that keep this book suspenseful and intriguing , and the threat of a queen who will stop at nothing to get what she wants is chilling. <hl> The book ends with a satisfying, open ending that will leaves room for a sequel in which hopefully many unanswered questions and unresolved issues will be addressed. The Pledge is an interesting departure from Derting's other work, but it is unique and promising. Cover Comments: I absolutely love this cover! How the girl's face is partially obscured, how the title is displayed, the darkness of it--it's so intriguing and mysterious! I think that this is one that a LOT of people will be drawn to! | aceec197140cf828ce89bec02e92fe2f | 1 | 1 | books |
His mother is killed | question: How do you like the life?, context: Donna Tartt's writing is superb. The Goldfinch turns a piece of art into a talisman that carries more than one life through troubled times. I believe that art is redemptive but Tartt demonstrates this as fact in The Goldfinch. Theo Decker's life has been both tragic and unplanned while also riddled with fortunate turns of fate. This is what makes the story compelling. For instance, at the beginning of the story he survives an explosion in the Meteopolitan Museum of Art. His mother is killed and he ends up walking out of the museum carrying a valuable masterpiece by Fabritius. And if this isn't bad enough for you an alcohol and gambling addicted father shows up to stake a claim on Theo, hauling him off to Las Vegas and essentially abandoning him in a failed housing development where "even Dominoes won't deliver." At least half of my reading time was spent on the edge of my seat and the other half hoping for a break to get this kid/young man out of the hot water he kept pitching into head first. And along comes Boris Pavlikovsky, Theo's best friend and one of the most endearing hoodlums you'll ever meet. Like I said, the book is long but it's one of the best stories I've read. PERIOD! | How do you like the life? | His mother is killed and he ends up walking out of the museum carrying a valuable masterpiece by Fabritius. | Donna Tartt's writing is superb. The Goldfinch turns a piece of art into a talisman that carries more than one life through troubled times. I believe that art is redemptive but Tartt demonstrates this as fact in The Goldfinch. Theo Decker's life has been both tragic and unplanned while also riddled with fortunate turns of fate. This is what makes the story compelling. For instance, at the beginning of the story he survives an explosion in the Meteopolitan Museum of Art. His mother is killed and he ends up walking out of the museum carrying a valuable masterpiece by Fabritius. And if this isn't bad enough for you an alcohol and gambling addicted father shows up to stake a claim on Theo, hauling him off to Las Vegas and essentially abandoning him in a failed housing development where "even Dominoes won't deliver." At least half of my reading time was spent on the edge of my seat and the other half hoping for a break to get this kid/young man out of the hot water he kept pitching into head first. And along comes Boris Pavlikovsky, Theo's best friend and one of the most endearing hoodlums you'll ever meet. Like I said, the book is long but it's one of the best stories I've read. PERIOD! | <hl> His mother is killed <hl> and he ends up walking out of the museum carrying a valuable masterpiece by Fabritius. | Donna Tartt's writing is superb. The Goldfinch turns a piece of art into a talisman that carries more than one life through troubled times. I believe that art is redemptive but Tartt demonstrates this as fact in The Goldfinch. Theo Decker's life has been both tragic and unplanned while also riddled with fortunate turns of fate. This is what makes the story compelling. For instance, at the beginning of the story he survives an explosion in the Meteopolitan Museum of Art. <hl> His mother is killed <hl> and he ends up walking out of the museum carrying a valuable masterpiece by Fabritius. And if this isn't bad enough for you an alcohol and gambling addicted father shows up to stake a claim on Theo, hauling him off to Las Vegas and essentially abandoning him in a failed housing development where "even Dominoes won't deliver." At least half of my reading time was spent on the edge of my seat and the other half hoping for a break to get this kid/young man out of the hot water he kept pitching into head first. And along comes Boris Pavlikovsky, Theo's best friend and one of the most endearing hoodlums you'll ever meet. Like I said, the book is long but it's one of the best stories I've read. PERIOD! | Donna Tartt's writing is superb. The Goldfinch turns a piece of art into a talisman that carries more than one life through troubled times. I believe that art is redemptive but Tartt demonstrates this as fact in The Goldfinch. Theo Decker's life has been both tragic and unplanned while also riddled with fortunate turns of fate. This is what makes the story compelling. For instance, at the beginning of the story he survives an explosion in the Meteopolitan Museum of Art. <hl> His mother is killed and he ends up walking out of the museum carrying a valuable masterpiece by Fabritius. <hl> And if this isn't bad enough for you an alcohol and gambling addicted father shows up to stake a claim on Theo, hauling him off to Las Vegas and essentially abandoning him in a failed housing development where "even Dominoes won't deliver." At least half of my reading time was spent on the edge of my seat and the other half hoping for a break to get this kid/young man out of the hot water he kept pitching into head first. And along comes Boris Pavlikovsky, Theo's best friend and one of the most endearing hoodlums you'll ever meet. Like I said, the book is long but it's one of the best stories I've read. PERIOD! | a1f7422496edf7f75853fbf412b46e72 | 2 | 2 | books |
An absolutely fantastic book | question: How is people's opinion about the book?, context: An absolutely fantastic book! I cannot wait to read the next one! This book has everything - adventure, betrayal (lots and lots of betrayal), romance, and the characterization is excellent! I didn't feel like this book read like fantasy either. Aside from talk of dragons and The Others, it felt more like I was reading historical fiction. My favorite thing about the book is the way that each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different character. It gave so much more insight into the characters and their way of thinking. Characterization is a very important part of a book for me. Also, no matter what I thought was coming, I was surprised! Sometimes, not pleasantly. It appears that Mr. Martin doesn't have a problem with letting you get attached to a character and then killing them off. That's okay though. It made for a very interesting read. | How is people's opinion about the book? | An absolutely fantastic book ! | An absolutely fantastic book! I cannot wait to read the next one! This book has everything - adventure, betrayal (lots and lots of betrayal), romance, and the characterization is excellent! I didn't feel like this book read like fantasy either. Aside from talk of dragons and The Others, it felt more like I was reading historical fiction. My favorite thing about the book is the way that each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different character. It gave so much more insight into the characters and their way of thinking. Characterization is a very important part of a book for me. Also, no matter what I thought was coming, I was surprised! Sometimes, not pleasantly. It appears that Mr. Martin doesn't have a problem with letting you get attached to a character and then killing them off. That's okay though. It made for a very interesting read. | <hl> An absolutely fantastic book <hl> ! | <hl> An absolutely fantastic book <hl>! I cannot wait to read the next one! This book has everything - adventure, betrayal (lots and lots of betrayal), romance, and the characterization is excellent! I didn't feel like this book read like fantasy either. Aside from talk of dragons and The Others, it felt more like I was reading historical fiction. My favorite thing about the book is the way that each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different character. It gave so much more insight into the characters and their way of thinking. Characterization is a very important part of a book for me. Also, no matter what I thought was coming, I was surprised! Sometimes, not pleasantly. It appears that Mr. Martin doesn't have a problem with letting you get attached to a character and then killing them off. That's okay though. It made for a very interesting read. | <hl> An absolutely fantastic book ! <hl> I cannot wait to read the next one! This book has everything - adventure, betrayal (lots and lots of betrayal), romance, and the characterization is excellent! I didn't feel like this book read like fantasy either. Aside from talk of dragons and The Others, it felt more like I was reading historical fiction. My favorite thing about the book is the way that each chapter is told from the viewpoint of a different character. It gave so much more insight into the characters and their way of thinking. Characterization is a very important part of a book for me. Also, no matter what I thought was coming, I was surprised! Sometimes, not pleasantly. It appears that Mr. Martin doesn't have a problem with letting you get attached to a character and then killing them off. That's okay though. It made for a very interesting read. | c6f66bdadb86d5ea5e6ac2aef4ea6b5a | 1 | 1 | books |
the book doesn't just grab you in. It is a slow start, and I mean SLOW. The first 50 pages or so Mikael is recalling the conversation that started the libel judgment against him. While I understand that the story is important to the book and it's ending, it was an excruciating chapter that took me days to get through. Once that was over, the story still moved along snail paced, going back between the lives of Mikael and Lisbeth (the girl with the dragon tattoo) separately.I continued to struggle until page 218 of 590, when something finally happened that was different and got me page turning. After that, the book seemed to take off and from then on I didn't struggle and in 2 days I had the rest read.The good....it really is a good story, once it gets going | question: How is the book?, context: I was noticing various books of the trilogy in people's hands wherever I went and kept seeing it mentioned in articles getting good reviews...so I decided to try it myself.It has its good points and bad.The bad is, the book doesn't just grab you in. It is a slow start, and I mean SLOW. The first 50 pages or so Mikael is recalling the conversation that started the libel judgment against him. While I understand that the story is important to the book and it's ending, it was an excruciating chapter that took me days to get through. Once that was over, the story still moved along snail paced, going back between the lives of Mikael and Lisbeth (the girl with the dragon tattoo) separately.I continued to struggle until page 218 of 590, when something finally happened that was different and got me page turning. After that, the book seemed to take off and from then on I didn't struggle and in 2 days I had the rest read.The good....it really is a good story, once it gets going. I figured the mystery before the book told me, but it was a good journey all the same. The characters Mikael and Lisbeth are good, especially when they are together, which isn't until beyond the halfway point. In that regard, I felt the description of the book was a little misleading. But once they are working together, it becomes a really good story and the pace really picks up.In all, if you can get through the uneventful first 200 pages, the rest is worth the time. | How is the book? | The bad is, the book doesn't just grab you in. It is a slow start, and I mean SLOW. The first 50 pages or so Mikael is recalling the conversation that started the libel judgment against him. While I understand that the story is important to the book and it's ending, it was an excruciating chapter that took me days to get through. Once that was over, the story still moved along snail paced, going back between the lives of Mikael and Lisbeth (the girl with the dragon tattoo) separately.I continued to struggle until page 218 of 590, when something finally happened that was different and got me page turning. After that, the book seemed to take off and from then on I didn't struggle and in 2 days I had the rest read.The good....it really is a good story, once it gets going . | I was noticing various books of the trilogy in people's hands wherever I went and kept seeing it mentioned in articles getting good reviews...so I decided to try it myself.It has its good points and bad.The bad is, the book doesn't just grab you in. It is a slow start, and I mean SLOW. The first 50 pages or so Mikael is recalling the conversation that started the libel judgment against him. While I understand that the story is important to the book and it's ending, it was an excruciating chapter that took me days to get through. Once that was over, the story still moved along snail paced, going back between the lives of Mikael and Lisbeth (the girl with the dragon tattoo) separately.I continued to struggle until page 218 of 590, when something finally happened that was different and got me page turning. After that, the book seemed to take off and from then on I didn't struggle and in 2 days I had the rest read.The good....it really is a good story, once it gets going. I figured the mystery before the book told me, but it was a good journey all the same. The characters Mikael and Lisbeth are good, especially when they are together, which isn't until beyond the halfway point. In that regard, I felt the description of the book was a little misleading. But once they are working together, it becomes a really good story and the pace really picks up.In all, if you can get through the uneventful first 200 pages, the rest is worth the time. | The bad is, <hl> the book doesn't just grab you in. It is a slow start, and I mean SLOW. The first 50 pages or so Mikael is recalling the conversation that started the libel judgment against him. While I understand that the story is important to the book and it's ending, it was an excruciating chapter that took me days to get through. Once that was over, the story still moved along snail paced, going back between the lives of Mikael and Lisbeth (the girl with the dragon tattoo) separately.I continued to struggle until page 218 of 590, when something finally happened that was different and got me page turning. After that, the book seemed to take off and from then on I didn't struggle and in 2 days I had the rest read.The good....it really is a good story, once it gets going <hl> . | I was noticing various books of the trilogy in people's hands wherever I went and kept seeing it mentioned in articles getting good reviews...so I decided to try it myself.It has its good points and bad.The bad is, <hl> the book doesn't just grab you in. It is a slow start, and I mean SLOW. The first 50 pages or so Mikael is recalling the conversation that started the libel judgment against him. While I understand that the story is important to the book and it's ending, it was an excruciating chapter that took me days to get through. Once that was over, the story still moved along snail paced, going back between the lives of Mikael and Lisbeth (the girl with the dragon tattoo) separately.I continued to struggle until page 218 of 590, when something finally happened that was different and got me page turning. After that, the book seemed to take off and from then on I didn't struggle and in 2 days I had the rest read.The good....it really is a good story, once it gets going <hl>. I figured the mystery before the book told me, but it was a good journey all the same. The characters Mikael and Lisbeth are good, especially when they are together, which isn't until beyond the halfway point. In that regard, I felt the description of the book was a little misleading. But once they are working together, it becomes a really good story and the pace really picks up.In all, if you can get through the uneventful first 200 pages, the rest is worth the time. | I was noticing various books of the trilogy in people's hands wherever I went and kept seeing it mentioned in articles getting good reviews... so I decided to try it myself. It has its good points and bad. <hl> The bad is, the book doesn't just grab you in. It is a slow start, and I mean SLOW. The first 50 pages or so Mikael is recalling the conversation that started the libel judgment against him. While I understand that the story is important to the book and it's ending, it was an excruciating chapter that took me days to get through. Once that was over, the story still moved along snail paced, going back between the lives of Mikael and Lisbeth (the girl with the dragon tattoo) separately.I continued to struggle until page 218 of 590, when something finally happened that was different and got me page turning. After that, the book seemed to take off and from then on I didn't struggle and in 2 days I had the rest read.The good....it really is a good story, once it gets going . <hl> I figured the mystery before the book told me, but it was a good journey all the same. The characters Mikael and Lisbeth are good, especially when they are together, which isn't until beyond the halfway point. In that regard, I felt the description of the book was a little misleading. But once they are working together, it becomes a really good story and the pace really picks up. In all, if you can get through the uneventful first 200 pages, the rest is worth the time. | 7c9ebfd2767f0aebae883dc72f5b8043 | 1 | 1 | books |
books | question: Is this book based on rumor of real story?, context: The first thing to say is that not everyone will find OOTP better than the previous books. The tone is darker, Harry is very upset and feels different than the other books and character development is much stronger while plot twists and turns are down-played.But for me this is just an incredible book! The first two chapters are, in my opinion, the best two that JK Rowling has ever written. From there things slow a little bit but my interest did not waiver one time.We find out much more about the past of Sirius, Snape and Harry's own father James than we had done. Perhaps most importantly we find out Trelawney's first prediction and why Dumbledore has kept Harry in the dark up till now.Many questions are answered in this book but many are left open and, as it ends we wonder, now that the wizarding world is more united, what is the Dark Lord going to do about it? Will Harry fulfill his destiny or will Voldemort overcome him?And, on a lighter side, will Fred & George become the big kingpins on Diagon Alley, is Hermione wearing her Christmas present from Ron and what were there OWL results!On a practical note, those who do not have much experience of English slang might want to keep a British dictionary handy with this one - the book seems less "translated" than the others and much better for it.Finally, the wait was long but oh so worth it! | Is this book based on rumor of real story? | The first thing to say is that not everyone will find OOTP better than the previous books . | The first thing to say is that not everyone will find OOTP better than the previous books. The tone is darker, Harry is very upset and feels different than the other books and character development is much stronger while plot twists and turns are down-played.But for me this is just an incredible book! The first two chapters are, in my opinion, the best two that JK Rowling has ever written. From there things slow a little bit but my interest did not waiver one time.We find out much more about the past of Sirius, Snape and Harry's own father James than we had done. Perhaps most importantly we find out Trelawney's first prediction and why Dumbledore has kept Harry in the dark up till now.Many questions are answered in this book but many are left open and, as it ends we wonder, now that the wizarding world is more united, what is the Dark Lord going to do about it? Will Harry fulfill his destiny or will Voldemort overcome him?And, on a lighter side, will Fred & George become the big kingpins on Diagon Alley, is Hermione wearing her Christmas present from Ron and what were there OWL results!On a practical note, those who do not have much experience of English slang might want to keep a British dictionary handy with this one - the book seems less "translated" than the others and much better for it.Finally, the wait was long but oh so worth it! | The first thing to say is that not everyone will find OOTP better than the previous <hl> books <hl> . | The first thing to say is that not everyone will find OOTP better than the previous <hl> books <hl>. The tone is darker, Harry is very upset and feels different than the other books and character development is much stronger while plot twists and turns are down-played.But for me this is just an incredible book! The first two chapters are, in my opinion, the best two that JK Rowling has ever written. From there things slow a little bit but my interest did not waiver one time.We find out much more about the past of Sirius, Snape and Harry's own father James than we had done. Perhaps most importantly we find out Trelawney's first prediction and why Dumbledore has kept Harry in the dark up till now.Many questions are answered in this book but many are left open and, as it ends we wonder, now that the wizarding world is more united, what is the Dark Lord going to do about it? Will Harry fulfill his destiny or will Voldemort overcome him?And, on a lighter side, will Fred & George become the big kingpins on Diagon Alley, is Hermione wearing her Christmas present from Ron and what were there OWL results!On a practical note, those who do not have much experience of English slang might want to keep a British dictionary handy with this one - the book seems less "translated" than the others and much better for it.Finally, the wait was long but oh so worth it! | <hl> The first thing to say is that not everyone will find OOTP better than the previous books . <hl> The tone is darker, Harry is very upset and feels different than the other books and character development is much stronger while plot twists and turns are down-played. But for me this is just an incredible book! The first two chapters are, in my opinion, the best two that JK Rowling has ever written. From there things slow a little bit but my interest did not waiver one time. We find out much more about the past of Sirius, Snape and Harry's own father James than we had done. Perhaps most importantly we find out Trelawney's first prediction and why Dumbledore has kept Harry in the dark up till now. Many questions are answered in this book but many are left open and, as it ends we wonder, now that the wizarding world is more united, what is the Dark Lord going to do about it? Will Harry fulfill his destiny or will Voldemort overcome him?And, on a lighter side, will Fred & George become the big kingpins on Diagon Alley, is Hermione wearing her Christmas present from Ron and what were there OWL results!On a practical note, those who do not have much experience of English slang might want to keep a British dictionary handy with this one - the book seems less "translated" than the others and much better for it. Finally, the wait was long but oh so worth it! | 0b645ae8e3c719c1e90637d3c0f15508 | 1 | 1 | books |
inspired to truly dive into this author's rich body of work | question: What is the concept of the book?, context: I'm new to Neil Gaiman, having only read "Good Omens" before, about four years ago. With "American Gods" I might become inspired to truly dive into this author's rich body of work. This book has a very creative treatise. Old pagan gods still live on as destitute characters in the real world, as long as a few isolated pockets of people still venerate them. Meanwhile, really old gods that are completely forgotten by humanity have disappeared into oblivion. The major religions couldn't even obliterate these decrepit old pagan gods for good, but the real gods of modern America may finally do it - the harsh gods of money and technology. The straight man in the novel is a hapless ex-con named Shadow, who eventually realizes that the bizarre characters he keeps running into are those decaying pagan gods who need his help in their struggle. Shadow also eventually bumbles into the realization that these gods are allying themselves with him for a greater purpose. The concepts behind this book are indeed fascinating and highly creative. Unfortunately the book must be docked one star because the action peters out towards the end, and the anti-climax takes way too long wrapping up a bunch of boring subplots. But still, Neil Gaiman is clearly one of the modern masters of innovative, speculative fiction. | What is the concept of the book? | With "American Gods" I might become inspired to truly dive into this author's rich body of work . | I'm new to Neil Gaiman, having only read "Good Omens" before, about four years ago. With "American Gods" I might become inspired to truly dive into this author's rich body of work. This book has a very creative treatise. Old pagan gods still live on as destitute characters in the real world, as long as a few isolated pockets of people still venerate them. Meanwhile, really old gods that are completely forgotten by humanity have disappeared into oblivion. The major religions couldn't even obliterate these decrepit old pagan gods for good, but the real gods of modern America may finally do it - the harsh gods of money and technology. The straight man in the novel is a hapless ex-con named Shadow, who eventually realizes that the bizarre characters he keeps running into are those decaying pagan gods who need his help in their struggle. Shadow also eventually bumbles into the realization that these gods are allying themselves with him for a greater purpose. The concepts behind this book are indeed fascinating and highly creative. Unfortunately the book must be docked one star because the action peters out towards the end, and the anti-climax takes way too long wrapping up a bunch of boring subplots. But still, Neil Gaiman is clearly one of the modern masters of innovative, speculative fiction. | With "American Gods" I might become <hl> inspired to truly dive into this author's rich body of work <hl> . | I'm new to Neil Gaiman, having only read "Good Omens" before, about four years ago. With "American Gods" I might become <hl> inspired to truly dive into this author's rich body of work <hl>. This book has a very creative treatise. Old pagan gods still live on as destitute characters in the real world, as long as a few isolated pockets of people still venerate them. Meanwhile, really old gods that are completely forgotten by humanity have disappeared into oblivion. The major religions couldn't even obliterate these decrepit old pagan gods for good, but the real gods of modern America may finally do it - the harsh gods of money and technology. The straight man in the novel is a hapless ex-con named Shadow, who eventually realizes that the bizarre characters he keeps running into are those decaying pagan gods who need his help in their struggle. Shadow also eventually bumbles into the realization that these gods are allying themselves with him for a greater purpose. The concepts behind this book are indeed fascinating and highly creative. Unfortunately the book must be docked one star because the action peters out towards the end, and the anti-climax takes way too long wrapping up a bunch of boring subplots. But still, Neil Gaiman is clearly one of the modern masters of innovative, speculative fiction. | I'm new to Neil Gaiman, having only read "Good Omens" before, about four years ago. <hl> With "American Gods" I might become inspired to truly dive into this author's rich body of work . <hl> This book has a very creative treatise. Old pagan gods still live on as destitute characters in the real world, as long as a few isolated pockets of people still venerate them. Meanwhile, really old gods that are completely forgotten by humanity have disappeared into oblivion. The major religions couldn't even obliterate these decrepit old pagan gods for good, but the real gods of modern America may finally do it - the harsh gods of money and technology. The straight man in the novel is a hapless ex-con named Shadow, who eventually realizes that the bizarre characters he keeps running into are those decaying pagan gods who need his help in their struggle. Shadow also eventually bumbles into the realization that these gods are allying themselves with him for a greater purpose. The concepts behind this book are indeed fascinating and highly creative. Unfortunately the book must be docked one star because the action peters out towards the end, and the anti-climax takes way too long wrapping up a bunch of boring subplots. But still, Neil Gaiman is clearly one of the modern masters of innovative, speculative fiction. | 8598d8a80a18637ccabf8e2ea9ecbbf0 | 2 | 2 | books |
fantasically crafted story | question: How was the detail?, context: This book was simply amazing. It is a fantasically crafted story that follows the narrator's genetic history from 1920s Turkey through 1960s Detroit to present day Berlin. Equal time is spent describing the lives of Cal's grandparents, parents, and Cal himself. I completely disagree with those that complain that "the real story" (about the hermaphrodite) doesn't start until Cal's life begins in 1960. Each story is so rich, so alive, and so very relevant to the person Cal eventually becomes. I felt so close to the Stephanides family that I cried for Cal, for his parents Milton and Tessie, and his Grandmother Desdemona in the final pages of the book. I did not want this book to end. I believe this book will become the classic it deserves to be. | How was the detail? | It is a fantasically crafted story that follows the narrator's genetic history from 1920s Turkey through 1960s Detroit to present day Berlin. | This book was simply amazing. It is a fantasically crafted story that follows the narrator's genetic history from 1920s Turkey through 1960s Detroit to present day Berlin. Equal time is spent describing the lives of Cal's grandparents, parents, and Cal himself. I completely disagree with those that complain that "the real story" (about the hermaphrodite) doesn't start until Cal's life begins in 1960. Each story is so rich, so alive, and so very relevant to the person Cal eventually becomes. I felt so close to the Stephanides family that I cried for Cal, for his parents Milton and Tessie, and his Grandmother Desdemona in the final pages of the book. I did not want this book to end. I believe this book will become the classic it deserves to be. | It is a <hl> fantasically crafted story <hl> that follows the narrator's genetic history from 1920s Turkey through 1960s Detroit to present day Berlin. | This book was simply amazing. It is a <hl> fantasically crafted story <hl> that follows the narrator's genetic history from 1920s Turkey through 1960s Detroit to present day Berlin. Equal time is spent describing the lives of Cal's grandparents, parents, and Cal himself. I completely disagree with those that complain that "the real story" (about the hermaphrodite) doesn't start until Cal's life begins in 1960. Each story is so rich, so alive, and so very relevant to the person Cal eventually becomes. I felt so close to the Stephanides family that I cried for Cal, for his parents Milton and Tessie, and his Grandmother Desdemona in the final pages of the book. I did not want this book to end. I believe this book will become the classic it deserves to be. | This book was simply amazing. <hl> It is a fantasically crafted story that follows the narrator's genetic history from 1920s Turkey through 1960s Detroit to present day Berlin. <hl> Equal time is spent describing the lives of Cal's grandparents, parents, and Cal himself. I completely disagree with those that complain that "the real story" (about the hermaphrodite) doesn't start until Cal's life begins in 1960. Each story is so rich, so alive, and so very relevant to the person Cal eventually becomes. I felt so close to the Stephanides family that I cried for Cal, for his parents Milton and Tessie, and his Grandmother Desdemona in the final pages of the book. I did not want this book to end. I believe this book will become the classic it deserves to be. | a8ce068b832158954cb7ceb0f9396410 | 1 | 1 | books |
it's still good | question: How is book?, context: This is the last book of the trilogy, and when I finished the second book, I had to immediately buy this one and start reading it. I couldn't put it down. This one is a little different than the first two, but it's still good. I was sad when I finished it and didn't have another one to read. | How is book? | This one is a little different than the first two, but it's still good . | This is the last book of the trilogy, and when I finished the second book, I had to immediately buy this one and start reading it. I couldn't put it down. This one is a little different than the first two, but it's still good. I was sad when I finished it and didn't have another one to read. | This one is a little different than the first two, but <hl> it's still good <hl> . | This is the last book of the trilogy, and when I finished the second book, I had to immediately buy this one and start reading it. I couldn't put it down. This one is a little different than the first two, but <hl> it's still good <hl>. I was sad when I finished it and didn't have another one to read. | This is the last book of the trilogy, and when I finished the second book, I had to immediately buy this one and start reading it. I couldn't put it down. <hl> This one is a little different than the first two, but it's still good . <hl> I was sad when I finished it and didn't have another one to read. | f81e9d59f79464e4d50053ca51a716cd | 5 | 1 | books |
character | question: Can you know what your opinion?, context: I have a new won respect for journalists after reading The God Delusion. Lee Strobel's books,[Case for a Creator; Case for the Real Jesus; Case For Faith] written from the personal professional integrity of that discipline, makes a glaring difference in the believability on this subject.Richard Dawkins is popular the same way the biting criticism, cynicism, from Simon of American Idol fame is popular. We are a tabloid loving society. Howard Stern gets paid millions of dollars to, 'not tone it down.' Dawkins goes for the shock and awe, and shock you will get. He gets affirmation from other atheists who prod him on. Like the 5 year old who wins the approval of his 7 year old brother by one day telling mom to, "Shut up."But does God have for himself another worthy opponent? Dawkins seems to think so judging by the 22 adjective scornful character assassination of God at the start of chapter 2. If you pulled that paragraph out of this book and put it in The Satanic Bible it would be a seamless fit. Just like heavy metal album cover art, all things holy, sacred, noble, and true are profaned.Richard can explain away your personnel conversion experience by the science of your brain. It works by electrical pulses and chemical reactions. What you see is only the interpretation of what's there. Therefore your brain can't be trusted, but you can trust his. Exactly. That is why The Bible speaks of the unchanging and eternal. It's a necessary spiritual guide, something we are beggars for without. Why did I not find any Bible quotes that weren't so bent out of shape they were not recognizable? You need a plumb line reading this book to know what straight is, or it might even start to make sense.I thought this was pretty phony. The greatest scientists of yesteryear Newton, Galileo, Kepler, were all religious. Dawkins corrects history by teaching us they believed in God only because they were expected to. They had no other choice. Interesting, he can't bring himself to respect them for their work and discoveries unless he 'deludes' himself into pretending they were closet atheists. As for his scientific peers, the men who hold a belief in God now? "They are looked down upon in baffled amusement." Do you see what I see? In a crowd like that maybe it would be better not to admit to anything. Who needs the grief?He says belief in God is no different than a belief in the tooth fairy. How many people do you know pour there life energy in trying to prove the non-existence of nothing? I wonder if he's convinced himself yet, or if 8 more books are on the way?Richard teaches us belief in God stifles the growth of science, stunts the imagination of children,[Richard's parents took him to church where he got a 'splendid imagination'], anchors us in the dark ages, and should be dropped for the betterment of mankind. I wonder if we could test that theory scientifically? Set up an experiment between two groups of people. Atheist and Christians give them a mammoth scientific achievement as a goal, like walk a man on another planet and bring him back safety. And make it a race.It was called the Apollo program. In the 1960's United States and Russia went head to head in the ultimate scientific, engineering, Olympics of the mind. It was war, a cold war between two ideologies, two world views. The future of mankind no less was at stake.Russia in 1917 systematically abolished all religion, they banned the Bible and made museums of natural history out of the grander churches. Most though, were flattened, 20,000. It was against the law to own a Bible, the church went underground. They believed if they educated the ignorance out of the people the foolishness and superstition handed down from generation to generation would end. A dangerous leap into uncharted waters. They had a whole generation to tweak the system before their show down with Christian America.In the United States more than 90 percent of the population believes in a supernatural being. They have a region called the Bible belt. They are unashamedly evangelical and proud of the fact freedom of religion is the core of all freedoms. Dawkins tells us people of faith have lower IQ's are bigoted, hostile, and out of sync with reality. This should have been no contest for the atheists.Well that challenge was happening 40 years ago. When the lunar program shut down after Russia waved the white flag, the number of men who left their boot prints on the moon was evangelical Christian United States of America 12, Atheistic Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 0.As for everything else human rights, standard of living, freedom of speech, put it this way. Russia built a wall to keep people in. America couldn't keep them out. Greatest military, greatest scientific achievements by miles. Want more proof? Ask God, cannot the one who made the eyes see? cannot the one who formed the ears hear? | Can you know what your opinion? | Dawkins seems to think so judging by the 22 adjective scornful character assassination of God at the start of chapter 2. | I have a new won respect for journalists after reading The God Delusion. Lee Strobel's books,[Case for a Creator; Case for the Real Jesus; Case For Faith] written from the personal professional integrity of that discipline, makes a glaring difference in the believability on this subject.Richard Dawkins is popular the same way the biting criticism, cynicism, from Simon of American Idol fame is popular. We are a tabloid loving society. Howard Stern gets paid millions of dollars to, 'not tone it down.' Dawkins goes for the shock and awe, and shock you will get. He gets affirmation from other atheists who prod him on. Like the 5 year old who wins the approval of his 7 year old brother by one day telling mom to, "Shut up."But does God have for himself another worthy opponent? Dawkins seems to think so judging by the 22 adjective scornful character assassination of God at the start of chapter 2. If you pulled that paragraph out of this book and put it in The Satanic Bible it would be a seamless fit. Just like heavy metal album cover art, all things holy, sacred, noble, and true are profaned.Richard can explain away your personnel conversion experience by the science of your brain. It works by electrical pulses and chemical reactions. What you see is only the interpretation of what's there. Therefore your brain can't be trusted, but you can trust his. Exactly. That is why The Bible speaks of the unchanging and eternal. It's a necessary spiritual guide, something we are beggars for without. Why did I not find any Bible quotes that weren't so bent out of shape they were not recognizable? You need a plumb line reading this book to know what straight is, or it might even start to make sense.I thought this was pretty phony. The greatest scientists of yesteryear Newton, Galileo, Kepler, were all religious. Dawkins corrects history by teaching us they believed in God only because they were expected to. They had no other choice. Interesting, he can't bring himself to respect them for their work and discoveries unless he 'deludes' himself into pretending they were closet atheists. As for his scientific peers, the men who hold a belief in God now? "They are looked down upon in baffled amusement." Do you see what I see? In a crowd like that maybe it would be better not to admit to anything. Who needs the grief?He says belief in God is no different than a belief in the tooth fairy. How many people do you know pour there life energy in trying to prove the non-existence of nothing? I wonder if he's convinced himself yet, or if 8 more books are on the way?Richard teaches us belief in God stifles the growth of science, stunts the imagination of children,[Richard's parents took him to church where he got a 'splendid imagination'], anchors us in the dark ages, and should be dropped for the betterment of mankind. I wonder if we could test that theory scientifically? Set up an experiment between two groups of people. Atheist and Christians give them a mammoth scientific achievement as a goal, like walk a man on another planet and bring him back safety. And make it a race.It was called the Apollo program. In the 1960's United States and Russia went head to head in the ultimate scientific, engineering, Olympics of the mind. It was war, a cold war between two ideologies, two world views. The future of mankind no less was at stake.Russia in 1917 systematically abolished all religion, they banned the Bible and made museums of natural history out of the grander churches. Most though, were flattened, 20,000. It was against the law to own a Bible, the church went underground. They believed if they educated the ignorance out of the people the foolishness and superstition handed down from generation to generation would end. A dangerous leap into uncharted waters. They had a whole generation to tweak the system before their show down with Christian America.In the United States more than 90 percent of the population believes in a supernatural being. They have a region called the Bible belt. They are unashamedly evangelical and proud of the fact freedom of religion is the core of all freedoms. Dawkins tells us people of faith have lower IQ's are bigoted, hostile, and out of sync with reality. This should have been no contest for the atheists.Well that challenge was happening 40 years ago. When the lunar program shut down after Russia waved the white flag, the number of men who left their boot prints on the moon was evangelical Christian United States of America 12, Atheistic Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 0.As for everything else human rights, standard of living, freedom of speech, put it this way. Russia built a wall to keep people in. America couldn't keep them out. Greatest military, greatest scientific achievements by miles. Want more proof? Ask God, cannot the one who made the eyes see? cannot the one who formed the ears hear? | Dawkins seems to think so judging by the 22 adjective scornful <hl> character <hl> assassination of God at the start of chapter 2. | I have a new won respect for journalists after reading The God Delusion. Lee Strobel's books,[Case for a Creator; Case for the Real Jesus; Case For Faith] written from the personal professional integrity of that discipline, makes a glaring difference in the believability on this subject.Richard Dawkins is popular the same way the biting criticism, cynicism, from Simon of American Idol fame is popular. We are a tabloid loving society. Howard Stern gets paid millions of dollars to, 'not tone it down.' Dawkins goes for the shock and awe, and shock you will get. He gets affirmation from other atheists who prod him on. Like the 5 year old who wins the approval of his 7 year old brother by one day telling mom to, "Shut up."But does God have for himself another worthy opponent? Dawkins seems to think so judging by the 22 adjective scornful <hl> character <hl> assassination of God at the start of chapter 2. If you pulled that paragraph out of this book and put it in The Satanic Bible it would be a seamless fit. Just like heavy metal album cover art, all things holy, sacred, noble, and true are profaned.Richard can explain away your personnel conversion experience by the science of your brain. It works by electrical pulses and chemical reactions. What you see is only the interpretation of what's there. Therefore your brain can't be trusted, but you can trust his. Exactly. That is why The Bible speaks of the unchanging and eternal. It's a necessary spiritual guide, something we are beggars for without. Why did I not find any Bible quotes that weren't so bent out of shape they were not recognizable? You need a plumb line reading this book to know what straight is, or it might even start to make sense.I thought this was pretty phony. The greatest scientists of yesteryear Newton, Galileo, Kepler, were all religious. Dawkins corrects history by teaching us they believed in God only because they were expected to. They had no other choice. Interesting, he can't bring himself to respect them for their work and discoveries unless he 'deludes' himself into pretending they were closet atheists. As for his scientific peers, the men who hold a belief in God now? "They are looked down upon in baffled amusement." Do you see what I see? In a crowd like that maybe it would be better not to admit to anything. Who needs the grief?He says belief in God is no different than a belief in the tooth fairy. How many people do you know pour there life energy in trying to prove the non-existence of nothing? I wonder if he's convinced himself yet, or if 8 more books are on the way?Richard teaches us belief in God stifles the growth of science, stunts the imagination of children,[Richard's parents took him to church where he got a 'splendid imagination'], anchors us in the dark ages, and should be dropped for the betterment of mankind. I wonder if we could test that theory scientifically? Set up an experiment between two groups of people. Atheist and Christians give them a mammoth scientific achievement as a goal, like walk a man on another planet and bring him back safety. And make it a race.It was called the Apollo program. In the 1960's United States and Russia went head to head in the ultimate scientific, engineering, Olympics of the mind. It was war, a cold war between two ideologies, two world views. The future of mankind no less was at stake.Russia in 1917 systematically abolished all religion, they banned the Bible and made museums of natural history out of the grander churches. Most though, were flattened, 20,000. It was against the law to own a Bible, the church went underground. They believed if they educated the ignorance out of the people the foolishness and superstition handed down from generation to generation would end. A dangerous leap into uncharted waters. They had a whole generation to tweak the system before their show down with Christian America.In the United States more than 90 percent of the population believes in a supernatural being. They have a region called the Bible belt. They are unashamedly evangelical and proud of the fact freedom of religion is the core of all freedoms. Dawkins tells us people of faith have lower IQ's are bigoted, hostile, and out of sync with reality. This should have been no contest for the atheists.Well that challenge was happening 40 years ago. When the lunar program shut down after Russia waved the white flag, the number of men who left their boot prints on the moon was evangelical Christian United States of America 12, Atheistic Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 0.As for everything else human rights, standard of living, freedom of speech, put it this way. Russia built a wall to keep people in. America couldn't keep them out. Greatest military, greatest scientific achievements by miles. Want more proof? Ask God, cannot the one who made the eyes see? cannot the one who formed the ears hear? | I have a new won respect for journalists after reading The God Delusion. Lee Strobel's books,[Case for a Creator; Case for the Real Jesus; Case For Faith] written from the personal professional integrity of that discipline, makes a glaring difference in the believability on this subject. Richard Dawkins is popular the same way the biting criticism, cynicism, from Simon of American Idol fame is popular. We are a tabloid loving society. Howard Stern gets paid millions of dollars to, 'not tone it down.' Dawkins goes for the shock and awe, and shock you will get. He gets affirmation from other atheists who prod him on. Like the 5 year old who wins the approval of his 7 year old brother by one day telling mom to, "Shut up. "But does God have for himself another worthy opponent? <hl> Dawkins seems to think so judging by the 22 adjective scornful character assassination of God at the start of chapter 2. <hl> If you pulled that paragraph out of this book and put it in The Satanic Bible it would be a seamless fit. Just like heavy metal album cover art, all things holy, sacred, noble, and true are profaned. Richard can explain away your personnel conversion experience by the science of your brain. It works by electrical pulses and chemical reactions. What you see is only the interpretation of what's there. Therefore your brain can't be trusted, but you can trust his. Exactly. That is why The Bible speaks of the unchanging and eternal. It's a necessary spiritual guide, something we are beggars for without. Why did I not find any Bible quotes that weren't so bent out of shape they were not recognizable? You need a plumb line reading this book to know what straight is, or it might even start to make sense. I thought this was pretty phony. The greatest scientists of yesteryear Newton, Galileo, Kepler, were all religious. Dawkins corrects history by teaching us they believed in God only because they were expected to. They had no other choice. Interesting, he can't bring himself to respect them for their work and discoveries unless he 'deludes' himself into pretending they were closet atheists. As for his scientific peers, the men who hold a belief in God now? "They are looked down upon in baffled amusement." Do you see what I see? In a crowd like that maybe it would be better not to admit to anything. Who needs the grief?He says belief in God is no different than a belief in the tooth fairy. How many people do you know pour there life energy in trying to prove the non-existence of nothing? I wonder if he's convinced himself yet, or if 8 more books are on the way?Richard teaches us belief in God stifles the growth of science, stunts the imagination of children,[Richard's parents took him to church where he got a 'splendid imagination'], anchors us in the dark ages, and should be dropped for the betterment of mankind. I wonder if we could test that theory scientifically? Set up an experiment between two groups of people. Atheist and Christians give them a mammoth scientific achievement as a goal, like walk a man on another planet and bring him back safety. And make it a race. It was called the Apollo program. In the 1960's United States and Russia went head to head in the ultimate scientific, engineering, Olympics of the mind. It was war, a cold war between two ideologies, two world views. The future of mankind no less was at stake. Russia in 1917 systematically abolished all religion, they banned the Bible and made museums of natural history out of the grander churches. Most though, were flattened, 20,000. It was against the law to own a Bible, the church went underground. They believed if they educated the ignorance out of the people the foolishness and superstition handed down from generation to generation would end. A dangerous leap into uncharted waters. They had a whole generation to tweak the system before their show down with Christian America. In the United States more than 90 percent of the population believes in a supernatural being. They have a region called the Bible belt. They are unashamedly evangelical and proud of the fact freedom of religion is the core of all freedoms. Dawkins tells us people of faith have lower IQ's are bigoted, hostile, and out of sync with reality. This should have been no contest for the atheists. Well that challenge was happening 40 years ago. When the lunar program shut down after Russia waved the white flag, the number of men who left their boot prints on the moon was evangelical Christian United States of America 12, Atheistic Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 0.As for everything else human rights, standard of living, freedom of speech, put it this way. Russia built a wall to keep people in. America couldn't keep them out. Greatest military, greatest scientific achievements by miles. Want more proof? Ask God, cannot the one who made the eyes see? cannot the one who formed the ears hear? | 221087a7899001eefe48a6343758af5b | 5 | 5 | books |
book started off brilliantly and I became totally engaged with the characters and storyline | question: Was the story good?, context: Two reasons that I bought this book:1. I am passionate about art and thoroughly enjoy novels with art as a theme2. This book was marketed as Kindle no1 best seller, but I think marketing has more to do with its success than the actual merits of the bookThe book started off brilliantly and I became totally engaged with the characters and storyline. Her style of writing is very descriptive and interesting going into the psychology of things, but I don't that I would recommend this to my husband to read as this style may be more appealing to a woman's perspective..I will not repeat much of what is said in the many other reviews, but I agree with others that the lengthy book loses momentum towards the end and I was left feeling dissatisfied by the ending.The ending seemed to have been added on as an after thought -almost felt like it had been written by someone else.It was rather a rambling anti-climax and I was left feeling disappointed int he book after having thoroughly enjoyed a large part of the rest of it. Due to my mixed feelings this book will only receive a solid 3. | Was the story good? | This book was marketed as Kindle no1 best seller, but I think marketing has more to do with its success than the actual merits of the bookThe book started off brilliantly and I became totally engaged with the characters and storyline . | Two reasons that I bought this book:1. I am passionate about art and thoroughly enjoy novels with art as a theme2. This book was marketed as Kindle no1 best seller, but I think marketing has more to do with its success than the actual merits of the bookThe book started off brilliantly and I became totally engaged with the characters and storyline. Her style of writing is very descriptive and interesting going into the psychology of things, but I don't that I would recommend this to my husband to read as this style may be more appealing to a woman's perspective..I will not repeat much of what is said in the many other reviews, but I agree with others that the lengthy book loses momentum towards the end and I was left feeling dissatisfied by the ending.The ending seemed to have been added on as an after thought -almost felt like it had been written by someone else.It was rather a rambling anti-climax and I was left feeling disappointed int he book after having thoroughly enjoyed a large part of the rest of it. Due to my mixed feelings this book will only receive a solid 3. | This book was marketed as Kindle no1 best seller, but I think marketing has more to do with its success than the actual merits of the bookThe <hl> book started off brilliantly and I became totally engaged with the characters and storyline <hl> . | Two reasons that I bought this book:1. I am passionate about art and thoroughly enjoy novels with art as a theme2. This book was marketed as Kindle no1 best seller, but I think marketing has more to do with its success than the actual merits of the bookThe <hl> book started off brilliantly and I became totally engaged with the characters and storyline <hl>. Her style of writing is very descriptive and interesting going into the psychology of things, but I don't that I would recommend this to my husband to read as this style may be more appealing to a woman's perspective..I will not repeat much of what is said in the many other reviews, but I agree with others that the lengthy book loses momentum towards the end and I was left feeling dissatisfied by the ending.The ending seemed to have been added on as an after thought -almost felt like it had been written by someone else.It was rather a rambling anti-climax and I was left feeling disappointed int he book after having thoroughly enjoyed a large part of the rest of it. Due to my mixed feelings this book will only receive a solid 3. | Two reasons that I bought this book:1. I am passionate about art and thoroughly enjoy novels with art as a theme2. <hl> This book was marketed as Kindle no1 best seller, but I think marketing has more to do with its success than the actual merits of the bookThe book started off brilliantly and I became totally engaged with the characters and storyline . <hl> Her style of writing is very descriptive and interesting going into the psychology of things, but I don't that I would recommend this to my husband to read as this style may be more appealing to a woman's perspective..I will not repeat much of what is said in the many other reviews, but I agree with others that the lengthy book loses momentum towards the end and I was left feeling dissatisfied by the ending. The ending seemed to have been added on as an after thought -almost felt like it had been written by someone else. It was rather a rambling anti-climax and I was left feeling disappointed int he book after having thoroughly enjoyed a large part of the rest of it. Due to my mixed feelings this book will only receive a solid 3. | bf291599ea9355c085a19288f6320331 | 1 | 1 | books |
their strengths, weaknesses, faults, triumphs, and fears | question: Is pug have his own problem?, context: Have you ever come across a book that is so powerful and so touching you know from the very beginning that it is going to pull you in and keep you there until the very end? It will keep a piece of you when you are finished with it? You will never forget the characters, their strengths, weaknesses, faults, triumphs, and fears? A story that is so real it makes you want to do something greater in your life? One with characters who steal a piece of your heart because their story was so touching? A book that consumed you from the very beginning to the very end and you know that you will never forget the words you read from page 1 until the acknowledgments?Left Drowning is by far hands down the greatest book I have read this year, maybe even ever! Blythe, Christopher (Chris), Sabin, Estelle, Eric, Zach, and James those characters will never be forgotten in my mind. I can clearly close my eyes and picture them and who they are inside. Jessica Park wrote such a beautiful and consuming storyline you can't help but fall in love with all of them. They aren't perfect characters, they all have their demons, their insecurities, their fears but that's what makes them real. They are all so very beautiful even in their imperfections in life. Their story may not be roses and sunshine but it's their story and to me it's beautiful because it's real.--They, and mostly Chris, are saving me. Or teaching me to save myself. He is my port in the storm, and that's why I feel comfortable with what I'm going to do. Chris is going to have to be strong, but I have hope that the story I'm about to tell him will help me, free me even. He is the one person with whom I will remember what I have forgotten. - Left DrowningBlythe and Chris are the main characters in this story. You will learn the all the ugly that happened in Blythe's life and all the beautiful that occurred too. For everything she went through and had to endure I was surprised at how well she survived. She is still missing something, someone and fate will step in and give her what she needs. But what happens when Blythe learns to truth about everything, is it something she can forgive and bounce back from? Or will the past and the truth leave her drowning in depression and loneliness?Chris has seen his fair share of the ugly in the world, growing up without a mother and having to basically take care of his 3 younger siblings, didn't leave him with much time to enjoy his childhood. Growing up he learned to survive the bitterness and the abuse that was placed upon him, but he is only surviving, he isn't living. He lives to take care of Sabin, Estelle, and Eric and will do anything for them to make sure that they have the best life they could have. A chance meeting with Blythe will forever change Chris and the connection between the two is something so strong it can't be explained. When Blythe lets her guard down towards Chris and shows him her demons will he stick by her side and start living or will it prove too much for him to handle and send him running in the opposite direction?"Why does it still hurt so much?" he asks. "Why can't we just move on and deal?"--There is no set pattern to grief, despite what every stupid psych text has told me. There is no time frame that dictates when and how you'll feel and what you feel. You get to deal with hell however, and whenever, it hits you. - Left DrowningAside from Blythe's and Chris' story and accepting and moving on from their pass you will meet the other Shepherd siblings. Estelle is the younger sister of Chris and is a beautiful and free spirited character. She is a believer, when everyone around her has given up any type of faith in God or fate or destiny she holds true to her faith. For me it was almost like her security blanket. Sometimes I felt like she didn't believe in herself so she wanted to hold onto what she did believe in whether everyone else around her thought she was crazy or not.After meeting Blythe you will meet Sabin next. He is a character, honest to a fault, crazy country boy who loves to have fun and loves women! Deep down is a kindhearted and deep soul. Sabin will do whatever he can to put a smile on your face and was such an easy character to fall in love with. Deep down though he is damaged with what he saw growing up and he never learned how to channel those feelings leaving them bottled up inside him until he snaps. Out of all the characters he was like a teddy bear for me, someone I would run to if I had a problem - almost like a big brother!You will also meet James, Blythe's little brother, who attends a different school than Blythe and they don't see much of each other. They have a very complicated and broken relationship due to their past. Guilt and blame is passed between the two and they have never been able to overcome their pasts and have a better relationship. Hopefully over time when secrets are revealed these two can find their way back to each other as brother and sister and be a family again.Eric the other shepherd is Estelle's twin and is such a sweet, shy, and quiet character. He doesn't say much but when he does everyone listens to what he has to say. He is strong and determined. You will be introduced to his boyfriend Zach and the love Zach has for Eric is contagious! They truly are a beautiful couple.The whole Shepherd clan is such a tight knit family! They all attend the same college so they can look after one another and make sure everyone is happy. After learning what they went through as a family growing up they showed me how strong siblings need to be and how you need to stick beside your brothers and sisters no matter what and help them through anything. This is what they do from the very beginning of the story until the very end. They cheer for each other, they suffer heartaches with each other, they love each other with every ounce of their beings and no matter what at the end of the day they only have each other so they don't take anything for granted."You are the great love of my life that I'm never going to have."Okay I want to get back to Chris and Blythe because I will never forget this couple. Everything that they went through before and after they met touched my heart. I was rooting for them from the very beginning. I laughed and I cried. Things went just the way I wanted them to and some things, not so much. There were times when I wanted to hold Blythe's hand and cry with her and then there were times when I wanted to celebrate with her. All anybody ever wants is to be loved but sometimes that type of love can be scary and in some cases it's easier for someone to push that love away instead of embracing it and having it consume them."You said something last night that was completely wrong. I could never touch anyone the way that I touch you. And I will never regret falling in love with you. Don't forget that."And that is how we say good-bye.Jessica Park will have you learning new things about Blythe and Chris until the very end. Their story continues to unravel throughout the entire book. Little by little you will hear their story and learn how one person can endure so much, you will too fall in love with these characters and want them all to get their happily every after. Left Drowning is hands down the best novel I have read this year if not to date. It gave me everything I was wanting in a story. It made me feel and fall in love with the characters and their story. It was deep and meaningful and so different than what I usually read and that was a breath of fresh air. Left Drowning is the first book that I have ever read of Jessica Park and if this is the type of story she is capable of giving us well than I am an instant fan. I don't want to do this book injustice and rate it by stars because for me there aren't enough stars in the sky to give this book and what it meant to me. I read a lot of books and sadly even the ones I enjoyed overtime I tend to forget sometimes the characters names and their story but with this one I don't think I ever will forget the story of Blythe, Chris, Sabin, Estelle, Eric, James, or Zach because their story touched my heart and warmed my soul."I will always be in love with you, even though you'll never love me back. You have been my sanctuary this year. You saved me. Do you know that? You saved me. And I wish that you would let me save you." | Is pug have his own problem? | You will never forget the characters, their strengths, weaknesses, faults, triumphs, and fears ? | Have you ever come across a book that is so powerful and so touching you know from the very beginning that it is going to pull you in and keep you there until the very end? It will keep a piece of you when you are finished with it? You will never forget the characters, their strengths, weaknesses, faults, triumphs, and fears? A story that is so real it makes you want to do something greater in your life? One with characters who steal a piece of your heart because their story was so touching? A book that consumed you from the very beginning to the very end and you know that you will never forget the words you read from page 1 until the acknowledgments?Left Drowning is by far hands down the greatest book I have read this year, maybe even ever! Blythe, Christopher (Chris), Sabin, Estelle, Eric, Zach, and James those characters will never be forgotten in my mind. I can clearly close my eyes and picture them and who they are inside. Jessica Park wrote such a beautiful and consuming storyline you can't help but fall in love with all of them. They aren't perfect characters, they all have their demons, their insecurities, their fears but that's what makes them real. They are all so very beautiful even in their imperfections in life. Their story may not be roses and sunshine but it's their story and to me it's beautiful because it's real.--They, and mostly Chris, are saving me. Or teaching me to save myself. He is my port in the storm, and that's why I feel comfortable with what I'm going to do. Chris is going to have to be strong, but I have hope that the story I'm about to tell him will help me, free me even. He is the one person with whom I will remember what I have forgotten. - Left DrowningBlythe and Chris are the main characters in this story. You will learn the all the ugly that happened in Blythe's life and all the beautiful that occurred too. For everything she went through and had to endure I was surprised at how well she survived. She is still missing something, someone and fate will step in and give her what she needs. But what happens when Blythe learns to truth about everything, is it something she can forgive and bounce back from? Or will the past and the truth leave her drowning in depression and loneliness?Chris has seen his fair share of the ugly in the world, growing up without a mother and having to basically take care of his 3 younger siblings, didn't leave him with much time to enjoy his childhood. Growing up he learned to survive the bitterness and the abuse that was placed upon him, but he is only surviving, he isn't living. He lives to take care of Sabin, Estelle, and Eric and will do anything for them to make sure that they have the best life they could have. A chance meeting with Blythe will forever change Chris and the connection between the two is something so strong it can't be explained. When Blythe lets her guard down towards Chris and shows him her demons will he stick by her side and start living or will it prove too much for him to handle and send him running in the opposite direction?"Why does it still hurt so much?" he asks. "Why can't we just move on and deal?"--There is no set pattern to grief, despite what every stupid psych text has told me. There is no time frame that dictates when and how you'll feel and what you feel. You get to deal with hell however, and whenever, it hits you. - Left DrowningAside from Blythe's and Chris' story and accepting and moving on from their pass you will meet the other Shepherd siblings. Estelle is the younger sister of Chris and is a beautiful and free spirited character. She is a believer, when everyone around her has given up any type of faith in God or fate or destiny she holds true to her faith. For me it was almost like her security blanket. Sometimes I felt like she didn't believe in herself so she wanted to hold onto what she did believe in whether everyone else around her thought she was crazy or not.After meeting Blythe you will meet Sabin next. He is a character, honest to a fault, crazy country boy who loves to have fun and loves women! Deep down is a kindhearted and deep soul. Sabin will do whatever he can to put a smile on your face and was such an easy character to fall in love with. Deep down though he is damaged with what he saw growing up and he never learned how to channel those feelings leaving them bottled up inside him until he snaps. Out of all the characters he was like a teddy bear for me, someone I would run to if I had a problem - almost like a big brother!You will also meet James, Blythe's little brother, who attends a different school than Blythe and they don't see much of each other. They have a very complicated and broken relationship due to their past. Guilt and blame is passed between the two and they have never been able to overcome their pasts and have a better relationship. Hopefully over time when secrets are revealed these two can find their way back to each other as brother and sister and be a family again.Eric the other shepherd is Estelle's twin and is such a sweet, shy, and quiet character. He doesn't say much but when he does everyone listens to what he has to say. He is strong and determined. You will be introduced to his boyfriend Zach and the love Zach has for Eric is contagious! They truly are a beautiful couple.The whole Shepherd clan is such a tight knit family! They all attend the same college so they can look after one another and make sure everyone is happy. After learning what they went through as a family growing up they showed me how strong siblings need to be and how you need to stick beside your brothers and sisters no matter what and help them through anything. This is what they do from the very beginning of the story until the very end. They cheer for each other, they suffer heartaches with each other, they love each other with every ounce of their beings and no matter what at the end of the day they only have each other so they don't take anything for granted."You are the great love of my life that I'm never going to have."Okay I want to get back to Chris and Blythe because I will never forget this couple. Everything that they went through before and after they met touched my heart. I was rooting for them from the very beginning. I laughed and I cried. Things went just the way I wanted them to and some things, not so much. There were times when I wanted to hold Blythe's hand and cry with her and then there were times when I wanted to celebrate with her. All anybody ever wants is to be loved but sometimes that type of love can be scary and in some cases it's easier for someone to push that love away instead of embracing it and having it consume them."You said something last night that was completely wrong. I could never touch anyone the way that I touch you. And I will never regret falling in love with you. Don't forget that."And that is how we say good-bye.Jessica Park will have you learning new things about Blythe and Chris until the very end. Their story continues to unravel throughout the entire book. Little by little you will hear their story and learn how one person can endure so much, you will too fall in love with these characters and want them all to get their happily every after. Left Drowning is hands down the best novel I have read this year if not to date. It gave me everything I was wanting in a story. It made me feel and fall in love with the characters and their story. It was deep and meaningful and so different than what I usually read and that was a breath of fresh air. Left Drowning is the first book that I have ever read of Jessica Park and if this is the type of story she is capable of giving us well than I am an instant fan. I don't want to do this book injustice and rate it by stars because for me there aren't enough stars in the sky to give this book and what it meant to me. I read a lot of books and sadly even the ones I enjoyed overtime I tend to forget sometimes the characters names and their story but with this one I don't think I ever will forget the story of Blythe, Chris, Sabin, Estelle, Eric, James, or Zach because their story touched my heart and warmed my soul."I will always be in love with you, even though you'll never love me back. You have been my sanctuary this year. You saved me. Do you know that? You saved me. And I wish that you would let me save you." | You will never forget the characters, <hl> their strengths, weaknesses, faults, triumphs, and fears <hl> ? | Have you ever come across a book that is so powerful and so touching you know from the very beginning that it is going to pull you in and keep you there until the very end? It will keep a piece of you when you are finished with it? You will never forget the characters, <hl> their strengths, weaknesses, faults, triumphs, and fears <hl>? A story that is so real it makes you want to do something greater in your life? One with characters who steal a piece of your heart because their story was so touching? A book that consumed you from the very beginning to the very end and you know that you will never forget the words you read from page 1 until the acknowledgments?Left Drowning is by far hands down the greatest book I have read this year, maybe even ever! Blythe, Christopher (Chris), Sabin, Estelle, Eric, Zach, and James those characters will never be forgotten in my mind. I can clearly close my eyes and picture them and who they are inside. Jessica Park wrote such a beautiful and consuming storyline you can't help but fall in love with all of them. They aren't perfect characters, they all have their demons, their insecurities, their fears but that's what makes them real. They are all so very beautiful even in their imperfections in life. Their story may not be roses and sunshine but it's their story and to me it's beautiful because it's real.--They, and mostly Chris, are saving me. Or teaching me to save myself. He is my port in the storm, and that's why I feel comfortable with what I'm going to do. Chris is going to have to be strong, but I have hope that the story I'm about to tell him will help me, free me even. He is the one person with whom I will remember what I have forgotten. - Left DrowningBlythe and Chris are the main characters in this story. You will learn the all the ugly that happened in Blythe's life and all the beautiful that occurred too. For everything she went through and had to endure I was surprised at how well she survived. She is still missing something, someone and fate will step in and give her what she needs. But what happens when Blythe learns to truth about everything, is it something she can forgive and bounce back from? Or will the past and the truth leave her drowning in depression and loneliness?Chris has seen his fair share of the ugly in the world, growing up without a mother and having to basically take care of his 3 younger siblings, didn't leave him with much time to enjoy his childhood. Growing up he learned to survive the bitterness and the abuse that was placed upon him, but he is only surviving, he isn't living. He lives to take care of Sabin, Estelle, and Eric and will do anything for them to make sure that they have the best life they could have. A chance meeting with Blythe will forever change Chris and the connection between the two is something so strong it can't be explained. When Blythe lets her guard down towards Chris and shows him her demons will he stick by her side and start living or will it prove too much for him to handle and send him running in the opposite direction?"Why does it still hurt so much?" he asks. "Why can't we just move on and deal?"--There is no set pattern to grief, despite what every stupid psych text has told me. There is no time frame that dictates when and how you'll feel and what you feel. You get to deal with hell however, and whenever, it hits you. - Left DrowningAside from Blythe's and Chris' story and accepting and moving on from their pass you will meet the other Shepherd siblings. Estelle is the younger sister of Chris and is a beautiful and free spirited character. She is a believer, when everyone around her has given up any type of faith in God or fate or destiny she holds true to her faith. For me it was almost like her security blanket. Sometimes I felt like she didn't believe in herself so she wanted to hold onto what she did believe in whether everyone else around her thought she was crazy or not.After meeting Blythe you will meet Sabin next. He is a character, honest to a fault, crazy country boy who loves to have fun and loves women! Deep down is a kindhearted and deep soul. Sabin will do whatever he can to put a smile on your face and was such an easy character to fall in love with. Deep down though he is damaged with what he saw growing up and he never learned how to channel those feelings leaving them bottled up inside him until he snaps. Out of all the characters he was like a teddy bear for me, someone I would run to if I had a problem - almost like a big brother!You will also meet James, Blythe's little brother, who attends a different school than Blythe and they don't see much of each other. They have a very complicated and broken relationship due to their past. Guilt and blame is passed between the two and they have never been able to overcome their pasts and have a better relationship. Hopefully over time when secrets are revealed these two can find their way back to each other as brother and sister and be a family again.Eric the other shepherd is Estelle's twin and is such a sweet, shy, and quiet character. He doesn't say much but when he does everyone listens to what he has to say. He is strong and determined. You will be introduced to his boyfriend Zach and the love Zach has for Eric is contagious! They truly are a beautiful couple.The whole Shepherd clan is such a tight knit family! They all attend the same college so they can look after one another and make sure everyone is happy. After learning what they went through as a family growing up they showed me how strong siblings need to be and how you need to stick beside your brothers and sisters no matter what and help them through anything. This is what they do from the very beginning of the story until the very end. They cheer for each other, they suffer heartaches with each other, they love each other with every ounce of their beings and no matter what at the end of the day they only have each other so they don't take anything for granted."You are the great love of my life that I'm never going to have."Okay I want to get back to Chris and Blythe because I will never forget this couple. Everything that they went through before and after they met touched my heart. I was rooting for them from the very beginning. I laughed and I cried. Things went just the way I wanted them to and some things, not so much. There were times when I wanted to hold Blythe's hand and cry with her and then there were times when I wanted to celebrate with her. All anybody ever wants is to be loved but sometimes that type of love can be scary and in some cases it's easier for someone to push that love away instead of embracing it and having it consume them."You said something last night that was completely wrong. I could never touch anyone the way that I touch you. And I will never regret falling in love with you. Don't forget that."And that is how we say good-bye.Jessica Park will have you learning new things about Blythe and Chris until the very end. Their story continues to unravel throughout the entire book. Little by little you will hear their story and learn how one person can endure so much, you will too fall in love with these characters and want them all to get their happily every after. Left Drowning is hands down the best novel I have read this year if not to date. It gave me everything I was wanting in a story. It made me feel and fall in love with the characters and their story. It was deep and meaningful and so different than what I usually read and that was a breath of fresh air. Left Drowning is the first book that I have ever read of Jessica Park and if this is the type of story she is capable of giving us well than I am an instant fan. I don't want to do this book injustice and rate it by stars because for me there aren't enough stars in the sky to give this book and what it meant to me. I read a lot of books and sadly even the ones I enjoyed overtime I tend to forget sometimes the characters names and their story but with this one I don't think I ever will forget the story of Blythe, Chris, Sabin, Estelle, Eric, James, or Zach because their story touched my heart and warmed my soul."I will always be in love with you, even though you'll never love me back. You have been my sanctuary this year. You saved me. Do you know that? You saved me. And I wish that you would let me save you." | Have you ever come across a book that is so powerful and so touching you know from the very beginning that it is going to pull you in and keep you there until the very end? It will keep a piece of you when you are finished with it? <hl> You will never forget the characters, their strengths, weaknesses, faults, triumphs, and fears ? <hl> A story that is so real it makes you want to do something greater in your life? One with characters who steal a piece of your heart because their story was so touching? A book that consumed you from the very beginning to the very end and you know that you will never forget the words you read from page 1 until the acknowledgments?Left Drowning is by far hands down the greatest book I have read this year, maybe even ever! Blythe, Christopher (Chris), Sabin, Estelle, Eric, Zach, and James those characters will never be forgotten in my mind. I can clearly close my eyes and picture them and who they are inside. Jessica Park wrote such a beautiful and consuming storyline you can't help but fall in love with all of them. They aren't perfect characters, they all have their demons, their insecurities, their fears but that's what makes them real. They are all so very beautiful even in their imperfections in life. Their story may not be roses and sunshine but it's their story and to me it's beautiful because it's real.--They, and mostly Chris, are saving me. Or teaching me to save myself. He is my port in the storm, and that's why I feel comfortable with what I'm going to do. Chris is going to have to be strong, but I have hope that the story I'm about to tell him will help me, free me even. He is the one person with whom I will remember what I have forgotten. - Left DrowningBlythe and Chris are the main characters in this story. You will learn the all the ugly that happened in Blythe's life and all the beautiful that occurred too. For everything she went through and had to endure I was surprised at how well she survived. She is still missing something, someone and fate will step in and give her what she needs. But what happens when Blythe learns to truth about everything, is it something she can forgive and bounce back from? Or will the past and the truth leave her drowning in depression and loneliness?Chris has seen his fair share of the ugly in the world, growing up without a mother and having to basically take care of his 3 younger siblings, didn't leave him with much time to enjoy his childhood. Growing up he learned to survive the bitterness and the abuse that was placed upon him, but he is only surviving, he isn't living. He lives to take care of Sabin, Estelle, and Eric and will do anything for them to make sure that they have the best life they could have. A chance meeting with Blythe will forever change Chris and the connection between the two is something so strong it can't be explained. When Blythe lets her guard down towards Chris and shows him her demons will he stick by her side and start living or will it prove too much for him to handle and send him running in the opposite direction?"Why does it still hurt so much?" he asks. "Why can't we just move on and deal?"--There is no set pattern to grief, despite what every stupid psych text has told me. There is no time frame that dictates when and how you'll feel and what you feel. You get to deal with hell however, and whenever, it hits you. - Left DrowningAside from Blythe's and Chris' story and accepting and moving on from their pass you will meet the other Shepherd siblings. Estelle is the younger sister of Chris and is a beautiful and free spirited character. She is a believer, when everyone around her has given up any type of faith in God or fate or destiny she holds true to her faith. For me it was almost like her security blanket. Sometimes I felt like she didn't believe in herself so she wanted to hold onto what she did believe in whether everyone else around her thought she was crazy or not. After meeting Blythe you will meet Sabin next. He is a character, honest to a fault, crazy country boy who loves to have fun and loves women! Deep down is a kindhearted and deep soul. Sabin will do whatever he can to put a smile on your face and was such an easy character to fall in love with. Deep down though he is damaged with what he saw growing up and he never learned how to channel those feelings leaving them bottled up inside him until he snaps. Out of all the characters he was like a teddy bear for me, someone I would run to if I had a problem - almost like a big brother!You will also meet James, Blythe's little brother, who attends a different school than Blythe and they don't see much of each other. They have a very complicated and broken relationship due to their past. Guilt and blame is passed between the two and they have never been able to overcome their pasts and have a better relationship. Hopefully over time when secrets are revealed these two can find their way back to each other as brother and sister and be a family again. Eric the other shepherd is Estelle's twin and is such a sweet, shy, and quiet character. He doesn't say much but when he does everyone listens to what he has to say. He is strong and determined. You will be introduced to his boyfriend Zach and the love Zach has for Eric is contagious! They truly are a beautiful couple. The whole Shepherd clan is such a tight knit family! They all attend the same college so they can look after one another and make sure everyone is happy. After learning what they went through as a family growing up they showed me how strong siblings need to be and how you need to stick beside your brothers and sisters no matter what and help them through anything. This is what they do from the very beginning of the story until the very end. They cheer for each other, they suffer heartaches with each other, they love each other with every ounce of their beings and no matter what at the end of the day they only have each other so they don't take anything for granted. "You are the great love of my life that I'm never going to have. "Okay I want to get back to Chris and Blythe because I will never forget this couple. Everything that they went through before and after they met touched my heart. I was rooting for them from the very beginning. I laughed and I cried. Things went just the way I wanted them to and some things, not so much. There were times when I wanted to hold Blythe's hand and cry with her and then there were times when I wanted to celebrate with her. All anybody ever wants is to be loved but sometimes that type of love can be scary and in some cases it's easier for someone to push that love away instead of embracing it and having it consume them. "You said something last night that was completely wrong. I could never touch anyone the way that I touch you. And I will never regret falling in love with you. Don't forget that. "And that is how we say good-bye. Jessica Park will have you learning new things about Blythe and Chris until the very end. Their story continues to unravel throughout the entire book. Little by little you will hear their story and learn how one person can endure so much, you will too fall in love with these characters and want them all to get their happily every after. Left Drowning is hands down the best novel I have read this year if not to date. It gave me everything I was wanting in a story. It made me feel and fall in love with the characters and their story. It was deep and meaningful and so different than what I usually read and that was a breath of fresh air. Left Drowning is the first book that I have ever read of Jessica Park and if this is the type of story she is capable of giving us well than I am an instant fan. I don't want to do this book injustice and rate it by stars because for me there aren't enough stars in the sky to give this book and what it meant to me. I read a lot of books and sadly even the ones I enjoyed overtime I tend to forget sometimes the characters names and their story but with this one I don't think I ever will forget the story of Blythe, Chris, Sabin, Estelle, Eric, James, or Zach because their story touched my heart and warmed my soul. "I will always be in love with you, even though you'll never love me back. You have been my sanctuary this year. You saved me. Do you know that? You saved me. And I wish that you would let me save you." | ed35583cd9a4c83894663f8f125ae2f6 | 2 | 2 | books |
good reason, Unbroken by Laura | question: Does this story have depressing stuff in it?, context: For good reason, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand landed on many Best of the Year lists in 2010, including on Mark's. I'm not sure I would have picked this up otherwise; I like World War II books as much as the next guy (if the next guy in question also likes World War II books), but this is focused on one man. And it's 500 pages. I wasn't sure that I was ready to commit.I'm so glad that I did. After a few pages, I knew that I would love this book. Unbroken is the story of Louie Zamperini, a hooligan-turned-Olympic runner-turned-pilot-turned-prisoner of war-turned- unbroken and hopeful man. That's a pretty good one-sentence summary of the book, just in case the publisher is looking for a subtitle for the forthcoming paperback version. I liked Louie instantly; he was a troublemaker tough-guy, but found his escape from his California town by running. Introduced to the sport by his brother, Louie runs in high school, college, and then in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where he met Adolph Hitler.His life changed soon after as the story follows Louie into his new career as an AAC bombardier, until he crashes in the Pacific. Louie and two others survive at sea for over forty days without provisions (with a troubling scene about a lice infestation in his newly grown beard). If the story ended here, it would be a powerful journey. However, it does not. Much of the book is his horrid treatment in several prisoner of war camps in Japan. Just when I thought all the evil happened to Louie, there is a new chapter of horror.The title is perfect to describe Zamperini. This man personifies courage, resilience, and hope in ways I have never seen. There were times I gasped aloud to read his ordeals. The squalor and suffering only provide a backdrop to allow Louie's courage and character to shine brightly.I hesitate to say to much to avoid taking away the suspense as you read it, but allow me to say that Louie continues to sink lower into despondency and hopeless until God intervenes. In literature, it's called deux ex machina; in life, it is called redemption.This book also has much to say about the many Japanese atrocities in World War II, whether it is in prison camps, Pearl Harbor, or Nanking:"The Japanese military surrounded the city of Nanking, stranding more than half a million civilians and 90,000 Chinese soldiers. The soldiers surrendered and, assured of their safety, submitted to being bound. Japanese officers then issued a written order: ALL PRISONERS OF WAR ARE TO BE EXECUTED. What followed was a six-week frenzy of killing that defies articulation. Masses of POWs were beheaded, machine-gunned, bayoneted, and burned alive. The Japanese turned on civilians, engaging in killing contests, raping tens of thousands of people, mutilating and crucifying them, and provoking dogs to maul them. Japanese soldiers took pictures of themselves posing alongside hacked-up bodies, severed heads, and women strapped down for rape. The Japanese press ran tallies of the killing contests as if they were baseball scores, praising the heroism of the contestants. Historians estimate that the Japanese military murdered between 200,000 and 430,000 Chinese, including the 90,000 POWs, in what became known as the Rape of Nanking."This gives a more complete picture of the behavior and the attitudes of Japan, and why Hiroshima and Nagasaki were last resorts. Japan was on par of the atrocities committed by Hitler and Germany, and the two countries had more in common during treatment of people during the war than they differed. This concept certainly is not in our modern psyche. It is accepted (and often applauded) to denigrate Germany, but it is labeled as racist if we criticize Japan.In addition to the highlighting of a great man and as a history lesson, Unbroken is simply excellent prose. Hillenbrand has a poetic style of writing even the cruelest events.Examples:He felt as if he would faint, but it wasn't from the exertion. It was from the realization of what he was.One engine, for reasons known only to the plane, was thirstier than the others, so the gauges had to be watched constantlyThere was one perk to life in the barracks. The bathroom was plastered in girlie pinups, a Sistine Chapel of pornography.But it was good to feel oriented, to know that they were drifting toward land somewhere out there, on the far side of the earth's tilt.Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man's soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it. The loss of it can carry a man off as surely as thirst, hunger, exposure, and asphyxiation, and with greater cruelty. In places like Kwajalein, degradation could be as lethal as a bullet.The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come only when they make their tormentors suffer.Whether or not you are a fan of war accounts, go read this book. Like me, you will be mesmerized with Louie Zamperini for good reason. He is a man who stands above other men, and his story demands to be told. The more like Zamperini we are, the better the world would be. | Does this story have depressing stuff in it? | For good reason, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand landed on many Best of the Year lists in 2010, including on Mark's. | For good reason, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand landed on many Best of the Year lists in 2010, including on Mark's. I'm not sure I would have picked this up otherwise; I like World War II books as much as the next guy (if the next guy in question also likes World War II books), but this is focused on one man. And it's 500 pages. I wasn't sure that I was ready to commit.I'm so glad that I did. After a few pages, I knew that I would love this book. Unbroken is the story of Louie Zamperini, a hooligan-turned-Olympic runner-turned-pilot-turned-prisoner of war-turned- unbroken and hopeful man. That's a pretty good one-sentence summary of the book, just in case the publisher is looking for a subtitle for the forthcoming paperback version. I liked Louie instantly; he was a troublemaker tough-guy, but found his escape from his California town by running. Introduced to the sport by his brother, Louie runs in high school, college, and then in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where he met Adolph Hitler.His life changed soon after as the story follows Louie into his new career as an AAC bombardier, until he crashes in the Pacific. Louie and two others survive at sea for over forty days without provisions (with a troubling scene about a lice infestation in his newly grown beard). If the story ended here, it would be a powerful journey. However, it does not. Much of the book is his horrid treatment in several prisoner of war camps in Japan. Just when I thought all the evil happened to Louie, there is a new chapter of horror.The title is perfect to describe Zamperini. This man personifies courage, resilience, and hope in ways I have never seen. There were times I gasped aloud to read his ordeals. The squalor and suffering only provide a backdrop to allow Louie's courage and character to shine brightly.I hesitate to say to much to avoid taking away the suspense as you read it, but allow me to say that Louie continues to sink lower into despondency and hopeless until God intervenes. In literature, it's called deux ex machina; in life, it is called redemption.This book also has much to say about the many Japanese atrocities in World War II, whether it is in prison camps, Pearl Harbor, or Nanking:"The Japanese military surrounded the city of Nanking, stranding more than half a million civilians and 90,000 Chinese soldiers. The soldiers surrendered and, assured of their safety, submitted to being bound. Japanese officers then issued a written order: ALL PRISONERS OF WAR ARE TO BE EXECUTED. What followed was a six-week frenzy of killing that defies articulation. Masses of POWs were beheaded, machine-gunned, bayoneted, and burned alive. The Japanese turned on civilians, engaging in killing contests, raping tens of thousands of people, mutilating and crucifying them, and provoking dogs to maul them. Japanese soldiers took pictures of themselves posing alongside hacked-up bodies, severed heads, and women strapped down for rape. The Japanese press ran tallies of the killing contests as if they were baseball scores, praising the heroism of the contestants. Historians estimate that the Japanese military murdered between 200,000 and 430,000 Chinese, including the 90,000 POWs, in what became known as the Rape of Nanking."This gives a more complete picture of the behavior and the attitudes of Japan, and why Hiroshima and Nagasaki were last resorts. Japan was on par of the atrocities committed by Hitler and Germany, and the two countries had more in common during treatment of people during the war than they differed. This concept certainly is not in our modern psyche. It is accepted (and often applauded) to denigrate Germany, but it is labeled as racist if we criticize Japan.In addition to the highlighting of a great man and as a history lesson, Unbroken is simply excellent prose. Hillenbrand has a poetic style of writing even the cruelest events.Examples:He felt as if he would faint, but it wasn't from the exertion. It was from the realization of what he was.One engine, for reasons known only to the plane, was thirstier than the others, so the gauges had to be watched constantlyThere was one perk to life in the barracks. The bathroom was plastered in girlie pinups, a Sistine Chapel of pornography.But it was good to feel oriented, to know that they were drifting toward land somewhere out there, on the far side of the earth's tilt.Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man's soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it. The loss of it can carry a man off as surely as thirst, hunger, exposure, and asphyxiation, and with greater cruelty. In places like Kwajalein, degradation could be as lethal as a bullet.The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come only when they make their tormentors suffer.Whether or not you are a fan of war accounts, go read this book. Like me, you will be mesmerized with Louie Zamperini for good reason. He is a man who stands above other men, and his story demands to be told. The more like Zamperini we are, the better the world would be. | For <hl> good reason, Unbroken by Laura <hl> Hillenbrand landed on many Best of the Year lists in 2010, including on Mark's. | For <hl> good reason, Unbroken by Laura <hl> Hillenbrand landed on many Best of the Year lists in 2010, including on Mark's. I'm not sure I would have picked this up otherwise; I like World War II books as much as the next guy (if the next guy in question also likes World War II books), but this is focused on one man. And it's 500 pages. I wasn't sure that I was ready to commit.I'm so glad that I did. After a few pages, I knew that I would love this book. Unbroken is the story of Louie Zamperini, a hooligan-turned-Olympic runner-turned-pilot-turned-prisoner of war-turned- unbroken and hopeful man. That's a pretty good one-sentence summary of the book, just in case the publisher is looking for a subtitle for the forthcoming paperback version. I liked Louie instantly; he was a troublemaker tough-guy, but found his escape from his California town by running. Introduced to the sport by his brother, Louie runs in high school, college, and then in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where he met Adolph Hitler.His life changed soon after as the story follows Louie into his new career as an AAC bombardier, until he crashes in the Pacific. Louie and two others survive at sea for over forty days without provisions (with a troubling scene about a lice infestation in his newly grown beard). If the story ended here, it would be a powerful journey. However, it does not. Much of the book is his horrid treatment in several prisoner of war camps in Japan. Just when I thought all the evil happened to Louie, there is a new chapter of horror.The title is perfect to describe Zamperini. This man personifies courage, resilience, and hope in ways I have never seen. There were times I gasped aloud to read his ordeals. The squalor and suffering only provide a backdrop to allow Louie's courage and character to shine brightly.I hesitate to say to much to avoid taking away the suspense as you read it, but allow me to say that Louie continues to sink lower into despondency and hopeless until God intervenes. In literature, it's called deux ex machina; in life, it is called redemption.This book also has much to say about the many Japanese atrocities in World War II, whether it is in prison camps, Pearl Harbor, or Nanking:"The Japanese military surrounded the city of Nanking, stranding more than half a million civilians and 90,000 Chinese soldiers. The soldiers surrendered and, assured of their safety, submitted to being bound. Japanese officers then issued a written order: ALL PRISONERS OF WAR ARE TO BE EXECUTED. What followed was a six-week frenzy of killing that defies articulation. Masses of POWs were beheaded, machine-gunned, bayoneted, and burned alive. The Japanese turned on civilians, engaging in killing contests, raping tens of thousands of people, mutilating and crucifying them, and provoking dogs to maul them. Japanese soldiers took pictures of themselves posing alongside hacked-up bodies, severed heads, and women strapped down for rape. The Japanese press ran tallies of the killing contests as if they were baseball scores, praising the heroism of the contestants. Historians estimate that the Japanese military murdered between 200,000 and 430,000 Chinese, including the 90,000 POWs, in what became known as the Rape of Nanking."This gives a more complete picture of the behavior and the attitudes of Japan, and why Hiroshima and Nagasaki were last resorts. Japan was on par of the atrocities committed by Hitler and Germany, and the two countries had more in common during treatment of people during the war than they differed. This concept certainly is not in our modern psyche. It is accepted (and often applauded) to denigrate Germany, but it is labeled as racist if we criticize Japan.In addition to the highlighting of a great man and as a history lesson, Unbroken is simply excellent prose. Hillenbrand has a poetic style of writing even the cruelest events.Examples:He felt as if he would faint, but it wasn't from the exertion. It was from the realization of what he was.One engine, for reasons known only to the plane, was thirstier than the others, so the gauges had to be watched constantlyThere was one perk to life in the barracks. The bathroom was plastered in girlie pinups, a Sistine Chapel of pornography.But it was good to feel oriented, to know that they were drifting toward land somewhere out there, on the far side of the earth's tilt.Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man's soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it. The loss of it can carry a man off as surely as thirst, hunger, exposure, and asphyxiation, and with greater cruelty. In places like Kwajalein, degradation could be as lethal as a bullet.The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come only when they make their tormentors suffer.Whether or not you are a fan of war accounts, go read this book. Like me, you will be mesmerized with Louie Zamperini for good reason. He is a man who stands above other men, and his story demands to be told. The more like Zamperini we are, the better the world would be. | <hl> For good reason, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand landed on many Best of the Year lists in 2010, including on Mark's. <hl> I'm not sure I would have picked this up otherwise; I like World War II books as much as the next guy (if the next guy in question also likes World War II books), but this is focused on one man. And it's 500 pages. I wasn't sure that I was ready to commit. I'm so glad that I did. After a few pages, I knew that I would love this book. Unbroken is the story of Louie Zamperini, a hooligan-turned-Olympic runner-turned-pilot-turned-prisoner of war-turned- unbroken and hopeful man. That's a pretty good one-sentence summary of the book, just in case the publisher is looking for a subtitle for the forthcoming paperback version. I liked Louie instantly; he was a troublemaker tough-guy, but found his escape from his California town by running. Introduced to the sport by his brother, Louie runs in high school, college, and then in the 1936 Berlin Olympics where he met Adolph Hitler. His life changed soon after as the story follows Louie into his new career as an AAC bombardier, until he crashes in the Pacific. Louie and two others survive at sea for over forty days without provisions (with a troubling scene about a lice infestation in his newly grown beard). If the story ended here, it would be a powerful journey. However, it does not. Much of the book is his horrid treatment in several prisoner of war camps in Japan. Just when I thought all the evil happened to Louie, there is a new chapter of horror. The title is perfect to describe Zamperini. This man personifies courage, resilience, and hope in ways I have never seen. There were times I gasped aloud to read his ordeals. The squalor and suffering only provide a backdrop to allow Louie's courage and character to shine brightly. I hesitate to say to much to avoid taking away the suspense as you read it, but allow me to say that Louie continues to sink lower into despondency and hopeless until God intervenes. In literature, it's called deux ex machina; in life, it is called redemption. This book also has much to say about the many Japanese atrocities in World War II, whether it is in prison camps, Pearl Harbor, or Nanking:"The Japanese military surrounded the city of Nanking, stranding more than half a million civilians and 90,000 Chinese soldiers. The soldiers surrendered and, assured of their safety, submitted to being bound. Japanese officers then issued a written order: ALL PRISONERS OF WAR ARE TO BE EXECUTED. What followed was a six-week frenzy of killing that defies articulation. Masses of POWs were beheaded, machine-gunned, bayoneted, and burned alive. The Japanese turned on civilians, engaging in killing contests, raping tens of thousands of people, mutilating and crucifying them, and provoking dogs to maul them. Japanese soldiers took pictures of themselves posing alongside hacked-up bodies, severed heads, and women strapped down for rape. The Japanese press ran tallies of the killing contests as if they were baseball scores, praising the heroism of the contestants. Historians estimate that the Japanese military murdered between 200,000 and 430,000 Chinese, including the 90,000 POWs, in what became known as the Rape of Nanking. "This gives a more complete picture of the behavior and the attitudes of Japan, and why Hiroshima and Nagasaki were last resorts. Japan was on par of the atrocities committed by Hitler and Germany, and the two countries had more in common during treatment of people during the war than they differed. This concept certainly is not in our modern psyche. It is accepted (and often applauded) to denigrate Germany, but it is labeled as racist if we criticize Japan. In addition to the highlighting of a great man and as a history lesson, Unbroken is simply excellent prose. Hillenbrand has a poetic style of writing even the cruelest events. Examples:He felt as if he would faint, but it wasn't from the exertion. It was from the realization of what he was. One engine, for reasons known only to the plane, was thirstier than the others, so the gauges had to be watched constantlyThere was one perk to life in the barracks. The bathroom was plastered in girlie pinups, a Sistine Chapel of pornography. But it was good to feel oriented, to know that they were drifting toward land somewhere out there, on the far side of the earth's tilt. Dignity is as essential to human life as water, food, and oxygen. The stubborn retention of it, even in the face of extreme physical hardship, can hold a man's soul in his body long past the point at which the body should have surrendered it. The loss of it can carry a man off as surely as thirst, hunger, exposure, and asphyxiation, and with greater cruelty. In places like Kwajalein, degradation could be as lethal as a bullet. The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come only when they make their tormentors suffer. Whether or not you are a fan of war accounts, go read this book. Like me, you will be mesmerized with Louie Zamperini for good reason. He is a man who stands above other men, and his story demands to be told. The more like Zamperini we are, the better the world would be. | acbeb517047ae2a29d3a221ee29cde59 | 1 | 1 | books |
The story was simply riveting and Katniss was the perfect unwilling heroine | question: Which story is relatable?, context: I could not p put this book down! The story was simply riveting and Katniss was the perfect unwilling heroine. I could relate to her awkwardness, fear, disgust, hatred and sorrow. Her confusion over Peeta is understandable too, but my heart breaks for him because his love is real. I can't wait to start the next book! | Which story is relatable? | I could not p put this book down! The story was simply riveting and Katniss was the perfect unwilling heroine . | I could not p put this book down! The story was simply riveting and Katniss was the perfect unwilling heroine. I could relate to her awkwardness, fear, disgust, hatred and sorrow. Her confusion over Peeta is understandable too, but my heart breaks for him because his love is real. I can't wait to start the next book! | I could not p put this book down! <hl> The story was simply riveting and Katniss was the perfect unwilling heroine <hl> . | I could not p put this book down! <hl> The story was simply riveting and Katniss was the perfect unwilling heroine <hl>. I could relate to her awkwardness, fear, disgust, hatred and sorrow. Her confusion over Peeta is understandable too, but my heart breaks for him because his love is real. I can't wait to start the next book! | <hl> I could not p put this book down! The story was simply riveting and Katniss was the perfect unwilling heroine . <hl> I could relate to her awkwardness, fear, disgust, hatred and sorrow. Her confusion over Peeta is understandable too, but my heart breaks for him because his love is real. I can't wait to start the next book! | 8903d703cd85ccc160032b65dd5b8b55 | 2 | 2 | books |
I loved this book | question: Where is book?, context: First of all, don't get me wrong, I loved this book. But there is a reason I gave it only 3 stars. While I adored Katniss' admiration I couldn't help myself from wanting to slap her sometimes as well. She is so ignorant until about 98 percent of the book about Peeta actually being in love with her. Like come on, really? It was kind of cute at first, but as the book went on it got a tad annoying. I kind of figured Collins does it on purpose and maybe I'll think differently after reading Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Thank god I didn't read this right when it came out and have to wait to start Catching Fire because I was more than dissapointed with the ending. Peeta's justifiably upset and Katniss wishes things were different. While some reviewers found Katniss unrelatable I found her more relatable than ever in this moment. Being so utterly confused and wishing things were different, being in a love triangle. I just really wish it didn't end like that, to me it was a weak ending. Also I could not get over how much this novel reminded me of Lord of the Flies. The thought came into my mind several times throughout this book. Hopefully Catching Fire and Mockingjay blow all my doubts out of the water because I truly did enjoy this fast paced, riveting book. | Where is book? | First of all, don't get me wrong, I loved this book . | First of all, don't get me wrong, I loved this book. But there is a reason I gave it only 3 stars. While I adored Katniss' admiration I couldn't help myself from wanting to slap her sometimes as well. She is so ignorant until about 98 percent of the book about Peeta actually being in love with her. Like come on, really? It was kind of cute at first, but as the book went on it got a tad annoying. I kind of figured Collins does it on purpose and maybe I'll think differently after reading Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Thank god I didn't read this right when it came out and have to wait to start Catching Fire because I was more than dissapointed with the ending. Peeta's justifiably upset and Katniss wishes things were different. While some reviewers found Katniss unrelatable I found her more relatable than ever in this moment. Being so utterly confused and wishing things were different, being in a love triangle. I just really wish it didn't end like that, to me it was a weak ending. Also I could not get over how much this novel reminded me of Lord of the Flies. The thought came into my mind several times throughout this book. Hopefully Catching Fire and Mockingjay blow all my doubts out of the water because I truly did enjoy this fast paced, riveting book. | First of all, don't get me wrong, <hl> I loved this book <hl> . | First of all, don't get me wrong, <hl> I loved this book <hl>. But there is a reason I gave it only 3 stars. While I adored Katniss' admiration I couldn't help myself from wanting to slap her sometimes as well. She is so ignorant until about 98 percent of the book about Peeta actually being in love with her. Like come on, really? It was kind of cute at first, but as the book went on it got a tad annoying. I kind of figured Collins does it on purpose and maybe I'll think differently after reading Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Thank god I didn't read this right when it came out and have to wait to start Catching Fire because I was more than dissapointed with the ending. Peeta's justifiably upset and Katniss wishes things were different. While some reviewers found Katniss unrelatable I found her more relatable than ever in this moment. Being so utterly confused and wishing things were different, being in a love triangle. I just really wish it didn't end like that, to me it was a weak ending. Also I could not get over how much this novel reminded me of Lord of the Flies. The thought came into my mind several times throughout this book. Hopefully Catching Fire and Mockingjay blow all my doubts out of the water because I truly did enjoy this fast paced, riveting book. | <hl> First of all, don't get me wrong, I loved this book . <hl> But there is a reason I gave it only 3 stars. While I adored Katniss' admiration I couldn't help myself from wanting to slap her sometimes as well. She is so ignorant until about 98 percent of the book about Peeta actually being in love with her. Like come on, really? It was kind of cute at first, but as the book went on it got a tad annoying. I kind of figured Collins does it on purpose and maybe I'll think differently after reading Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Thank god I didn't read this right when it came out and have to wait to start Catching Fire because I was more than dissapointed with the ending. Peeta's justifiably upset and Katniss wishes things were different. While some reviewers found Katniss unrelatable I found her more relatable than ever in this moment. Being so utterly confused and wishing things were different, being in a love triangle. I just really wish it didn't end like that, to me it was a weak ending. Also I could not get over how much this novel reminded me of Lord of the Flies. The thought came into my mind several times throughout this book. Hopefully Catching Fire and Mockingjay blow all my doubts out of the water because I truly did enjoy this fast paced, riveting book. | 513a2cc92d12083e4ddbcda17b344c2f | 1 | 1 | books |
Subject matter is difficult | question: How were the words heard?, context: Subject matter is difficult, of course, but through the eyes, heart, and mind of a an adolescent girl, this book is beautifully and hauntingly written. It is crucial that we truly know this truth of our humanity and history. | How were the words heard? | Subject matter is difficult , of course, but through the eyes, heart, and mind of a an adolescent girl, this book is beautifully and hauntingly written. | Subject matter is difficult, of course, but through the eyes, heart, and mind of a an adolescent girl, this book is beautifully and hauntingly written. It is crucial that we truly know this truth of our humanity and history. | <hl> Subject matter is difficult <hl> , of course, but through the eyes, heart, and mind of a an adolescent girl, this book is beautifully and hauntingly written. | <hl> Subject matter is difficult <hl>, of course, but through the eyes, heart, and mind of a an adolescent girl, this book is beautifully and hauntingly written. It is crucial that we truly know this truth of our humanity and history. | <hl> Subject matter is difficult , of course, but through the eyes, heart, and mind of a an adolescent girl, this book is beautifully and hauntingly written. <hl> It is crucial that we truly know this truth of our humanity and history. | f70c18eafd338bba19236534e63da04c | 1 | 1 | books |
deserving of the royalties garnered through the film adaptation of their work | question: What is the purpose to write this book?, context: Is there a point to reviewing this title? I mean really. It's almost like reviewing Lord of the Rings. Not to imply that Collins is the next Tolkien or anything. Far from it. My point it that as of penning this commentary there are more than seventy seven thousand reviews posted to Goodreads alone. Composing anything more doesn't serve much a purpose. Oh well, I review for my own amusement so let's get on with it, shall we?Collins can thank a good friend of mine for yet another five star review. Not literally of course. Having a blockbuster movie to her credit, I'm sure Collins is long past reading individual reviews. I should probably give Superman a shout out though. Without his recommendation I never would have bothered with the book in the first place. The Hunger Games first came to my attention via Goodreads and let's just say the tween hype surrounding the book was a major turn off. Much like Twilight, the book started showing up everywhere, relevant to the discussion at hand or not. I made a snap judgment and pretty much avoided the title like the plague. Then I received this recommendation. Ordinarily I would check out the blurb, debate if I was in the mood for the genre, probably browse a review or two, but I have a few friends with infallible taste in lit. They tell me I should read something and without a moment of hesitation, I track down a copy. As usual, his taste was spot on.Now I recently reviewed Susan Ee's Angelfall and I have to say, I enjoyed Katniss Everdeen for many of the same reasons I enjoyed Penryn Young. It is true, she has a certain aptitude for the bow but her talents are born out of a need to survive. She isn't perfection personified, the fantasy of every male comes in contact with or unusually gifted as say Bella Swan, Rory Deveaux, or Tessa Grey. Yes, I am that shallow. I pointed fingers and named names, but don't jump down my throat just yet. There isn't anything wrong with these heroines. I simply prefer the strength of character Collins features in Katniss as opposed to the inherent exceptional abilities of her counterparts.Moving on. For those who don't follow my reviews, I pretty much gave up on the Infernal Devices trilogy because I am sick to death of what has become a staple of young adult lit: the love triangle. Well, that and Clare's obvious obsession with Will's blue eyes but that is another story entirely. That in mind, Collins has me eating crow. I can hardly believe that in less than a month I am turning around and admitting I was wrong. Does this make me a hypocrite? Probably. Do I care? Not particularly. Why not? I'm so happy you asked.Gale and Peeta aren't engaged in a pissing match over a hopelessly smitten heroine who is all but begging to rip off her clothes. Collins, unlike some other authors, opts instead for a more conservative approach to teenage romance. Her heroine, Katniss, is conflicted but at this point in the game, she doesn't know how she feels about either boy. She has a relationship with Gale, but as yet, he has made no move to indicate a romantic interest and though she has no established relationship with Peeta prior to the Reaping, he declared his feelings quite plainly on live television. That's pretty much it. Now, I think it is obvious Collins intends to develop the idea in the following installments but she doesn't allow it to overshadow the rest of the piece and for that reason, and that reason I am willing to let the issue slide.So if The Hunger Games isn't mired is a sea of melodramatic drivel, what does Collins spend twenty nine chapters writing about? To be perfectly frank, she takes the road less traveled and offers up an honest to God, solidly constructed, fast-paced, hang on to your butts cause you wont believe what happens next, page turning piece of fiction. I wont go into the details. I'd end up spoiling something for the those few individuals who haven't yet jumped on The Hunger Games bandwagon. Suffice it to say that this is one of the few occasions I believe the author deserving of the royalties garnered through the film adaptation of their work.Generally speaking I like to add a note of criticism to my reviews, but in regards to The Hunger Games, I got nothing. Either I never identified an issue or I was so blown away by the story that I completely forgot I had one. Collins, I tip my hat to you. | What is the purpose to write this book? | Suffice it to say that this is one of the few occasions I believe the author deserving of the royalties garnered through the film adaptation of their work .Generally speaking I like to add a note of criticism to my reviews, but in regards to The Hunger Games, I got nothing. | Is there a point to reviewing this title? I mean really. It's almost like reviewing Lord of the Rings. Not to imply that Collins is the next Tolkien or anything. Far from it. My point it that as of penning this commentary there are more than seventy seven thousand reviews posted to Goodreads alone. Composing anything more doesn't serve much a purpose. Oh well, I review for my own amusement so let's get on with it, shall we?Collins can thank a good friend of mine for yet another five star review. Not literally of course. Having a blockbuster movie to her credit, I'm sure Collins is long past reading individual reviews. I should probably give Superman a shout out though. Without his recommendation I never would have bothered with the book in the first place. The Hunger Games first came to my attention via Goodreads and let's just say the tween hype surrounding the book was a major turn off. Much like Twilight, the book started showing up everywhere, relevant to the discussion at hand or not. I made a snap judgment and pretty much avoided the title like the plague. Then I received this recommendation. Ordinarily I would check out the blurb, debate if I was in the mood for the genre, probably browse a review or two, but I have a few friends with infallible taste in lit. They tell me I should read something and without a moment of hesitation, I track down a copy. As usual, his taste was spot on.Now I recently reviewed Susan Ee's Angelfall and I have to say, I enjoyed Katniss Everdeen for many of the same reasons I enjoyed Penryn Young. It is true, she has a certain aptitude for the bow but her talents are born out of a need to survive. She isn't perfection personified, the fantasy of every male comes in contact with or unusually gifted as say Bella Swan, Rory Deveaux, or Tessa Grey. Yes, I am that shallow. I pointed fingers and named names, but don't jump down my throat just yet. There isn't anything wrong with these heroines. I simply prefer the strength of character Collins features in Katniss as opposed to the inherent exceptional abilities of her counterparts.Moving on. For those who don't follow my reviews, I pretty much gave up on the Infernal Devices trilogy because I am sick to death of what has become a staple of young adult lit: the love triangle. Well, that and Clare's obvious obsession with Will's blue eyes but that is another story entirely. That in mind, Collins has me eating crow. I can hardly believe that in less than a month I am turning around and admitting I was wrong. Does this make me a hypocrite? Probably. Do I care? Not particularly. Why not? I'm so happy you asked.Gale and Peeta aren't engaged in a pissing match over a hopelessly smitten heroine who is all but begging to rip off her clothes. Collins, unlike some other authors, opts instead for a more conservative approach to teenage romance. Her heroine, Katniss, is conflicted but at this point in the game, she doesn't know how she feels about either boy. She has a relationship with Gale, but as yet, he has made no move to indicate a romantic interest and though she has no established relationship with Peeta prior to the Reaping, he declared his feelings quite plainly on live television. That's pretty much it. Now, I think it is obvious Collins intends to develop the idea in the following installments but she doesn't allow it to overshadow the rest of the piece and for that reason, and that reason I am willing to let the issue slide.So if The Hunger Games isn't mired is a sea of melodramatic drivel, what does Collins spend twenty nine chapters writing about? To be perfectly frank, she takes the road less traveled and offers up an honest to God, solidly constructed, fast-paced, hang on to your butts cause you wont believe what happens next, page turning piece of fiction. I wont go into the details. I'd end up spoiling something for the those few individuals who haven't yet jumped on The Hunger Games bandwagon. Suffice it to say that this is one of the few occasions I believe the author deserving of the royalties garnered through the film adaptation of their work.Generally speaking I like to add a note of criticism to my reviews, but in regards to The Hunger Games, I got nothing. Either I never identified an issue or I was so blown away by the story that I completely forgot I had one. Collins, I tip my hat to you. | Suffice it to say that this is one of the few occasions I believe the author <hl> deserving of the royalties garnered through the film adaptation of their work <hl> .Generally speaking I like to add a note of criticism to my reviews, but in regards to The Hunger Games, I got nothing. | Is there a point to reviewing this title? I mean really. It's almost like reviewing Lord of the Rings. Not to imply that Collins is the next Tolkien or anything. Far from it. My point it that as of penning this commentary there are more than seventy seven thousand reviews posted to Goodreads alone. Composing anything more doesn't serve much a purpose. Oh well, I review for my own amusement so let's get on with it, shall we?Collins can thank a good friend of mine for yet another five star review. Not literally of course. Having a blockbuster movie to her credit, I'm sure Collins is long past reading individual reviews. I should probably give Superman a shout out though. Without his recommendation I never would have bothered with the book in the first place. The Hunger Games first came to my attention via Goodreads and let's just say the tween hype surrounding the book was a major turn off. Much like Twilight, the book started showing up everywhere, relevant to the discussion at hand or not. I made a snap judgment and pretty much avoided the title like the plague. Then I received this recommendation. Ordinarily I would check out the blurb, debate if I was in the mood for the genre, probably browse a review or two, but I have a few friends with infallible taste in lit. They tell me I should read something and without a moment of hesitation, I track down a copy. As usual, his taste was spot on.Now I recently reviewed Susan Ee's Angelfall and I have to say, I enjoyed Katniss Everdeen for many of the same reasons I enjoyed Penryn Young. It is true, she has a certain aptitude for the bow but her talents are born out of a need to survive. She isn't perfection personified, the fantasy of every male comes in contact with or unusually gifted as say Bella Swan, Rory Deveaux, or Tessa Grey. Yes, I am that shallow. I pointed fingers and named names, but don't jump down my throat just yet. There isn't anything wrong with these heroines. I simply prefer the strength of character Collins features in Katniss as opposed to the inherent exceptional abilities of her counterparts.Moving on. For those who don't follow my reviews, I pretty much gave up on the Infernal Devices trilogy because I am sick to death of what has become a staple of young adult lit: the love triangle. Well, that and Clare's obvious obsession with Will's blue eyes but that is another story entirely. That in mind, Collins has me eating crow. I can hardly believe that in less than a month I am turning around and admitting I was wrong. Does this make me a hypocrite? Probably. Do I care? Not particularly. Why not? I'm so happy you asked.Gale and Peeta aren't engaged in a pissing match over a hopelessly smitten heroine who is all but begging to rip off her clothes. Collins, unlike some other authors, opts instead for a more conservative approach to teenage romance. Her heroine, Katniss, is conflicted but at this point in the game, she doesn't know how she feels about either boy. She has a relationship with Gale, but as yet, he has made no move to indicate a romantic interest and though she has no established relationship with Peeta prior to the Reaping, he declared his feelings quite plainly on live television. That's pretty much it. Now, I think it is obvious Collins intends to develop the idea in the following installments but she doesn't allow it to overshadow the rest of the piece and for that reason, and that reason I am willing to let the issue slide.So if The Hunger Games isn't mired is a sea of melodramatic drivel, what does Collins spend twenty nine chapters writing about? To be perfectly frank, she takes the road less traveled and offers up an honest to God, solidly constructed, fast-paced, hang on to your butts cause you wont believe what happens next, page turning piece of fiction. I wont go into the details. I'd end up spoiling something for the those few individuals who haven't yet jumped on The Hunger Games bandwagon. Suffice it to say that this is one of the few occasions I believe the author <hl> deserving of the royalties garnered through the film adaptation of their work <hl>.Generally speaking I like to add a note of criticism to my reviews, but in regards to The Hunger Games, I got nothing. Either I never identified an issue or I was so blown away by the story that I completely forgot I had one. Collins, I tip my hat to you. | Is there a point to reviewing this title? I mean really. It's almost like reviewing Lord of the Rings. Not to imply that Collins is the next Tolkien or anything. Far from it. My point it that as of penning this commentary there are more than seventy seven thousand reviews posted to Goodreads alone. Composing anything more doesn't serve much a purpose. Oh well, I review for my own amusement so let's get on with it, shall we?Collins can thank a good friend of mine for yet another five star review. Not literally of course. Having a blockbuster movie to her credit, I'm sure Collins is long past reading individual reviews. I should probably give Superman a shout out though. Without his recommendation I never would have bothered with the book in the first place. The Hunger Games first came to my attention via Goodreads and let's just say the tween hype surrounding the book was a major turn off. Much like Twilight, the book started showing up everywhere, relevant to the discussion at hand or not. I made a snap judgment and pretty much avoided the title like the plague. Then I received this recommendation. Ordinarily I would check out the blurb, debate if I was in the mood for the genre, probably browse a review or two, but I have a few friends with infallible taste in lit. They tell me I should read something and without a moment of hesitation, I track down a copy. As usual, his taste was spot on. Now I recently reviewed Susan Ee's Angelfall and I have to say, I enjoyed Katniss Everdeen for many of the same reasons I enjoyed Penryn Young. It is true, she has a certain aptitude for the bow but her talents are born out of a need to survive. She isn't perfection personified, the fantasy of every male comes in contact with or unusually gifted as say Bella Swan, Rory Deveaux, or Tessa Grey. Yes, I am that shallow. I pointed fingers and named names, but don't jump down my throat just yet. There isn't anything wrong with these heroines. I simply prefer the strength of character Collins features in Katniss as opposed to the inherent exceptional abilities of her counterparts. Moving on. For those who don't follow my reviews, I pretty much gave up on the Infernal Devices trilogy because I am sick to death of what has become a staple of young adult lit: the love triangle. Well, that and Clare's obvious obsession with Will's blue eyes but that is another story entirely. That in mind, Collins has me eating crow. I can hardly believe that in less than a month I am turning around and admitting I was wrong. Does this make me a hypocrite? Probably. Do I care? Not particularly. Why not? I'm so happy you asked. Gale and Peeta aren't engaged in a pissing match over a hopelessly smitten heroine who is all but begging to rip off her clothes. Collins, unlike some other authors, opts instead for a more conservative approach to teenage romance. Her heroine, Katniss, is conflicted but at this point in the game, she doesn't know how she feels about either boy. She has a relationship with Gale, but as yet, he has made no move to indicate a romantic interest and though she has no established relationship with Peeta prior to the Reaping, he declared his feelings quite plainly on live television. That's pretty much it. Now, I think it is obvious Collins intends to develop the idea in the following installments but she doesn't allow it to overshadow the rest of the piece and for that reason, and that reason I am willing to let the issue slide. So if The Hunger Games isn't mired is a sea of melodramatic drivel, what does Collins spend twenty nine chapters writing about? To be perfectly frank, she takes the road less traveled and offers up an honest to God, solidly constructed, fast-paced, hang on to your butts cause you wont believe what happens next, page turning piece of fiction. I wont go into the details. I'd end up spoiling something for the those few individuals who haven't yet jumped on The Hunger Games bandwagon. <hl> Suffice it to say that this is one of the few occasions I believe the author deserving of the royalties garnered through the film adaptation of their work .Generally speaking I like to add a note of criticism to my reviews, but in regards to The Hunger Games, I got nothing. <hl> Either I never identified an issue or I was so blown away by the story that I completely forgot I had one. Collins, I tip my hat to you. | c45931548692c49efe3ae994dfd4ffb6 | 2 | 2 | books |
The story is highly suspenseful, sometimes complicated, and occasionally gruesome and disgusting | question: How is story?, context: The late Swedish writer Stieg Larsson's brilliant THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was originally titled the equivalent of "Men Who Hate Women," and if the Swedish version was more prosaic, it better captured the overall theme of this superb mystery novel. The story is highly suspenseful, sometimes complicated, and occasionally gruesome and disgusting. In short, the author succeeded in creating an entertaining and intelligent novel that is also very, very blunt in its revulsion of misogyny.There are three threads to this first novel in Larsson's Millennium Trilogy. The first two threads, which become tightly woven together but which never become a single strand, center on the two main characters, the star financial investigative journalist, Mikhael Blomkvist, and the brilliant if anti-social hacker and private investigator, Lisbeth Salander. The Blomkvist thread, which, to mix a metaphor, serves as bookends to the novel, concerns Blomkvist's attempts to expose a corrupt industrialist named Hans-Erik Wennerström. The Salander thread stitches together the recurring misogyny motif: unjustly declared insane as a child, Salander had lived in a psychiatric asylum until released as an adult under the legal supervision of a court-appointed guardian. After her first, benign guardian passes away from a stroke, Salander is assigned to Nils Bjurman, a socially respectable but privately sadistic man who rapes her. What guides her subsequent actions--and this is another repeating theme in the novel--is something that was taught to her by her first guardian, "that every action has its consequences." The third thread, which makes up the greater part of the material of the novel, is a stunningly well executed murder mystery concerning a prominent family headed by the industrialist Henrik Vanger.To tackle misogyny, Larsson creates in Salander a kind of super-hero. Most of the principal players in this story are realistically depicted (well, there's the matter of at-the-drop-of-a-hat sex, which we'll get to in a moment). The character of Blomkvist, for instance, who might well be the journalist author's alter ego, is completely believable--he is naturally drawn. You want to believe in Salander, too, but you do so like you want to believe in Superman: someone you can trust will bust the bad guys. Salander knows how to hurt bad men so they don't hurt back. But as fascinating as she is--her tattoos, piercings, and other emblems of an independent spirit endear you to her--she's almost too good to be true. Salander's not invincible--she has her own Kryptonite vulnerabilities--but she's hyper-real. It's to Larsson's credit that the reader buys into her all the same.Perhaps not surprising is that sex plays a prominent role in a book with a misogyny theme. But it's not all or even predominantly in the context of violence against women. Neither is it ever in the context of traditional relationships. Both Blomkvist and Salander engage in numerous trysts, with each other and with others, but always with friends and acquaintances not with committed lovers, per se. The sex doesn't seem particularly joyful. What are these frequent sexual episodes? Do they simply reflect Larsson's version of the world, or do they convey a deeper meaning? Is it that the world is so painful or mortality so depressing that sex serves as a drug to forget the mundane? It's not clear. But with the contrast of sex in different contexts in this novel the question seems to hang in the air.THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is a terrific novel. The fact that it is currently a very popular book (the cover has been ubiquitous in Christmas advertisements) just goes to show that sometimes the public gets it right. Assuming, of course, that people are reading it.(The audio book version works very well. Simon Vance does a fine job narrating the story. His vocalizations of the many Swedish characters are uneven; Dragan Armansky, Salander's boss at Milton Security, for instance, sounds like Count Dracula. Actually, more like Count Chocula. Anyway, you get my drift. For most of the other Swedes Vance assumes various versions of a British or "European" English accent. It's not too distracting, though. Vance's craftsmanship overall is solid.) | How is story? | The story is highly suspenseful, sometimes complicated, and occasionally gruesome and disgusting . | The late Swedish writer Stieg Larsson's brilliant THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was originally titled the equivalent of "Men Who Hate Women," and if the Swedish version was more prosaic, it better captured the overall theme of this superb mystery novel. The story is highly suspenseful, sometimes complicated, and occasionally gruesome and disgusting. In short, the author succeeded in creating an entertaining and intelligent novel that is also very, very blunt in its revulsion of misogyny.There are three threads to this first novel in Larsson's Millennium Trilogy. The first two threads, which become tightly woven together but which never become a single strand, center on the two main characters, the star financial investigative journalist, Mikhael Blomkvist, and the brilliant if anti-social hacker and private investigator, Lisbeth Salander. The Blomkvist thread, which, to mix a metaphor, serves as bookends to the novel, concerns Blomkvist's attempts to expose a corrupt industrialist named Hans-Erik Wennerström. The Salander thread stitches together the recurring misogyny motif: unjustly declared insane as a child, Salander had lived in a psychiatric asylum until released as an adult under the legal supervision of a court-appointed guardian. After her first, benign guardian passes away from a stroke, Salander is assigned to Nils Bjurman, a socially respectable but privately sadistic man who rapes her. What guides her subsequent actions--and this is another repeating theme in the novel--is something that was taught to her by her first guardian, "that every action has its consequences." The third thread, which makes up the greater part of the material of the novel, is a stunningly well executed murder mystery concerning a prominent family headed by the industrialist Henrik Vanger.To tackle misogyny, Larsson creates in Salander a kind of super-hero. Most of the principal players in this story are realistically depicted (well, there's the matter of at-the-drop-of-a-hat sex, which we'll get to in a moment). The character of Blomkvist, for instance, who might well be the journalist author's alter ego, is completely believable--he is naturally drawn. You want to believe in Salander, too, but you do so like you want to believe in Superman: someone you can trust will bust the bad guys. Salander knows how to hurt bad men so they don't hurt back. But as fascinating as she is--her tattoos, piercings, and other emblems of an independent spirit endear you to her--she's almost too good to be true. Salander's not invincible--she has her own Kryptonite vulnerabilities--but she's hyper-real. It's to Larsson's credit that the reader buys into her all the same.Perhaps not surprising is that sex plays a prominent role in a book with a misogyny theme. But it's not all or even predominantly in the context of violence against women. Neither is it ever in the context of traditional relationships. Both Blomkvist and Salander engage in numerous trysts, with each other and with others, but always with friends and acquaintances not with committed lovers, per se. The sex doesn't seem particularly joyful. What are these frequent sexual episodes? Do they simply reflect Larsson's version of the world, or do they convey a deeper meaning? Is it that the world is so painful or mortality so depressing that sex serves as a drug to forget the mundane? It's not clear. But with the contrast of sex in different contexts in this novel the question seems to hang in the air.THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is a terrific novel. The fact that it is currently a very popular book (the cover has been ubiquitous in Christmas advertisements) just goes to show that sometimes the public gets it right. Assuming, of course, that people are reading it.(The audio book version works very well. Simon Vance does a fine job narrating the story. His vocalizations of the many Swedish characters are uneven; Dragan Armansky, Salander's boss at Milton Security, for instance, sounds like Count Dracula. Actually, more like Count Chocula. Anyway, you get my drift. For most of the other Swedes Vance assumes various versions of a British or "European" English accent. It's not too distracting, though. Vance's craftsmanship overall is solid.) | <hl> The story is highly suspenseful, sometimes complicated, and occasionally gruesome and disgusting <hl> . | The late Swedish writer Stieg Larsson's brilliant THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was originally titled the equivalent of "Men Who Hate Women," and if the Swedish version was more prosaic, it better captured the overall theme of this superb mystery novel. <hl> The story is highly suspenseful, sometimes complicated, and occasionally gruesome and disgusting <hl>. In short, the author succeeded in creating an entertaining and intelligent novel that is also very, very blunt in its revulsion of misogyny.There are three threads to this first novel in Larsson's Millennium Trilogy. The first two threads, which become tightly woven together but which never become a single strand, center on the two main characters, the star financial investigative journalist, Mikhael Blomkvist, and the brilliant if anti-social hacker and private investigator, Lisbeth Salander. The Blomkvist thread, which, to mix a metaphor, serves as bookends to the novel, concerns Blomkvist's attempts to expose a corrupt industrialist named Hans-Erik Wennerström. The Salander thread stitches together the recurring misogyny motif: unjustly declared insane as a child, Salander had lived in a psychiatric asylum until released as an adult under the legal supervision of a court-appointed guardian. After her first, benign guardian passes away from a stroke, Salander is assigned to Nils Bjurman, a socially respectable but privately sadistic man who rapes her. What guides her subsequent actions--and this is another repeating theme in the novel--is something that was taught to her by her first guardian, "that every action has its consequences." The third thread, which makes up the greater part of the material of the novel, is a stunningly well executed murder mystery concerning a prominent family headed by the industrialist Henrik Vanger.To tackle misogyny, Larsson creates in Salander a kind of super-hero. Most of the principal players in this story are realistically depicted (well, there's the matter of at-the-drop-of-a-hat sex, which we'll get to in a moment). The character of Blomkvist, for instance, who might well be the journalist author's alter ego, is completely believable--he is naturally drawn. You want to believe in Salander, too, but you do so like you want to believe in Superman: someone you can trust will bust the bad guys. Salander knows how to hurt bad men so they don't hurt back. But as fascinating as she is--her tattoos, piercings, and other emblems of an independent spirit endear you to her--she's almost too good to be true. Salander's not invincible--she has her own Kryptonite vulnerabilities--but she's hyper-real. It's to Larsson's credit that the reader buys into her all the same.Perhaps not surprising is that sex plays a prominent role in a book with a misogyny theme. But it's not all or even predominantly in the context of violence against women. Neither is it ever in the context of traditional relationships. Both Blomkvist and Salander engage in numerous trysts, with each other and with others, but always with friends and acquaintances not with committed lovers, per se. The sex doesn't seem particularly joyful. What are these frequent sexual episodes? Do they simply reflect Larsson's version of the world, or do they convey a deeper meaning? Is it that the world is so painful or mortality so depressing that sex serves as a drug to forget the mundane? It's not clear. But with the contrast of sex in different contexts in this novel the question seems to hang in the air.THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is a terrific novel. The fact that it is currently a very popular book (the cover has been ubiquitous in Christmas advertisements) just goes to show that sometimes the public gets it right. Assuming, of course, that people are reading it.(The audio book version works very well. Simon Vance does a fine job narrating the story. His vocalizations of the many Swedish characters are uneven; Dragan Armansky, Salander's boss at Milton Security, for instance, sounds like Count Dracula. Actually, more like Count Chocula. Anyway, you get my drift. For most of the other Swedes Vance assumes various versions of a British or "European" English accent. It's not too distracting, though. Vance's craftsmanship overall is solid.) | The late Swedish writer Stieg Larsson's brilliant THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO was originally titled the equivalent of "Men Who Hate Women," and if the Swedish version was more prosaic, it better captured the overall theme of this superb mystery novel. <hl> The story is highly suspenseful, sometimes complicated, and occasionally gruesome and disgusting . <hl> In short, the author succeeded in creating an entertaining and intelligent novel that is also very, very blunt in its revulsion of misogyny. There are three threads to this first novel in Larsson's Millennium Trilogy. The first two threads, which become tightly woven together but which never become a single strand, center on the two main characters, the star financial investigative journalist, Mikhael Blomkvist, and the brilliant if anti-social hacker and private investigator, Lisbeth Salander. The Blomkvist thread, which, to mix a metaphor, serves as bookends to the novel, concerns Blomkvist's attempts to expose a corrupt industrialist named Hans-Erik Wennerström. The Salander thread stitches together the recurring misogyny motif: unjustly declared insane as a child, Salander had lived in a psychiatric asylum until released as an adult under the legal supervision of a court-appointed guardian. After her first, benign guardian passes away from a stroke, Salander is assigned to Nils Bjurman, a socially respectable but privately sadistic man who rapes her. What guides her subsequent actions--and this is another repeating theme in the novel--is something that was taught to her by her first guardian, "that every action has its consequences." The third thread, which makes up the greater part of the material of the novel, is a stunningly well executed murder mystery concerning a prominent family headed by the industrialist Henrik Vanger. To tackle misogyny, Larsson creates in Salander a kind of super-hero. Most of the principal players in this story are realistically depicted (well, there's the matter of at-the-drop-of-a-hat sex, which we'll get to in a moment). The character of Blomkvist, for instance, who might well be the journalist author's alter ego, is completely believable--he is naturally drawn. You want to believe in Salander, too, but you do so like you want to believe in Superman: someone you can trust will bust the bad guys. Salander knows how to hurt bad men so they don't hurt back. But as fascinating as she is--her tattoos, piercings, and other emblems of an independent spirit endear you to her--she's almost too good to be true. Salander's not invincible--she has her own Kryptonite vulnerabilities--but she's hyper-real. It's to Larsson's credit that the reader buys into her all the same. Perhaps not surprising is that sex plays a prominent role in a book with a misogyny theme. But it's not all or even predominantly in the context of violence against women. Neither is it ever in the context of traditional relationships. Both Blomkvist and Salander engage in numerous trysts, with each other and with others, but always with friends and acquaintances not with committed lovers, per se. The sex doesn't seem particularly joyful. What are these frequent sexual episodes? Do they simply reflect Larsson's version of the world, or do they convey a deeper meaning? Is it that the world is so painful or mortality so depressing that sex serves as a drug to forget the mundane? It's not clear. But with the contrast of sex in different contexts in this novel the question seems to hang in the air. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO is a terrific novel. The fact that it is currently a very popular book (the cover has been ubiquitous in Christmas advertisements) just goes to show that sometimes the public gets it right. Assuming, of course, that people are reading it.(The audio book version works very well. Simon Vance does a fine job narrating the story. His vocalizations of the many Swedish characters are uneven; Dragan Armansky, Salander's boss at Milton Security, for instance, sounds like Count Dracula. Actually, more like Count Chocula. Anyway, you get my drift. For most of the other Swedes Vance assumes various versions of a British or "European" English accent. It's not too distracting, though. Vance's craftsmanship overall is solid.) | 3b250e4841ce4b93a38a61e0ac924d80 | 1 | 1 | books |
The advice is very practical and accurate!You | question: How did you like the advice?, context: We had twins at the beginning of March 2014. We would have been in serious trouble coping with our twins if we did not read this book before the twins were delivered. The advice is very practical and accurate!You will keep your baby(ies) happy, keep your sanity and be able to enjoy and appreciate your baby by following the information and techniques in the book.The book is a quick read...In fact, I read it during the labor process before the babies were born.I would recommend getting the DVD/borrowing the DVD to see the techniques demonstrated before the babies arrive. It will really make it much easier -- Swaddling is not the most obvious thing to do with a blanket and get it right. But, you really need to do this well or your baby is not going to be happy or be able to sleep much.This would be a great baby shower gift! | How did you like the advice? | The advice is very practical and accurate!You will keep your baby(ies) happy, keep your sanity and be able to enjoy and appreciate your baby by following the information and techniques in the book. | We had twins at the beginning of March 2014. We would have been in serious trouble coping with our twins if we did not read this book before the twins were delivered. The advice is very practical and accurate!You will keep your baby(ies) happy, keep your sanity and be able to enjoy and appreciate your baby by following the information and techniques in the book.The book is a quick read...In fact, I read it during the labor process before the babies were born.I would recommend getting the DVD/borrowing the DVD to see the techniques demonstrated before the babies arrive. It will really make it much easier -- Swaddling is not the most obvious thing to do with a blanket and get it right. But, you really need to do this well or your baby is not going to be happy or be able to sleep much.This would be a great baby shower gift! | <hl> The advice is very practical and accurate!You <hl> will keep your baby(ies) happy, keep your sanity and be able to enjoy and appreciate your baby by following the information and techniques in the book. | We had twins at the beginning of March 2014. We would have been in serious trouble coping with our twins if we did not read this book before the twins were delivered. <hl> The advice is very practical and accurate!You <hl> will keep your baby(ies) happy, keep your sanity and be able to enjoy and appreciate your baby by following the information and techniques in the book.The book is a quick read...In fact, I read it during the labor process before the babies were born.I would recommend getting the DVD/borrowing the DVD to see the techniques demonstrated before the babies arrive. It will really make it much easier -- Swaddling is not the most obvious thing to do with a blanket and get it right. But, you really need to do this well or your baby is not going to be happy or be able to sleep much.This would be a great baby shower gift! | We had twins at the beginning of March 2014. We would have been in serious trouble coping with our twins if we did not read this book before the twins were delivered. <hl> The advice is very practical and accurate!You will keep your baby(ies) happy, keep your sanity and be able to enjoy and appreciate your baby by following the information and techniques in the book. <hl> The book is a quick read... In fact, I read it during the labor process before the babies were born. I would recommend getting the DVD/borrowing the DVD to see the techniques demonstrated before the babies arrive. It will really make it much easier -- Swaddling is not the most obvious thing to do with a blanket and get it right. But, you really need to do this well or your baby is not going to be happy or be able to sleep much. This would be a great baby shower gift! | 238cff3348431ae423b34deef5fc7751 | 1 | 1 | books |
The writing was lovely | question: What inspires an author to write beautiful things?, context: I enjoyed the heck out of this book. The writing was lovely. The characters just grew on me. And by the end, I didn't want it to end.If you like ensemble casts with a little bit of a fantastical element thrown in against a realistic backdrop, then this book is for you. | What inspires an author to write beautiful things? | The writing was lovely . | I enjoyed the heck out of this book. The writing was lovely. The characters just grew on me. And by the end, I didn't want it to end.If you like ensemble casts with a little bit of a fantastical element thrown in against a realistic backdrop, then this book is for you. | <hl> The writing was lovely <hl> . | I enjoyed the heck out of this book. <hl> The writing was lovely <hl>. The characters just grew on me. And by the end, I didn't want it to end.If you like ensemble casts with a little bit of a fantastical element thrown in against a realistic backdrop, then this book is for you. | I enjoyed the heck out of this book. <hl> The writing was lovely . <hl> The characters just grew on me. And by the end, I didn't want it to end. If you like ensemble casts with a little bit of a fantastical element thrown in against a realistic backdrop, then this book is for you. | 21bdfb44c06008056dd730f49eb92f32 | 1 | 1 | books |
Each character has a distinctive and authentic voice | question: What is this voice that we can hear in the background?, context: The challenge of this novel was to skip from character to character while making each of them believable. The author did that beautifully. Each character has a distinctive and authentic voice. Each one contributes a piece to the puzzle of what happened to the world. | What is this voice that we can hear in the background? | Each character has a distinctive and authentic voice . | The challenge of this novel was to skip from character to character while making each of them believable. The author did that beautifully. Each character has a distinctive and authentic voice. Each one contributes a piece to the puzzle of what happened to the world. | <hl> Each character has a distinctive and authentic voice <hl> . | The challenge of this novel was to skip from character to character while making each of them believable. The author did that beautifully. <hl> Each character has a distinctive and authentic voice <hl>. Each one contributes a piece to the puzzle of what happened to the world. | The challenge of this novel was to skip from character to character while making each of them believable. The author did that beautifully. <hl> Each character has a distinctive and authentic voice . <hl> Each one contributes a piece to the puzzle of what happened to the world. | 530ae4086c8bbc1601c5c5d54c6fd6b8 | 1 | 1 | books |
Well done. | question: How good it's the write?, context: Well done. This is like a cross between Orwell's 1984, Plato's Allegory of the Cave meets a post apocolyptic world. That might not have made sense, but this is a good read. I found the pace to be a bit slow, but exciting at the same time. There were no dull moments in this story.I rented this book through the Amazon Kindle Library and unfortunately for the author, didn't pay a dime for it. This is a long book however and I would have gladly paid the 5 bucks for it otherwise. There is a lot of politics, some mystery and some real thought on the survival of the human race through extremist action. Normally I would vote for more action, but the small amount involved in this book was just enough as to not distract from the true intentions of the plot. I absolutely reccommend this one. | How good it's the write? | Well done. This is like a cross between Orwell's 1984, Plato's Allegory of the Cave meets a post apocolyptic world. | Well done. This is like a cross between Orwell's 1984, Plato's Allegory of the Cave meets a post apocolyptic world. That might not have made sense, but this is a good read. I found the pace to be a bit slow, but exciting at the same time. There were no dull moments in this story.I rented this book through the Amazon Kindle Library and unfortunately for the author, didn't pay a dime for it. This is a long book however and I would have gladly paid the 5 bucks for it otherwise. There is a lot of politics, some mystery and some real thought on the survival of the human race through extremist action. Normally I would vote for more action, but the small amount involved in this book was just enough as to not distract from the true intentions of the plot. I absolutely reccommend this one. | <hl> Well done. <hl> This is like a cross between Orwell's 1984, Plato's Allegory of the Cave meets a post apocolyptic world. | <hl> Well done. <hl> This is like a cross between Orwell's 1984, Plato's Allegory of the Cave meets a post apocolyptic world. That might not have made sense, but this is a good read. I found the pace to be a bit slow, but exciting at the same time. There were no dull moments in this story.I rented this book through the Amazon Kindle Library and unfortunately for the author, didn't pay a dime for it. This is a long book however and I would have gladly paid the 5 bucks for it otherwise. There is a lot of politics, some mystery and some real thought on the survival of the human race through extremist action. Normally I would vote for more action, but the small amount involved in this book was just enough as to not distract from the true intentions of the plot. I absolutely reccommend this one. | <hl> Well done. This is like a cross between Orwell's 1984, Plato's Allegory of the Cave meets a post apocolyptic world. <hl> That might not have made sense, but this is a good read. I found the pace to be a bit slow, but exciting at the same time. There were no dull moments in this story. I rented this book through the Amazon Kindle Library and unfortunately for the author, didn't pay a dime for it. This is a long book however and I would have gladly paid the 5 bucks for it otherwise. There is a lot of politics, some mystery and some real thought on the survival of the human race through extremist action. Normally I would vote for more action, but the small amount involved in this book was just enough as to not distract from the true intentions of the plot. I absolutely reccommend this one. | fe654ba9bc9dce7abb9182fc90602ef3 | 1 | 1 | books |
the original economists were trying | question: How is the word?, context: The reason I do like this book is simple: the best economics is all about practical theory and applications, the original economists were trying to solve very simple problem such as how to keep people from abusing the common, is there enough food to go around, etc.But, there are several problems with his book:The writing style/prose editing suggest readers with a short attention span, every time I get started on a topic it switches to another topic (the chapters have several subtopics and points seamlessly intermixed). The author's self-awareness of their success from the 1st book is painfully aware in this one, the sequel. For those in the sciences it is well known that a thesis is only as good as the data collected; and much of the authors data is from small sample sizes they go on the claim as irrefutable law (most contentious is the abortion and the crime rate correlation from the 1st book), which makes their hypothesis always...questionable; and for those critical of the Freakonimics series is their main argument against them.In the end the book does what they probably intend, makes economics a philosophy relevant for the masses again. This book presents people with material for conversation and debate after dinner with friends and family. No longer something for government committees and corporations board of directors, economics is back to its practical roots. Bit these books are just that, not necessarily critical study but contrary based investigation of some interesting and important questions, insisting that dialogue and further inquiry of the selected subject matters occur. | How is the word? | The reason I do like this book is simple: the best economics is all about practical theory and applications, the original economists were trying to solve very simple problem such as how to keep people from abusing the common, is there enough food to go around, etc. | The reason I do like this book is simple: the best economics is all about practical theory and applications, the original economists were trying to solve very simple problem such as how to keep people from abusing the common, is there enough food to go around, etc.But, there are several problems with his book:The writing style/prose editing suggest readers with a short attention span, every time I get started on a topic it switches to another topic (the chapters have several subtopics and points seamlessly intermixed). The author's self-awareness of their success from the 1st book is painfully aware in this one, the sequel. For those in the sciences it is well known that a thesis is only as good as the data collected; and much of the authors data is from small sample sizes they go on the claim as irrefutable law (most contentious is the abortion and the crime rate correlation from the 1st book), which makes their hypothesis always...questionable; and for those critical of the Freakonimics series is their main argument against them.In the end the book does what they probably intend, makes economics a philosophy relevant for the masses again. This book presents people with material for conversation and debate after dinner with friends and family. No longer something for government committees and corporations board of directors, economics is back to its practical roots. Bit these books are just that, not necessarily critical study but contrary based investigation of some interesting and important questions, insisting that dialogue and further inquiry of the selected subject matters occur. | The reason I do like this book is simple: the best economics is all about practical theory and applications, <hl> the original economists were trying <hl> to solve very simple problem such as how to keep people from abusing the common, is there enough food to go around, etc. | The reason I do like this book is simple: the best economics is all about practical theory and applications, <hl> the original economists were trying <hl> to solve very simple problem such as how to keep people from abusing the common, is there enough food to go around, etc.But, there are several problems with his book:The writing style/prose editing suggest readers with a short attention span, every time I get started on a topic it switches to another topic (the chapters have several subtopics and points seamlessly intermixed). The author's self-awareness of their success from the 1st book is painfully aware in this one, the sequel. For those in the sciences it is well known that a thesis is only as good as the data collected; and much of the authors data is from small sample sizes they go on the claim as irrefutable law (most contentious is the abortion and the crime rate correlation from the 1st book), which makes their hypothesis always...questionable; and for those critical of the Freakonimics series is their main argument against them.In the end the book does what they probably intend, makes economics a philosophy relevant for the masses again. This book presents people with material for conversation and debate after dinner with friends and family. No longer something for government committees and corporations board of directors, economics is back to its practical roots. Bit these books are just that, not necessarily critical study but contrary based investigation of some interesting and important questions, insisting that dialogue and further inquiry of the selected subject matters occur. | <hl> The reason I do like this book is simple: the best economics is all about practical theory and applications, the original economists were trying to solve very simple problem such as how to keep people from abusing the common, is there enough food to go around, etc. <hl> But, there are several problems with his book:The writing style/prose editing suggest readers with a short attention span, every time I get started on a topic it switches to another topic (the chapters have several subtopics and points seamlessly intermixed). The author's self-awareness of their success from the 1st book is painfully aware in this one, the sequel. For those in the sciences it is well known that a thesis is only as good as the data collected; and much of the authors data is from small sample sizes they go on the claim as irrefutable law (most contentious is the abortion and the crime rate correlation from the 1st book), which makes their hypothesis always...questionable; and for those critical of the Freakonimics series is their main argument against them. In the end the book does what they probably intend, makes economics a philosophy relevant for the masses again. This book presents people with material for conversation and debate after dinner with friends and family. No longer something for government committees and corporations board of directors, economics is back to its practical roots. Bit these books are just that, not necessarily critical study but contrary based investigation of some interesting and important questions, insisting that dialogue and further inquiry of the selected subject matters occur. | 1558f4a58238fde42e6ca014957ae6da | 1 | 1 | books |
the friends that Anna surrounds herself with are interesting and not just one-dimensional. | question: What is the dialogue of the mantel about?, context: As a francophile, I was automatically attracted to the cover and the title of the book. However, I had resisted picking it up or even reading the sample I finally downloaded onto my Kindle because both the book cover and the title left me with the impression that this would be a fluffy read with Paris as the back-drop. Boy, was I wrong. After reading the sample, it was clear that the main character (Anna) was not only hilarious, but also had an intelligent and strong voice that rings true for someone who is 17. Although you knew who the main love interest would be, Etienne St. Clair, it was clear that there were some real challenges that the characters needed to work through. And, I also enjoyed the fact that they had a basis for a romance through their friendship that seemed to naturally evolve throughout the book. I also liked that the friends that Anna surrounds herself with are interesting and not just one-dimensional.I won't summarize the book given the other reviews provided, but I will say that how the author builds this relationship makes the ending so much more rewarding. And, of course, being a francophile who was reading this while I was in Paris just made me love the city even more. If I get a chance to go back, I might just have to (re-)visit some of the places mentioned in the book! | What is the dialogue of the mantel about? | I also liked that the friends that Anna surrounds herself with are interesting and not just one-dimensional. I won't summarize the book given the other reviews provided, but I will say that how the author builds this relationship makes the ending so much more rewarding. | As a francophile, I was automatically attracted to the cover and the title of the book. However, I had resisted picking it up or even reading the sample I finally downloaded onto my Kindle because both the book cover and the title left me with the impression that this would be a fluffy read with Paris as the back-drop. Boy, was I wrong. After reading the sample, it was clear that the main character (Anna) was not only hilarious, but also had an intelligent and strong voice that rings true for someone who is 17. Although you knew who the main love interest would be, Etienne St. Clair, it was clear that there were some real challenges that the characters needed to work through. And, I also enjoyed the fact that they had a basis for a romance through their friendship that seemed to naturally evolve throughout the book. I also liked that the friends that Anna surrounds herself with are interesting and not just one-dimensional.I won't summarize the book given the other reviews provided, but I will say that how the author builds this relationship makes the ending so much more rewarding. And, of course, being a francophile who was reading this while I was in Paris just made me love the city even more. If I get a chance to go back, I might just have to (re-)visit some of the places mentioned in the book! | I also liked that <hl> the friends that Anna surrounds herself with are interesting and not just one-dimensional. <hl> I won't summarize the book given the other reviews provided, but I will say that how the author builds this relationship makes the ending so much more rewarding. | As a francophile, I was automatically attracted to the cover and the title of the book. However, I had resisted picking it up or even reading the sample I finally downloaded onto my Kindle because both the book cover and the title left me with the impression that this would be a fluffy read with Paris as the back-drop. Boy, was I wrong. After reading the sample, it was clear that the main character (Anna) was not only hilarious, but also had an intelligent and strong voice that rings true for someone who is 17. Although you knew who the main love interest would be, Etienne St. Clair, it was clear that there were some real challenges that the characters needed to work through. And, I also enjoyed the fact that they had a basis for a romance through their friendship that seemed to naturally evolve throughout the book. I also liked that <hl> the friends that Anna surrounds herself with are interesting and not just one-dimensional. <hl>I won't summarize the book given the other reviews provided, but I will say that how the author builds this relationship makes the ending so much more rewarding. And, of course, being a francophile who was reading this while I was in Paris just made me love the city even more. If I get a chance to go back, I might just have to (re-)visit some of the places mentioned in the book! | As a francophile, I was automatically attracted to the cover and the title of the book. However, I had resisted picking it up or even reading the sample I finally downloaded onto my Kindle because both the book cover and the title left me with the impression that this would be a fluffy read with Paris as the back-drop. Boy, was I wrong. After reading the sample, it was clear that the main character (Anna) was not only hilarious, but also had an intelligent and strong voice that rings true for someone who is 17. Although you knew who the main love interest would be, Etienne St. Clair, it was clear that there were some real challenges that the characters needed to work through. And, I also enjoyed the fact that they had a basis for a romance through their friendship that seemed to naturally evolve throughout the book. <hl> I also liked that the friends that Anna surrounds herself with are interesting and not just one-dimensional. I won't summarize the book given the other reviews provided, but I will say that how the author builds this relationship makes the ending so much more rewarding. <hl> And, of course, being a francophile who was reading this while I was in Paris just made me love the city even more. If I get a chance to go back, I might just have to (re-)visit some of the places mentioned in the book! | ccbb9f26900cfd6bda2b8a55d9e39d28 | 2 | 2 | books |
Quiet is a book I would recommend to anyone | question: What is the quality of the book?, context: When I first became aware of Quiet, I knew it was a book I had to read. I've always been an introvert, content to curl up with a book for hours and wary of crowded places and loud parties. Yet, even though I was aware of my introversion, I don't think I really understood it and what it meant. I always saw it as a sort of flexible personality trait that I could change if I wanted to, and I always had the sense that there was something unhealthy about my particular personality type. After reading the book, I feel I have a much better understanding not only of myself, but of how the way American society is structured tends to work against someone like me.Cain uses a blend of some of the latest neurological research and years of psychiatric studies to show why introverts and extroverts are so different, and to lay rest to the idea that there's something broken in people who don't meet the gregarious, outgoing American ideal. The neuroscience she highlights in the book is easily understandable to the layperson, and shows how the brains of introverts and extroverts process stimuli differently. Quite literally, extroverts' brains function in such a way that they are exhilarated and recharged by plenty of social stimulation while introverts need quiet and downtime in order to recharge.Using this research, Cain then shows why so many aspects of modern American life are doing few favors for introverts and, in fact, may be hindering creativity and innovation overall. One of the topics she discusses is the seemingly ubiquitous open-plan workspace. Having spent some years in offices, I could feel myself recoil as soon as she began touching on the topic. The idea behind these plans is that an open atmosphere will create more interaction between employees, thus stimulating creativity and helping to further develop ideas. This goes hand-in-hand with the corporate love of brainstorming sessions and leadership retreats, all of which I've had the misfortune of attending. However, as Cain shows, all of these things actually hinder creativity. People are at their most creative when they have quiet time alone in which to let their mind roam freely. This is a topic of particular interest to me, and there are plenty of sources that support this conclusion. Some companies are beginning to recognize this problem and are starting to design offices that provide spaces where people can retreat for some quiet thought and reflection. This is a boon not only to the introverts, who really need these spaces, but to the extroverts as well because these more thoughtfully designed spaces offer all personality types the opportunity to seek out stimulation when they need it and to retreat into privacy when they need time for quiet thought.Another point that I found particularly interesting was Cain's examination of current educational philosophies. I'm a former high/middle school teacher and the parent of an elementary-aged child, so I've had the chance to see this in action--not to mention the styles and philosophies with which I was presented during my teacher training. There currently is a HUGE emphasis on group work, which I think can be attributed to the corporatization of education. Despite that I am, myself, an introvert, as a teacher, I bought into the idea that kids need to be constantly interacting, but Cain points out the flaws in this idea. Both my colleagues and myself were sometimes guilty of the "Johnny is a great student but so quiet--if only he'd talk more!" syndrome, and this book made me realize how harmful that can actually be. While there is emphasis in modern education on learning styles--the visual learner versus the auditory learner, for example--there is next to no emphasis on how to appeal to various personality types. I volunteer in my daughter's school, and every year the kids' desks are arranged in groupings, so that students spend a large amount of their time working with other students. Still, there is a bright spot in that they are occasionally granted small stretches of time during which they're free to retreat to whatever part of their classroom or the outside pod area they like so they may complete an assignment. Quiet really made me think about how important these opportunities are, and how they need to become a more integral part of the educational system.Most valuable of all, though, this book really made me think deeply about myself and those I love and to think of ways to better interact with them. I have a better understand now of how what seemed pliable personality traits are actually inherent in me, and how I can work with them instead of against them so that I can alleviate stress and avoid feeling overwhelmed and burned out. While the book is primarily about introverts, it also helped me to gain a better understanding about the extroverts in my life and how we can live more harmoniously with one another. The sections of the book that deal with married couples was particularly interesting in this respect, because they showed how our own biases make us judge the reactions of others. Since we tend to see the world through a certain lens, we sometimes have trouble understanding that not everyone thinks the way we do, and that we may be taking their reactions and misunderstanding them. This is truly invaluable because I realize that by taking a more thoughtful approach to interactions with others, I can better understand not only my actions but theirs, which will hopefully lead to a better level of understanding between us.Quiet is a book I would recommend to anyone, regardless of whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. I think that introverts like myself will feel better about our personalities and will see that the way we operate can be a strength rather than a social liability, as many of us have been conditioned to believe. And I think that extroverts can learn that introverts aren't necessarily socially backwards or cold, but people who often feel awkward in our own skins because we see and admire the outgoing traits of extroverts but may have trouble emulating them. This book simply works on so many levels: from the corporate world to the world of education and right on down to a personal level. | What is the quality of the book? | Quiet is a book I would recommend to anyone , regardless of whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. | When I first became aware of Quiet, I knew it was a book I had to read. I've always been an introvert, content to curl up with a book for hours and wary of crowded places and loud parties. Yet, even though I was aware of my introversion, I don't think I really understood it and what it meant. I always saw it as a sort of flexible personality trait that I could change if I wanted to, and I always had the sense that there was something unhealthy about my particular personality type. After reading the book, I feel I have a much better understanding not only of myself, but of how the way American society is structured tends to work against someone like me.Cain uses a blend of some of the latest neurological research and years of psychiatric studies to show why introverts and extroverts are so different, and to lay rest to the idea that there's something broken in people who don't meet the gregarious, outgoing American ideal. The neuroscience she highlights in the book is easily understandable to the layperson, and shows how the brains of introverts and extroverts process stimuli differently. Quite literally, extroverts' brains function in such a way that they are exhilarated and recharged by plenty of social stimulation while introverts need quiet and downtime in order to recharge.Using this research, Cain then shows why so many aspects of modern American life are doing few favors for introverts and, in fact, may be hindering creativity and innovation overall. One of the topics she discusses is the seemingly ubiquitous open-plan workspace. Having spent some years in offices, I could feel myself recoil as soon as she began touching on the topic. The idea behind these plans is that an open atmosphere will create more interaction between employees, thus stimulating creativity and helping to further develop ideas. This goes hand-in-hand with the corporate love of brainstorming sessions and leadership retreats, all of which I've had the misfortune of attending. However, as Cain shows, all of these things actually hinder creativity. People are at their most creative when they have quiet time alone in which to let their mind roam freely. This is a topic of particular interest to me, and there are plenty of sources that support this conclusion. Some companies are beginning to recognize this problem and are starting to design offices that provide spaces where people can retreat for some quiet thought and reflection. This is a boon not only to the introverts, who really need these spaces, but to the extroverts as well because these more thoughtfully designed spaces offer all personality types the opportunity to seek out stimulation when they need it and to retreat into privacy when they need time for quiet thought.Another point that I found particularly interesting was Cain's examination of current educational philosophies. I'm a former high/middle school teacher and the parent of an elementary-aged child, so I've had the chance to see this in action--not to mention the styles and philosophies with which I was presented during my teacher training. There currently is a HUGE emphasis on group work, which I think can be attributed to the corporatization of education. Despite that I am, myself, an introvert, as a teacher, I bought into the idea that kids need to be constantly interacting, but Cain points out the flaws in this idea. Both my colleagues and myself were sometimes guilty of the "Johnny is a great student but so quiet--if only he'd talk more!" syndrome, and this book made me realize how harmful that can actually be. While there is emphasis in modern education on learning styles--the visual learner versus the auditory learner, for example--there is next to no emphasis on how to appeal to various personality types. I volunteer in my daughter's school, and every year the kids' desks are arranged in groupings, so that students spend a large amount of their time working with other students. Still, there is a bright spot in that they are occasionally granted small stretches of time during which they're free to retreat to whatever part of their classroom or the outside pod area they like so they may complete an assignment. Quiet really made me think about how important these opportunities are, and how they need to become a more integral part of the educational system.Most valuable of all, though, this book really made me think deeply about myself and those I love and to think of ways to better interact with them. I have a better understand now of how what seemed pliable personality traits are actually inherent in me, and how I can work with them instead of against them so that I can alleviate stress and avoid feeling overwhelmed and burned out. While the book is primarily about introverts, it also helped me to gain a better understanding about the extroverts in my life and how we can live more harmoniously with one another. The sections of the book that deal with married couples was particularly interesting in this respect, because they showed how our own biases make us judge the reactions of others. Since we tend to see the world through a certain lens, we sometimes have trouble understanding that not everyone thinks the way we do, and that we may be taking their reactions and misunderstanding them. This is truly invaluable because I realize that by taking a more thoughtful approach to interactions with others, I can better understand not only my actions but theirs, which will hopefully lead to a better level of understanding between us.Quiet is a book I would recommend to anyone, regardless of whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. I think that introverts like myself will feel better about our personalities and will see that the way we operate can be a strength rather than a social liability, as many of us have been conditioned to believe. And I think that extroverts can learn that introverts aren't necessarily socially backwards or cold, but people who often feel awkward in our own skins because we see and admire the outgoing traits of extroverts but may have trouble emulating them. This book simply works on so many levels: from the corporate world to the world of education and right on down to a personal level. | <hl> Quiet is a book I would recommend to anyone <hl> , regardless of whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. | When I first became aware of Quiet, I knew it was a book I had to read. I've always been an introvert, content to curl up with a book for hours and wary of crowded places and loud parties. Yet, even though I was aware of my introversion, I don't think I really understood it and what it meant. I always saw it as a sort of flexible personality trait that I could change if I wanted to, and I always had the sense that there was something unhealthy about my particular personality type. After reading the book, I feel I have a much better understanding not only of myself, but of how the way American society is structured tends to work against someone like me.Cain uses a blend of some of the latest neurological research and years of psychiatric studies to show why introverts and extroverts are so different, and to lay rest to the idea that there's something broken in people who don't meet the gregarious, outgoing American ideal. The neuroscience she highlights in the book is easily understandable to the layperson, and shows how the brains of introverts and extroverts process stimuli differently. Quite literally, extroverts' brains function in such a way that they are exhilarated and recharged by plenty of social stimulation while introverts need quiet and downtime in order to recharge.Using this research, Cain then shows why so many aspects of modern American life are doing few favors for introverts and, in fact, may be hindering creativity and innovation overall. One of the topics she discusses is the seemingly ubiquitous open-plan workspace. Having spent some years in offices, I could feel myself recoil as soon as she began touching on the topic. The idea behind these plans is that an open atmosphere will create more interaction between employees, thus stimulating creativity and helping to further develop ideas. This goes hand-in-hand with the corporate love of brainstorming sessions and leadership retreats, all of which I've had the misfortune of attending. However, as Cain shows, all of these things actually hinder creativity. People are at their most creative when they have quiet time alone in which to let their mind roam freely. This is a topic of particular interest to me, and there are plenty of sources that support this conclusion. Some companies are beginning to recognize this problem and are starting to design offices that provide spaces where people can retreat for some quiet thought and reflection. This is a boon not only to the introverts, who really need these spaces, but to the extroverts as well because these more thoughtfully designed spaces offer all personality types the opportunity to seek out stimulation when they need it and to retreat into privacy when they need time for quiet thought.Another point that I found particularly interesting was Cain's examination of current educational philosophies. I'm a former high/middle school teacher and the parent of an elementary-aged child, so I've had the chance to see this in action--not to mention the styles and philosophies with which I was presented during my teacher training. There currently is a HUGE emphasis on group work, which I think can be attributed to the corporatization of education. Despite that I am, myself, an introvert, as a teacher, I bought into the idea that kids need to be constantly interacting, but Cain points out the flaws in this idea. Both my colleagues and myself were sometimes guilty of the "Johnny is a great student but so quiet--if only he'd talk more!" syndrome, and this book made me realize how harmful that can actually be. While there is emphasis in modern education on learning styles--the visual learner versus the auditory learner, for example--there is next to no emphasis on how to appeal to various personality types. I volunteer in my daughter's school, and every year the kids' desks are arranged in groupings, so that students spend a large amount of their time working with other students. Still, there is a bright spot in that they are occasionally granted small stretches of time during which they're free to retreat to whatever part of their classroom or the outside pod area they like so they may complete an assignment. Quiet really made me think about how important these opportunities are, and how they need to become a more integral part of the educational system.Most valuable of all, though, this book really made me think deeply about myself and those I love and to think of ways to better interact with them. I have a better understand now of how what seemed pliable personality traits are actually inherent in me, and how I can work with them instead of against them so that I can alleviate stress and avoid feeling overwhelmed and burned out. While the book is primarily about introverts, it also helped me to gain a better understanding about the extroverts in my life and how we can live more harmoniously with one another. The sections of the book that deal with married couples was particularly interesting in this respect, because they showed how our own biases make us judge the reactions of others. Since we tend to see the world through a certain lens, we sometimes have trouble understanding that not everyone thinks the way we do, and that we may be taking their reactions and misunderstanding them. This is truly invaluable because I realize that by taking a more thoughtful approach to interactions with others, I can better understand not only my actions but theirs, which will hopefully lead to a better level of understanding between us.<hl> Quiet is a book I would recommend to anyone <hl>, regardless of whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. I think that introverts like myself will feel better about our personalities and will see that the way we operate can be a strength rather than a social liability, as many of us have been conditioned to believe. And I think that extroverts can learn that introverts aren't necessarily socially backwards or cold, but people who often feel awkward in our own skins because we see and admire the outgoing traits of extroverts but may have trouble emulating them. This book simply works on so many levels: from the corporate world to the world of education and right on down to a personal level. | When I first became aware of Quiet, I knew it was a book I had to read. I've always been an introvert, content to curl up with a book for hours and wary of crowded places and loud parties. Yet, even though I was aware of my introversion, I don't think I really understood it and what it meant. I always saw it as a sort of flexible personality trait that I could change if I wanted to, and I always had the sense that there was something unhealthy about my particular personality type. After reading the book, I feel I have a much better understanding not only of myself, but of how the way American society is structured tends to work against someone like me. Cain uses a blend of some of the latest neurological research and years of psychiatric studies to show why introverts and extroverts are so different, and to lay rest to the idea that there's something broken in people who don't meet the gregarious, outgoing American ideal. The neuroscience she highlights in the book is easily understandable to the layperson, and shows how the brains of introverts and extroverts process stimuli differently. Quite literally, extroverts' brains function in such a way that they are exhilarated and recharged by plenty of social stimulation while introverts need quiet and downtime in order to recharge. Using this research, Cain then shows why so many aspects of modern American life are doing few favors for introverts and, in fact, may be hindering creativity and innovation overall. One of the topics she discusses is the seemingly ubiquitous open-plan workspace. Having spent some years in offices, I could feel myself recoil as soon as she began touching on the topic. The idea behind these plans is that an open atmosphere will create more interaction between employees, thus stimulating creativity and helping to further develop ideas. This goes hand-in-hand with the corporate love of brainstorming sessions and leadership retreats, all of which I've had the misfortune of attending. However, as Cain shows, all of these things actually hinder creativity. People are at their most creative when they have quiet time alone in which to let their mind roam freely. This is a topic of particular interest to me, and there are plenty of sources that support this conclusion. Some companies are beginning to recognize this problem and are starting to design offices that provide spaces where people can retreat for some quiet thought and reflection. This is a boon not only to the introverts, who really need these spaces, but to the extroverts as well because these more thoughtfully designed spaces offer all personality types the opportunity to seek out stimulation when they need it and to retreat into privacy when they need time for quiet thought. Another point that I found particularly interesting was Cain's examination of current educational philosophies. I'm a former high/middle school teacher and the parent of an elementary-aged child, so I've had the chance to see this in action--not to mention the styles and philosophies with which I was presented during my teacher training. There currently is a HUGE emphasis on group work, which I think can be attributed to the corporatization of education. Despite that I am, myself, an introvert, as a teacher, I bought into the idea that kids need to be constantly interacting, but Cain points out the flaws in this idea. Both my colleagues and myself were sometimes guilty of the "Johnny is a great student but so quiet--if only he'd talk more!" syndrome, and this book made me realize how harmful that can actually be. While there is emphasis in modern education on learning styles--the visual learner versus the auditory learner, for example--there is next to no emphasis on how to appeal to various personality types. I volunteer in my daughter's school, and every year the kids' desks are arranged in groupings, so that students spend a large amount of their time working with other students. Still, there is a bright spot in that they are occasionally granted small stretches of time during which they're free to retreat to whatever part of their classroom or the outside pod area they like so they may complete an assignment. Quiet really made me think about how important these opportunities are, and how they need to become a more integral part of the educational system. Most valuable of all, though, this book really made me think deeply about myself and those I love and to think of ways to better interact with them. I have a better understand now of how what seemed pliable personality traits are actually inherent in me, and how I can work with them instead of against them so that I can alleviate stress and avoid feeling overwhelmed and burned out. While the book is primarily about introverts, it also helped me to gain a better understanding about the extroverts in my life and how we can live more harmoniously with one another. The sections of the book that deal with married couples was particularly interesting in this respect, because they showed how our own biases make us judge the reactions of others. Since we tend to see the world through a certain lens, we sometimes have trouble understanding that not everyone thinks the way we do, and that we may be taking their reactions and misunderstanding them. This is truly invaluable because I realize that by taking a more thoughtful approach to interactions with others, I can better understand not only my actions but theirs, which will hopefully lead to a better level of understanding between us. <hl> Quiet is a book I would recommend to anyone , regardless of whether you're an introvert or an extrovert. <hl> I think that introverts like myself will feel better about our personalities and will see that the way we operate can be a strength rather than a social liability, as many of us have been conditioned to believe. And I think that extroverts can learn that introverts aren't necessarily socially backwards or cold, but people who often feel awkward in our own skins because we see and admire the outgoing traits of extroverts but may have trouble emulating them. This book simply works on so many levels: from the corporate world to the world of education and right on down to a personal level. | 7eee6e1d32bf55bcce243dc686106892 | 1 | 1 | books |
Some things were predictable, but that does not make this book not worth reading | question: How was the twist of the story?, context: This book was amazing from beginning to end. I had a lump in my throat the entire way through and admit that I had to plug my kindle in and sit on the floor because I HAD TO finish it. Some things were predictable, but that does not make this book not worth reading. | How was the twist of the story? | Some things were predictable, but that does not make this book not worth reading . | This book was amazing from beginning to end. I had a lump in my throat the entire way through and admit that I had to plug my kindle in and sit on the floor because I HAD TO finish it. Some things were predictable, but that does not make this book not worth reading. | <hl> Some things were predictable, but that does not make this book not worth reading <hl> . | This book was amazing from beginning to end. I had a lump in my throat the entire way through and admit that I had to plug my kindle in and sit on the floor because I HAD TO finish it. <hl> Some things were predictable, but that does not make this book not worth reading <hl>. | This book was amazing from beginning to end. I had a lump in my throat the entire way through and admit that I had to plug my kindle in and sit on the floor because I HAD TO finish it. <hl> Some things were predictable, but that does not make this book not worth reading . <hl> | ff1d102cc6d460cc37b82c8c186ce7ad | 1 | 1 | books |
None of the characters were very likeable | question: What dou yu see about none?, context: While I enjoyed the plot of this book, it did kind of drag in places. None of the characters were very likeable. | What dou yu see about none? | None of the characters were very likeable . | While I enjoyed the plot of this book, it did kind of drag in places. None of the characters were very likeable. | <hl> None of the characters were very likeable <hl> . | While I enjoyed the plot of this book, it did kind of drag in places.<hl> None of the characters were very likeable <hl>. | While I enjoyed the plot of this book, it did kind of drag in places. <hl> None of the characters were very likeable . <hl> | 04617a1a650fdc90464e1e396a20ad7e | 1 | 1 | books |
it is hilarious to all who read it. Enjoy | question: How do you like the story?, context: There are so many things that can be said about this book. It's funny, ridiculous, weird, confusing, and VERY much on drugs. I'm sorry... Did you just ask me to eat a mushroom? The many drug references, however, are extremely amusing, and add to the story very much.Alice is asleep and dreaming up a crazy world. The characters she meets are all eccentric, strange, and frightfully funny. Whether we're thinking of the Mad Hatter, the rabbit, or the Queen of Hearts herself, this book is truly a child's happy adventures through a completely ridiculous fictional land (unless you are firm in your belief that this book is completely about drugs, but even then it's still funny and ridiculous).Even though this book is known as a children's book, it is hilarious to all who read it. Enjoy! I just hope you remember to breathe while gasping with laughter. | How do you like the story? | Whether we're thinking of the Mad Hatter, the rabbit, or the Queen of Hearts herself, this book is truly a child's happy adventures through a completely ridiculous fictional land (unless you are firm in your belief that this book is completely about drugs, but even then it's still funny and ridiculous).Even though this book is known as a children's book, it is hilarious to all who read it. Enjoy ! | There are so many things that can be said about this book. It's funny, ridiculous, weird, confusing, and VERY much on drugs. I'm sorry... Did you just ask me to eat a mushroom? The many drug references, however, are extremely amusing, and add to the story very much.Alice is asleep and dreaming up a crazy world. The characters she meets are all eccentric, strange, and frightfully funny. Whether we're thinking of the Mad Hatter, the rabbit, or the Queen of Hearts herself, this book is truly a child's happy adventures through a completely ridiculous fictional land (unless you are firm in your belief that this book is completely about drugs, but even then it's still funny and ridiculous).Even though this book is known as a children's book, it is hilarious to all who read it. Enjoy! I just hope you remember to breathe while gasping with laughter. | Whether we're thinking of the Mad Hatter, the rabbit, or the Queen of Hearts herself, this book is truly a child's happy adventures through a completely ridiculous fictional land (unless you are firm in your belief that this book is completely about drugs, but even then it's still funny and ridiculous).Even though this book is known as a children's book, <hl> it is hilarious to all who read it. Enjoy <hl> ! | There are so many things that can be said about this book. It's funny, ridiculous, weird, confusing, and VERY much on drugs. I'm sorry... Did you just ask me to eat a mushroom? The many drug references, however, are extremely amusing, and add to the story very much.Alice is asleep and dreaming up a crazy world. The characters she meets are all eccentric, strange, and frightfully funny. Whether we're thinking of the Mad Hatter, the rabbit, or the Queen of Hearts herself, this book is truly a child's happy adventures through a completely ridiculous fictional land (unless you are firm in your belief that this book is completely about drugs, but even then it's still funny and ridiculous).Even though this book is known as a children's book, <hl> it is hilarious to all who read it. Enjoy <hl>! I just hope you remember to breathe while gasping with laughter. | There are so many things that can be said about this book. It's funny, ridiculous, weird, confusing, and VERY much on drugs. I'm sorry... Did you just ask me to eat a mushroom? The many drug references, however, are extremely amusing, and add to the story very much. Alice is asleep and dreaming up a crazy world. The characters she meets are all eccentric, strange, and frightfully funny. <hl> Whether we're thinking of the Mad Hatter, the rabbit, or the Queen of Hearts herself, this book is truly a child's happy adventures through a completely ridiculous fictional land (unless you are firm in your belief that this book is completely about drugs, but even then it's still funny and ridiculous).Even though this book is known as a children's book, it is hilarious to all who read it. Enjoy ! <hl> I just hope you remember to breathe while gasping with laughter. | e1a60bd6c2dd372d3327cf9f30c3df13 | 1 | 1 | books |
I found it choppy to read in one sitting as it jumped around in time | question: Where is there an impact on the plot of the book?, context: This book, suitable for children from six to ten years, opens with happy pictures of a little boy playing in the cornfields with his sisters. It features the stories of four boys, not one as the title suggests. They are Norman Borlaug, Henry Wallace, George Washington Carver and Moses Carver who respectively became Nobel laureate, Vice President, inventor and farmer. Their lives illustrate The Butterfly Effect by showing how each life is interwoven by the decisions made by other people."The Boy Who Changed the World" can be read as one story, or as four short stories. I found it choppy to read in one sitting as it jumped around in time. I think it would flow better and provide clearer understanding for children if it followed the chain of events chronologically.The illustrations are superb. Rich in color and detail, they are sure to appeal to children. Butterflies adorn most pages and the book closes with a cloud of these beautiful creatures.I recommend this book to adults to read and discuss with children--it's interesting and has a clear message that children's lives are important to God. Every action a child takes matters and makes a difference in the world.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the [...] <[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." | Where is there an impact on the plot of the book? | I found it choppy to read in one sitting as it jumped around in time . | This book, suitable for children from six to ten years, opens with happy pictures of a little boy playing in the cornfields with his sisters. It features the stories of four boys, not one as the title suggests. They are Norman Borlaug, Henry Wallace, George Washington Carver and Moses Carver who respectively became Nobel laureate, Vice President, inventor and farmer. Their lives illustrate The Butterfly Effect by showing how each life is interwoven by the decisions made by other people."The Boy Who Changed the World" can be read as one story, or as four short stories. I found it choppy to read in one sitting as it jumped around in time. I think it would flow better and provide clearer understanding for children if it followed the chain of events chronologically.The illustrations are superb. Rich in color and detail, they are sure to appeal to children. Butterflies adorn most pages and the book closes with a cloud of these beautiful creatures.I recommend this book to adults to read and discuss with children--it's interesting and has a clear message that children's lives are important to God. Every action a child takes matters and makes a difference in the world.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the [...] <[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." | <hl> I found it choppy to read in one sitting as it jumped around in time <hl> . | This book, suitable for children from six to ten years, opens with happy pictures of a little boy playing in the cornfields with his sisters. It features the stories of four boys, not one as the title suggests. They are Norman Borlaug, Henry Wallace, George Washington Carver and Moses Carver who respectively became Nobel laureate, Vice President, inventor and farmer. Their lives illustrate The Butterfly Effect by showing how each life is interwoven by the decisions made by other people."The Boy Who Changed the World" can be read as one story, or as four short stories. <hl> I found it choppy to read in one sitting as it jumped around in time <hl>. I think it would flow better and provide clearer understanding for children if it followed the chain of events chronologically.The illustrations are superb. Rich in color and detail, they are sure to appeal to children. Butterflies adorn most pages and the book closes with a cloud of these beautiful creatures.I recommend this book to adults to read and discuss with children--it's interesting and has a clear message that children's lives are important to God. Every action a child takes matters and makes a difference in the world.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the [...] <[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." | This book, suitable for children from six to ten years, opens with happy pictures of a little boy playing in the cornfields with his sisters. It features the stories of four boys, not one as the title suggests. They are Norman Borlaug, Henry Wallace, George Washington Carver and Moses Carver who respectively became Nobel laureate, Vice President, inventor and farmer. Their lives illustrate The Butterfly Effect by showing how each life is interwoven by the decisions made by other people. "The Boy Who Changed the World" can be read as one story, or as four short stories. <hl> I found it choppy to read in one sitting as it jumped around in time . <hl> I think it would flow better and provide clearer understanding for children if it followed the chain of events chronologically. The illustrations are superb. Rich in color and detail, they are sure to appeal to children. Butterflies adorn most pages and the book closes with a cloud of these beautiful creatures. I recommend this book to adults to read and discuss with children--it's interesting and has a clear message that children's lives are important to God. Every action a child takes matters and makes a difference in the world. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the [...] <[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." | 5107a06d2c9c820027c23d51757cfd2f | 4 | 4 | books |
I wasn't sure if what was | question: What is the concept of family?, context: I wasn't sure if what was waiting insied this book is seductions or snack, but I know that I received the satisfaction of both after reading this book. What a great read, dead on Halarious, I can't read pass one page with out laughing my head off. This book is what you call a fun read, could not put it down. The story line was so well develope, the characters were unbeleivable, funny as heck. This book was funny, romantic, seductive, sweet and I just love how Tara Sivec capture my attention, I will definetly read more of her books when it's ready. Thank you Tara for bringing one good day to me with this book. | What is the concept of family? | I wasn't sure if what was waiting insied this book is seductions or snack, but I know that I received the satisfaction of both after reading this book. | I wasn't sure if what was waiting insied this book is seductions or snack, but I know that I received the satisfaction of both after reading this book. What a great read, dead on Halarious, I can't read pass one page with out laughing my head off. This book is what you call a fun read, could not put it down. The story line was so well develope, the characters were unbeleivable, funny as heck. This book was funny, romantic, seductive, sweet and I just love how Tara Sivec capture my attention, I will definetly read more of her books when it's ready. Thank you Tara for bringing one good day to me with this book. | <hl> I wasn't sure if what was <hl> waiting insied this book is seductions or snack, but I know that I received the satisfaction of both after reading this book. | <hl> I wasn't sure if what was <hl> waiting insied this book is seductions or snack, but I know that I received the satisfaction of both after reading this book. What a great read, dead on Halarious, I can't read pass one page with out laughing my head off. This book is what you call a fun read, could not put it down. The story line was so well develope, the characters were unbeleivable, funny as heck. This book was funny, romantic, seductive, sweet and I just love how Tara Sivec capture my attention, I will definetly read more of her books when it's ready. Thank you Tara for bringing one good day to me with this book. | <hl> I wasn't sure if what was waiting insied this book is seductions or snack, but I know that I received the satisfaction of both after reading this book. <hl> What a great read, dead on Halarious, I can't read pass one page with out laughing my head off. This book is what you call a fun read, could not put it down. The story line was so well develope, the characters were unbeleivable, funny as heck. This book was funny, romantic, seductive, sweet and I just love how Tara Sivec capture my attention, I will definetly read more of her books when it's ready. Thank you Tara for bringing one good day to me with this book. | f31480e19a262ad0fb81b1244c396220 | 1 | 1 | books |
years ago | question: How is a good development?, context: What The Night Knows starts right into the creepiness. At the opening of the book much backstory has already occurred. The details of the past will begin to become clear as the story progresses. We are immediately introduced to our hero, a man with a deep foreboding brought on by recent events. A terrible murder spree has just taken place with eerie similarities to a similar crime 20 years ago. What could their connection be? Koontz weaves a nightmare scenario that gets scarier and scarier. Word by word, chapter by chapter, he turns the screws of our fight or flight instinct until it's too late to flee. Having read almost every Koontz book this is certainly one of his best. This one is genuinely scary. The book has really stuck in my mind. Scenes from throughout are very memorable. This could easily be a story where the pacing lags but Koontz pours on the gas. The villain here is awesomely frightening. He has quickly become one of my favorite bad guys Koontz has created. The book kept me flying through the chapters as the evil builds and encompasses our heros' lives. I found the family's children fun and the characters well done. This book is a darker novel than the more recent ones. I agree with some reviewers that it has a darker atmosphere like Hideaway. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a creepy, scary read and people interested in an introduction to Koontz' supernatural thrillers. I also highly recommend the novellaDarkness Under the Sun (Novella): A Tale of Suspense, available in Kindle version, which introduces the villain here in a separate storyline that won't ruin the story told here. This one is excellent. and I am eagerly looking forward to the next Koontz. | How is a good development? | A terrible murder spree has just taken place with eerie similarities to a similar crime 20 years ago . | What The Night Knows starts right into the creepiness. At the opening of the book much backstory has already occurred. The details of the past will begin to become clear as the story progresses. We are immediately introduced to our hero, a man with a deep foreboding brought on by recent events. A terrible murder spree has just taken place with eerie similarities to a similar crime 20 years ago. What could their connection be? Koontz weaves a nightmare scenario that gets scarier and scarier. Word by word, chapter by chapter, he turns the screws of our fight or flight instinct until it's too late to flee. Having read almost every Koontz book this is certainly one of his best. This one is genuinely scary. The book has really stuck in my mind. Scenes from throughout are very memorable. This could easily be a story where the pacing lags but Koontz pours on the gas. The villain here is awesomely frightening. He has quickly become one of my favorite bad guys Koontz has created. The book kept me flying through the chapters as the evil builds and encompasses our heros' lives. I found the family's children fun and the characters well done. This book is a darker novel than the more recent ones. I agree with some reviewers that it has a darker atmosphere like Hideaway. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a creepy, scary read and people interested in an introduction to Koontz' supernatural thrillers. I also highly recommend the novellaDarkness Under the Sun (Novella): A Tale of Suspense, available in Kindle version, which introduces the villain here in a separate storyline that won't ruin the story told here. This one is excellent. and I am eagerly looking forward to the next Koontz. | A terrible murder spree has just taken place with eerie similarities to a similar crime 20 <hl> years ago <hl> . | What The Night Knows starts right into the creepiness. At the opening of the book much backstory has already occurred. The details of the past will begin to become clear as the story progresses. We are immediately introduced to our hero, a man with a deep foreboding brought on by recent events. A terrible murder spree has just taken place with eerie similarities to a similar crime 20 <hl> years ago <hl>. What could their connection be? Koontz weaves a nightmare scenario that gets scarier and scarier. Word by word, chapter by chapter, he turns the screws of our fight or flight instinct until it's too late to flee. Having read almost every Koontz book this is certainly one of his best. This one is genuinely scary. The book has really stuck in my mind. Scenes from throughout are very memorable. This could easily be a story where the pacing lags but Koontz pours on the gas. The villain here is awesomely frightening. He has quickly become one of my favorite bad guys Koontz has created. The book kept me flying through the chapters as the evil builds and encompasses our heros' lives. I found the family's children fun and the characters well done. This book is a darker novel than the more recent ones. I agree with some reviewers that it has a darker atmosphere like Hideaway. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a creepy, scary read and people interested in an introduction to Koontz' supernatural thrillers. I also highly recommend the novellaDarkness Under the Sun (Novella): A Tale of Suspense, available in Kindle version, which introduces the villain here in a separate storyline that won't ruin the story told here. This one is excellent. and I am eagerly looking forward to the next Koontz. | What The Night Knows starts right into the creepiness. At the opening of the book much backstory has already occurred. The details of the past will begin to become clear as the story progresses. We are immediately introduced to our hero, a man with a deep foreboding brought on by recent events. <hl> A terrible murder spree has just taken place with eerie similarities to a similar crime 20 years ago . <hl> What could their connection be? Koontz weaves a nightmare scenario that gets scarier and scarier. Word by word, chapter by chapter, he turns the screws of our fight or flight instinct until it's too late to flee. Having read almost every Koontz book this is certainly one of his best. This one is genuinely scary. The book has really stuck in my mind. Scenes from throughout are very memorable. This could easily be a story where the pacing lags but Koontz pours on the gas. The villain here is awesomely frightening. He has quickly become one of my favorite bad guys Koontz has created. The book kept me flying through the chapters as the evil builds and encompasses our heros' lives. I found the family's children fun and the characters well done. This book is a darker novel than the more recent ones. I agree with some reviewers that it has a darker atmosphere like Hideaway. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a creepy, scary read and people interested in an introduction to Koontz' supernatural thrillers. I also highly recommend the novellaDarkness Under the Sun (Novella): A Tale of Suspense, available in Kindle version, which introduces the villain here in a separate storyline that won't ruin the story told here. This one is excellent. and I am eagerly looking forward to the next Koontz. | 101141cfd5c414ea99fd6508eb590777 | 5 | 5 | books |
The subject matter is fascinating | question: How is the matter?, context: Since the book has been out for almost a year, guess I'm a late bloomer on this one. I'd have to say it's THE best book I've read in ages.The subject matter is fascinating and illuminating. Brown did a tremendous job taking the topic and weaving a superb suspense novel. It's classified as fiction, however, it certainly has some very valid points. With the world situation as it is, it made this reader pause and think.I already have Angels & Demons sitting here ready to start. A genius of an author with a unique twist on an old subject. The story gripped me till the very end, as one twist after another was revealed.Well done! | How is the matter? | The subject matter is fascinating and illuminating. | Since the book has been out for almost a year, guess I'm a late bloomer on this one. I'd have to say it's THE best book I've read in ages.The subject matter is fascinating and illuminating. Brown did a tremendous job taking the topic and weaving a superb suspense novel. It's classified as fiction, however, it certainly has some very valid points. With the world situation as it is, it made this reader pause and think.I already have Angels & Demons sitting here ready to start. A genius of an author with a unique twist on an old subject. The story gripped me till the very end, as one twist after another was revealed.Well done! | <hl> The subject matter is fascinating <hl> and illuminating. | Since the book has been out for almost a year, guess I'm a late bloomer on this one. I'd have to say it's THE best book I've read in ages.<hl> The subject matter is fascinating <hl> and illuminating. Brown did a tremendous job taking the topic and weaving a superb suspense novel. It's classified as fiction, however, it certainly has some very valid points. With the world situation as it is, it made this reader pause and think.I already have Angels & Demons sitting here ready to start. A genius of an author with a unique twist on an old subject. The story gripped me till the very end, as one twist after another was revealed.Well done! | Since the book has been out for almost a year, guess I'm a late bloomer on this one. I'd have to say it's THE best book I've read in ages. <hl> The subject matter is fascinating and illuminating. <hl> Brown did a tremendous job taking the topic and weaving a superb suspense novel. It's classified as fiction, however, it certainly has some very valid points. With the world situation as it is, it made this reader pause and think. I already have Angels & Demons sitting here ready to start. A genius of an author with a unique twist on an old subject. The story gripped me till the very end, as one twist after another was revealed. Well done! | 2aac80d88f9dca11f9bc7ed76a3dd993 | 1 | 1 | books |