Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor 3/5 stars

Hey, guys! Wise Blood was the last book I read in my English class this year. It was definitely different than anything else we've read!

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows a blind man's face, not a movie-star which was my first impression. This blind man originally represents the blind preacher but grows in importance as the novel goes on. A+ cover.

Official Description:
Wise Blood, Flannery O’Connor’s first novel, is a classic of twentieth-century literature. It is a story of Hazel Motes, a twenty-two-year-old caught in an unending struggle against his innate, desperate faith. He falls under the spell of a "blind" street preacher named Asa Hawks and his degenerate fifteen-year-old daughter, Lily Sabbath. In an ironic, malicious gesture of his own non-faith, and to prove himself a greater cynic than Hawkes, Hazel Motes founds The Church of God Without Christ, but is still thwarted in his efforts to lose God. He meets Enoch Emery, a young man with "wise blood," who leads him to a mummified holy child, and whose crazy maneuvers are a manifestation of Hazel's existential struggles. This tale of redemption, retribution, false prophets, blindness, blindings, and wisdoms gives us one of the most riveting characters in twentieth-century American fiction.

My Review:
This book is a comedy of sorts that proves to be deeper than you would assume at first glance. It uses a form of absurdism to stake a claim about religion and free-will. It is a satire of religion, while still promoting religion.

To be clear, this book is about religion by being anti-religious. The point (as I saw it) is that you see that the ideas, at least, of religion cannot be escaped. There is no huge moment of conversion or anything like that. It isn't a blatant message of religion, but it is definitely there. 

The characters of this book were very one-dimensional. They were all one thing, which they characterized as strongly as possible. The flat characters were purposeful, but I know that the character's lack of interest can often be the kiss of death for a reader. It wasn't distracting from the story, but they didn't add anything to it either.

The plot, maybe due to the level of absurdity of Wise Blood, was all over the place. It followed about seven half-stories. A storyline would be developed and then left hanging. Other times a storyline that hadn't even been started would wrap-up, leaving me feeling as if I had just missed something. Characters knew things they shouldn't, did things without a reason, and reacted with unexpected emotions to...everything. Again, I believe this was purposeful. It definitely left a certain impression and feel to the scenes and the book as a whole. 

Overall, I would recommend this book if you have some working knowledge of religion. You don't need to be well versed on biblical topics, or even know anything about a certain religion. If you understand the sensation of religion (whatever one), Wise Blood can be very interesting. It was one of my favorite English class books of the year. However, for the students in my class who knew little about religion, they just didn't get this book. They couldn't. Wise Blood is strange but good in a way I've never seen before. 

Phrase:
Stones in his shoes

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The Moviegoer by Walker Percy 2.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! Here is another book I read in my AP Literature class. It was incredibly similar to Mrs. Dalloway and still largely connected to As I Lay Dying, both books I didn't particularly like. The Moviegoer was more comprehensible in terms of form and readability, but it was worse in terms of there being an evident plot. 

The Cover:

The Cover:

It shows a movie theater from a distance, which is underwhelming at best, much like this book! At least the cover fits the book. C+ cover

Official Description:

The Moviegoer is Binx Bolling, a young New Orleans stockbroker who surveys the world with the detached gaze of a Bourbon Street dandy even as he yearns for a spiritual redemption he cannot bring himself to believe in. On the eve of his thirtieth birthday, he occupies himself dallying with his secretaries and going to movies, which provide him with the "treasurable moments" absent from his real life. But one fateful Mardi Gras, Binx embarks on a hare-brained quest that outrages his family, endangers his fragile cousin Kate, and sends him reeling through the chaos of New Orleans' French Quarter. Wry and wrenching, rich in irony and romance, The Moviegoer is a genuine American classic.

My Review:

This book was, quite frankly, boring. Nothing really happened over the course of the book. I could sum up the entire story within two underwhelming sentences. I've always considered myself a plot-person. My favorite parts of books are generally plot related. That being said, I can, and do, enjoy books where not much happens plot-wise, but where the character development is central. 

The Moviegoer doesn't fit in either of these categories. Its plot is almost nonexistent and the characters do not even experience a transformation (eg. a "coming of age" novel). I tried to give the characters the benefit of the doubt. Only upon rereading the epilogue for the third time could I see the subtle change in Binx's attitude. It is so slight of a change that I would be surprised if Walker Percy knew that it existed. That only brings me to question: Why would the author write this book where nothing changes? The beginning and ending of this novel are almost identical. Nothing changes. And if nothing changes, what was the point in reading it?

(Side note: While discussing The Moviegoer, my English teacher asked our 25 member class what the turning point of this novel was, and not one person spoke up. No one thought a turning point even existed. A thought that was confirmed even more when my teacher, a person who has read this book at least ten times, admitted that he couldn't pinpoint a turning point either.)

While The Moviegoer was well-written, the lack of any substance made me dislike it. The book didn't change the way I think about anything (a trait I find common in the "classics"), nor did it entertain me in any way. 

I would not recommend reading The Moviegoer. If you want to read something like this book (which I don't recommend), read Mrs. Dalloway instead. It at least had a semblance of a plot. 

Phrase:

Elysium Fields

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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard 4/5 stars

Hey, guys! This is definitely a bit of an obscure book. It is a play that is a sort-of spin on Hamlet that I read in my AP Literature class. I really enjoyed it, even if I wasn't really sure what was going on, most of the time anyway. 

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows Rosencrantz and Guildenstern lying flat on their backs, presumably dead. B+ cover

Official Description:
Hamlet told from the worm's-eye view of two minor characters, bewildered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Echoes of Waiting for Godot resound, reality and illusion mix, and where fate leads heroes to a tragic but inevitable end.

My Review:
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is this weird mix of absurd comedy and existentialism set in the world of Hamlet. I thought it was hilarious most of the time, one of my favorite books I've read for English class all year.

I would recommend reading Hamlet first, however. In order to understand the general context for the play, you have to have some base knowledge of the story of Hamlet. The actual storyline is original, but the setting and a bit of the plot depend on Shakespeare's work.

The characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern seem kind of like a buddy comedy team. One is the lovable goof, the other a no-nonsense kind of guy. They work well together and lead to a light and funny tone throughout.

I liked the play, but I can't say that I understood it at all below surface level. There was a bit of a theme on existence, but beyond that, I didn't pick up on it. I'm sure I would have rated it 5 stars if the meaning behind the story was a little bit clearer.

Overall, I'd recommend Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, if you have some knowledge of Hamlet. It's a quick, funny, and just generically quirky read. 

Phrase:
Heads

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Importance of Being Earnest

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As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner 2/5 stars

Hey, guys! I had to read As I Lay Dying in my English class. I had high hopes. They were crushed. Honestly, if I hadn't had to read it for school I would have abandoned it after the second chapter (it doesn't get any better).

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows a flooded road after the large storm that knocks the bridge down, a central part of the story. However, the cover is uninteresting, just a shot of a forest. Even the other cover versions of this book aren't interesting. B- cover

Official Description:
As I Lay Dying is Faulkner's harrowing account of the Bundren family's odyssey across the Mississippi countryside to bury Addie, their wife and mother. Told in turns by each of the family members—including Addie herself—the novel ranges in mood from dark comedy to the deepest pathos.

My Review:
Usually I can find redeeming qualities in a book. That being said, I hated this book. As I Lay Dying was told in a manner that spoke more volumes of how smart the author hoped you would think he was than anything else. While I think that many classics are difficult to read, they are usually worth the hassle to understand references and feel cultured (ex. Moby Dick).

As I Lay Dying was not worth it. It is told in alternating first-person point of view, from not two, not three characters, but more than ten. It was incredibly difficult to understand who was speaking, as it was all written in first person and none of the characters were particularly distinctive. Even once you understood the characters, the chapters were more confusing than insightful. Many sentences are almost complete gibberish, even after being reread five times.

It often feels like comprehending this novel is impossible. Faulkner uses almost solely pronouns in his writing. There will be entire chapters which mention "he" and never declare who they mean.

Even when you get used to Faulkner's style of writing and mostly understand the novel, you will be disappointed. Buried underneath the symbols and confusions is... nothing worthwhile. I feel like I could read a John Green book and feel more enlightened than I did after finishing As I Lay Dying.

I honestly believe that anyone who can claim to have thoroughly enjoyed this book were lying so that you think they are cultured. Rather that or are just plain pretentious.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't hate this book just because I had trouble reading it. No. I understand this book. It's trying to prove how different people have different perspectives and about grief's varying effects. I understood this book, but I don't think that understanding is worth the pain As I Lay Dying causes by reading.

I would not recommend this book to anyone. It was just horrible. If you have to read this book for school or some other reason, I would recommend reading each chapter and then reading the Sparknotes for that chapter, so you aren't completely lost.

Phrase:
Get me some teeth

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Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison 3.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! Song of Solomon was a book that I had to read in my English class this year. I didn't hate it but definitely disliked certain elements.

The Cover:

The Cover:

It only shows the title and author. It's really not an eye-catching or flashy cover but neither is this book so at least it's fitting. C cover.

Official Description:

Milkman Dead was born shortly after a neighborhood eccentric hurled himself off a rooftop in a vain attempt at flight. For the rest of his life he, too, will be trying to fly. With this brilliantly imagined novel, Toni Morrison transfigures the coming-of-age story as audaciously as Saul Bellow or Gabriel García Márquez. As she follows Milkman from his rustbelt city to the place of his family’s origins, Morrison introduces an entire cast of strivers and seeresses, liars and assassins, the inhabitants of a fully realized black world. 

My Review:
This book was mostly unremarkable. It's a coming-of-age tale of Milkman as he grows into an unhappy man and tries to find himself. It's a coming-of-age story less in the Perks of Being a Wallflower and more of a Their Eyes Are Watching God variety. 

The plot was mostly non-existent until the last fifty pages or so, when the unrelated pieces were "tied-together" in order to make a semblance of an ending. It was interesting to read, if a bit slow, but the storyline didn't appear to go anywhere. 

The characters were all terribly people. I couldn't support a single one. Most were murderers or rude. Also, a common theme was incest, which I found off-putting. All the major characters engaged in a form of incest. Why it was important to the story/plot I'm not sure, but I probably would have rated this book higher if not for the constant discussions of incest!

Overall, I wouldn't recommend reading Song of Solomon. It was well written but didn't have a compelling story or characters. I didn't hate reading it, but I also didn't entirely enjoy it. This book was unremarkable and mostly unmemorable. If you do decide to read it, be aware that it does have a few adult themes.

Phrase:
Not Doctor Street

If You Liked This Book, You Would Also Like:
Their Eyes Are Watching God

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The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I decided to read The Picture of Dorian Gray partially because it is a classic and sounded interesting and partially because I had loved The Importance of Being Earnest, a play also by Oscar Wilde.

The Cover:

The Cover:
There are a variety of different covers. Most of them just show Dorian's face. The covers are fine but nothing extraordinary. B- cover

Official Description:
Oscar Wilde brings his enormous gifts for astute social observation and sparkling prose to The Picture of Dorian Gray, his dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. This dandy, who remains forever unchanged; petulant, hedonistic, vain, and amoral; while a painting of him ages and grows increasingly hideous with the years, has been horrifying, enchanting, obsessing, even corrupting readers for more than a hundred years.

My Review:
I loved The Picture of Dorian Gray. If you want to read a classic, this book is written in mostly modern English and is just plain witty. The phrases and ideas that Oscar Wilde creates are sometimes so interesting that I'm jealous that I didn't come up with them.

The storyline was compelling, full of betrayal, manipulation, and vanity. It keeps you riveted. The characters are also interesting. They are mostly two-dimensional (which is the whole point of the book), but when the novel examines them deeper, they are wonderfully complex.

It is also both a very quotable book and has complex themes. It isn't the type of book that is so full of symbolism that it is unenjoyable to read. It's a fun read, and if you want to look further in depth, you can choose to do so (or not).

I would definitely recommend reading The Picture of Dorian Gray. It is incredibly witty and interesting. It is one of my favorite "classics" of all time.

Phrase:
Dorian's beauty

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Importance of Being Earnest

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Hamlet by William Shakespeare 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! In my english class for the past week or so, we have been reading Hamlet. This will just be a very quick review, but I wanted to mention it to you all.

Official Description:

Hamlet is the story of the Prince of Denmark who learns of the death of his father at the hands of his uncle, Claudius. Claudius murders Hamlet's father, his own brother, to take the throne of Denmark and to marry Hamlet's widowed mother. Hamlet is sunk into a state of great despair as a result of discovering the murder of his father and the infidelity of his mother. Hamlet is torn between his great sadness and his desire for the revenge of his father's murder.

My Review:

I loved Hamlet. It was definitely very interesting. I think it is my favorite Shakespeare book to date. (If you've read Shakespeare in the past, Hamlet is more on the Macbeth side than the Twelfth Night side.)

Hamlet has a very compelling plot full of betrayal, love, and hate. It also includes most of the quotes that are iconically Shakespeare. (For example, "to be or not to be")

It is a bit ridiculous at moments and incredibly serious at others, but it was fun to read. Despite being a tragedy, its mood was not too heavy. In fact, it had a few of my new favorite insults/ comebacks in it, which is always enjoyable.

I'm not going to lie and say that it is easy to understand, but it is worthwhile if you want to give it a try! I would recommend that you read or at least watch a production of Hamlet.

Phrase:
"Oh! I am slain" - Hamlet

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
Twelfth Night

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Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison 4/5 stars

Hey, guys! This will be a pretty short review, but in my English class, we just finished Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. It was good and makes you think, but it was probably a hundred pages too long. The same point was repeated a few times too many, in my opinion, but it was still a great and notable book in American history.

The Cover(s):

The Cover(s):
There are many, many covers for Invisible Man (not to be confused with H.G. Wells's The Invisible Man). These are the two that I think are most prevalent. Neither is very interesting, but Invisible Man is not the type of book that fits a "busy" cover. A- cover

Official Description:
First published in 1952 and immediately hailed as a masterpiece, Invisible Man is one of those rare novels that have changed the shape of American literature. For not only does Ralph Ellison's nightmare journey across the racial divide tell unparalleled truths about the nature of bigotry and its effects on the minds of both victims and perpetrators, it gives us an entirely new model of what a novel can be.
As he journeys from the Deep South to the streets and basements of Harlem, from a horrifying "battle royal" where black men are reduced to fighting animals, to a Communist rally where they are elevated to the status of trophies, Ralph Ellison's nameless protagonist ushers readers into a parallel universe that throws our own into harsh and even hilarious relief. Suspenseful and sardonic, narrated in a voice that takes in the symphonic range of the American language, black and white, Invisible Man is one of the most audacious and dazzling novels of our century.

My Review:
Invisible Man was a very thought-provoking novel. It is about identity and racism and how the two relate. It offers a sense of the ideologies circling in the 1950s and even, in a lesser sense, today. Whether you are thinking of the '50s or 2016, Invisible Man will make you ponder the current situation regarding race, identity, and culture. In that regard, it is definitely worth reading.

However, while Invisible Man makes many good points, there are only a few core points. Ralph Ellison conveys his same point many times within three or four similar situations. While I appreciate the validity of his thoughts, it became repetitive after the second repetition. I feel as though a hundred pages could have been shaved off without any change in the story or its purpose. 

Then, there is the narrator. He is a very compelling character, but he does not have a name. This is very frustrating as you read the book. Even when the main character changes his name, his new name nor his old name are announced. I found this to be irritating as I read, but I am sure that the nameless narrator has significance. I know that my English class found multiple possible reasons, and I can respect its symbolism but would have preferred from him to have a name.

Invisible Man was pretty easy to read though. The material is heavy, but the language, while not modern, was similar enough to not create problems.

I would recommend Invisible Man if you want to read about race and theories on identity. An important note is that it is intended for mature audiences. (There is a mildly detailed scene describing incenst, among other things.) So, be cautious if you do not think you can handle that.

Phrase: Optic White

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Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare 5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I just finished Twelfth Night for my english class and thought I'd give you guys a quick review!

The Cover:

Official Description:
Set in a topsy-turvy world like a holiday revel, this comedy devises a romantic plot around separated twins, misplaced passions, and mistaken identity. Juxtaposed to it is the satirical story of a self-deluded steward who dreams of becoming “Count Malvolio” only to receive his comeuppance at the hands of the merrymakers he wishes to suppress. The two plots combine to create a farce touched with melancholy, mixed throughout with seductively beautiful explorations on the themes of love and time, and the play ends, not with laughter, but with a clown’s sad song.

My Review:
I really enjoyed Twelfth Night. It was fairly easy to read. The language was complex, but with footnotes, it was pretty simple to understand. It was also really funny. The witty exchanges between characters often had me laughing. 

It is defintitely worth the time to read,which isn't much because it is a play, probably only a few hours worth of reading time. It's fun and creative and has a lot of irony. I'd recommend it, especially if you are looking for a straightforward Shakespeare play.

Phrase:
Yellow stockings

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Importance of Being Earnest

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Moby Dick by Herman Melville 2.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! Over summer, I was tasked with reading Moby Dick. I kind of hated it. It is definitely not one of my favorite classics, anyway.

The Cover:

The Cover:
It shows the great white whale (or Moby Dick) while the crew of the Pequod try to hunt him down. This is one of the many covers. I like the use of the whale, but it makes it seem more exciting than it was. B cover.

Official Description:
Moby-Dick is the story of an eerily compelling madman pursuing an unholy war against a creature as vast and dangerous and unknowable as the sea itself. But more than just a novel of adventure, more than an encyclopaedia of whaling lore and legend, the book can be seen as part of its author's lifelong meditation on America. Written with wonderfully redemptive humour, Moby-Dick is also a profound inquiry into character, faith, and the nature of perception.

My Review:
Moby Dick was a difficult read. It is hard to engage with the book. Moby Dick was full of descriptions of life in the 1800s and on whaling ships as well as whale facts. While the descriptions were vivid, they caused the story to drag. 

There was very little plot. The focus of the story was less on the story and more on educating the reader about whales. The same was true for characters. They were only mentioned on the rare occasion that the story needed to progress. A few of the characters, such as Ahab and Queequeg, were distinguishable, but the rest could easily have been exchanged or even removed without noticing.

Overall, I would not recommend reading Moby Dick. It's long and a bit lacking in plot/ characters. However, if you want the person sitting next to you to be impressed, this is the book for you. It will definitely make you seem more cultured!

Phrase:
Coffin

If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
The Time Machine

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Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer 3.5/5 stars

Hey, guys!  Sorry that I haven't posted recently!  To be honest, I just haven't had the time to read with school starting back.  I meant to post this review about a week ago but got behind.  Sorry!
I read Into Thin Air for my Summer Reading book this year.  (Well, I actually chose Pride and Prejudice and had to abandon that (more to come on that disaster of a book).)  Into Thin Air seemed much better.  According to descriptions it was Jon Krakauer's account of his perilous climb up Mount Everest.  While I can't deny that it was, I was also a whole bunch of irrelevant mountain statistics.  It wasn't a bad book, but it was very heavy and very little happened for the first two thirds.
Anyways, the cover:

The Cover:
It is formatted like a newspaper article (in a way), like Jon's role in climbing Mount Everest, a journalist.  The photo is of Everest in a storm.  It fits the book well, but it isn't a particularly interesting cover.  B cover.

Official Description:
On May 9th 1996, five expeditions launched an assault on the summit of Mount Everest. The conditions seemed perfect. Twenty-four hours later one climber had died and 23 other men and women were caught in a desperate struggle for their lives as they battled against a ferocious storm that threatened to tear them from the mountain. In all, eight climbers died that day in the worst tragedy Everest has ever seen. 
Jon Krakauer, an accomplished climber, joined a commercial expedition run by guides for paying clients, many of whom had little or no climbing experience. In Into Thin Air he gives a thorough and chilling account of the ill-fated climb and reveals the complex web of decisions and circumstances that left a group of amateurs fighting for their lives in the thin air and sub-zero cold above 26,000 feet - a place climbers call 'The Death Zone'. Into Thin Air reveals the harsh realities of mountaineering and echoes with frantic calls of climbers lost high on the mountain and way beyond help.

My Review:
I enjoyed Into Thin Air once the storyline truly started moving.  However, that took probably 250-300 pages.  Those first pages were full with all of the factual information about Everest and the backstories of characters that you could ever want to know.
The author introduced a few too many irrelevant characters and would rarely bring them back up again.  This led to some confusion of who the characters were and whether or not they would be important later on.
I just didn't find myself engaged in the story.  If you are interested in Everest, I would recommend Into Thin Air because I actually learned a lot.  If not, maybe choose a different book.

Phrase:
Altitude Sickness

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The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry 1/5 stars

Hey, guys!  I don't know if you read my Mid-Reading Review of this book.  Suffice to say, I hated it. We read The Little Prince, also known as Le Petit Prince in French class at my school, and I despised it.  I can generally find something that I like about a book, but I just couldn't with The Little Prince.   Essentially, it was a judgmental book filled with not necessarily true generalizations about mankind.  In fact, I'd go as far as to say completely wrong generalizations.
Yet, The Little Prince is France's most translated book of all time and second most sold book (after The Bible).  Can someone please explain this to me?  I understand that some people have drastically different taste in books than me and will read this, but I cannot understand how it could be more popular than all of the other amazing books in the world.  If you were stuck on a desert island, I can't imagine anyone would've brought The Little Prince.

The Cover:

The cover:
It shows the little prince on his little planet with its tiny volcano.  (I might want to note that this is a children's book.  Appropriate for all ages.)

Official Description:
Moral allegory and spiritual autobiography, The Little Prince is the most translated book in the French language. With a timeless charm it tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the vagaries of adult behavior through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal odyssey culminates in a voyage to Earth and further adventures.

My Review:
That description sounds mildly interesting, right?  It was just misleading.  His grasp of adult behavior came through a series a judgmental moments when he assumed that anyone who cared about anything, really, was too serious.  For example, worrying about the day of water you have left when you are in the desert is too serious for the little prince.  Dying of thirst is unimportant to him!  Also, most of his "journeys" were two sentence conversations with people, after which he would judge them and leave.  Half the book had no adventuring at all and was set in a literal desert.
I was not interested in the plot and hated the characters.  And you know what?  The thing the pilot drew in the first chapter wasn't a hat or a elephant with a boa inside it.  It was a brown blob.  Sir, just because your art skills are lacking doesn't mean that adults lack creativity.
(Drawing for reference):

Basically, it was awful. So awful. I have no idea how people can like this book. I started off the book mentally responding to everything the narrator said with, "Good point. Too bad it's obviously wrong!"

I don't think I can express how much I hated this book. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless you purposely want to punish yourself. It's not worth the time to buy, much less read.
I want to apologize here for disliking this book so much.  I think that it is generally a really well-loved book, and I acknowledge that many people love this book, though I don't understand.

I wouldn't recommend reading this book, but if you want to anyway, I recommend reading the first chapter first.  It stays at the same level as that chapter the rest of the book and doesn't get any better.

Phrase/Quote:
"Draw me a sheep!"

P.S. They are making this book into an animated movie by Paramount and Warner Brothers.  I'm against this idea, obviously, but I though I'd share it with you.  Oh, and one of the main characters is voiced by my least favorite actor of all time, Jeff Bridges.
Here's the trailer:

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