The first - short - reviews of the books I'll be reading for the MS Readathon.
Also, the receipt book I ordered for donations I receive in person has arrived. It looks ridiculous and exactly like it did when I last participated in this event, which was in year 7. But it's totally legit. One thing that this "adult" version of the event lacks, is any good promotional material. The download-able posters and such are absolutely horrible, like a quick job in Microsoft Word using the default clip art and autoshapes. By someone who is essentially 90% computer illiterate. The designer in me gagged in despair and has yet to recover.
Anyway! Onto the real reviews haha.
My first book was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Just a note: They provide a list of recommendations for you to choose from. So while I've got a list of books I own that I haven't yet read (Let's call it BookType01), there are recs that I own and have read (BookType02), and recs I don't own but would still like to check out sometime (BookType03).
The Secret Garden is a BT02-A. The -A is just to say that I enjoyed it. It's been awhile since I'd read from the scruffy paperback sitting on my bookcase alongside the glossy newer covers of HP and Artemis Fowl, but I fully enjoyed the revisit.
Thinking back, I'm wondering if this was my first introduction to something like meta-writing. When the story would break away to hint at or inform the reader of something else happening at the same time as the narrative. I don't even think I'm using the right term. In Korean dramas, it'd be like previous bodies of work making an appearance in an actor's/director's latest project, or other aspects of real life being incorporated in an obvious manner. I guess it's something similar to breaking the fourth wall in films or TV shows?
I have a feeling I've come across it in other popular books though, so perhaps it's simply a style of writing. It would meld effortlessly if/when these books are adapted for the screen, in any case, because it's much like a narrator talking directly to you and giving you insights that the character isn't aware of.
I'd forgotten this aspect of TSG, but no matter. It was a wonderful read and invoked different characteristics in the people than I remember from having watched the film. It was delightfully whimsical. ★★★★★
My second book was Twilight by Stephenie Meyer... It is hands down, a BT02-B, meaning I didn't enjoy it/felt ambivalent about reading it again, and honestly, I read it because it was available and because it is not as WTF as the succeeding novels. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. Even within this first book, you're introduced to this female protagonist's bizarre personality, with no discernible psychological roots that... it's hard to take her seriously. It's hard to take the writing seriously. It's hard to take the series seriously without wanting to slap someone. As much as I might be repulsed by her though, I have no such qualms about seeing the male characters shipped and crossovered and made into creatures of carnal desires. Hey, if we're suspending disbelief, let's at least enjoy ourselves. Still, it was... vaguely irritating. ★★
Also, the receipt book I ordered for donations I receive in person has arrived. It looks ridiculous and exactly like it did when I last participated in this event, which was in year 7. But it's totally legit. One thing that this "adult" version of the event lacks, is any good promotional material. The download-able posters and such are absolutely horrible, like a quick job in Microsoft Word using the default clip art and autoshapes. By someone who is essentially 90% computer illiterate. The designer in me gagged in despair and has yet to recover.
Anyway! Onto the real reviews haha.
My first book was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Just a note: They provide a list of recommendations for you to choose from. So while I've got a list of books I own that I haven't yet read (Let's call it BookType01), there are recs that I own and have read (BookType02), and recs I don't own but would still like to check out sometime (BookType03).
The Secret Garden is a BT02-A. The -A is just to say that I enjoyed it. It's been awhile since I'd read from the scruffy paperback sitting on my bookcase alongside the glossy newer covers of HP and Artemis Fowl, but I fully enjoyed the revisit.
Thinking back, I'm wondering if this was my first introduction to something like meta-writing. When the story would break away to hint at or inform the reader of something else happening at the same time as the narrative. I don't even think I'm using the right term. In Korean dramas, it'd be like previous bodies of work making an appearance in an actor's/director's latest project, or other aspects of real life being incorporated in an obvious manner. I guess it's something similar to breaking the fourth wall in films or TV shows?
I have a feeling I've come across it in other popular books though, so perhaps it's simply a style of writing. It would meld effortlessly if/when these books are adapted for the screen, in any case, because it's much like a narrator talking directly to you and giving you insights that the character isn't aware of.
I'd forgotten this aspect of TSG, but no matter. It was a wonderful read and invoked different characteristics in the people than I remember from having watched the film. It was delightfully whimsical. ★★★★★
My second book was Twilight by Stephenie Meyer... It is hands down, a BT02-B, meaning I didn't enjoy it/felt ambivalent about reading it again, and honestly, I read it because it was available and because it is not as WTF as the succeeding novels. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. Even within this first book, you're introduced to this female protagonist's bizarre personality, with no discernible psychological roots that... it's hard to take her seriously. It's hard to take the writing seriously. It's hard to take the series seriously without wanting to slap someone. As much as I might be repulsed by her though, I have no such qualms about seeing the male characters shipped and crossovered and made into creatures of carnal desires. Hey, if we're suspending disbelief, let's at least enjoy ourselves. Still, it was... vaguely irritating. ★★