The Color Purple, The Time Travelers Wife and The Harry Potter Series
So, as I said in my first post, I would be blogging as I read each book on my Books to Read Before I Die list, and since I have already read three on the list, I deemed it only right that I write about those three books.
The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger What can I say about this book? Oh, *ahem* FRICKING AMAZING!? This one was so well written, and so heart wrenching.. Ugh.. I cant even explain it. I admit it was a little hard to follow at times, the way Niffenegger explained some of the dreams that Clare had were confusing. But I write that off as a testament to the emotional hardship on Clare throughout that book. I mean, she couldnt have been feeling very right in the head either.. Let me just say, I am a huge romance novel fan. I repeat HUGE romance novel fan. I love a good love story. And THIS is one of them. It's very science fiction, the whole time traveling thing, but think about a love that transcends time and circumstance. By the end of the damn book, I was boohoo-ing like a freaking baby. Come on, imagine on your wedding day, so happy, in love, then boom! Your husband, um, time travels? WTH. Very interesting book, funny at times, and a little too detailed at other, but the faults dont even come near to outweighing the amazing message in this book. Has anyone else read this book, or even seen the movie? What do you think?
The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling This series consists of seven books, for those of you who do not know, and they go in the following order:
Harry Potter and... The Sorcerer's Stone (Year One) The Chamber of Secrets (Year Two) The Prisoner of Azkaban (Year Three) The Goblet of Fire (Year Four) The Order of the Pheonix (Year Five) The Half Blood Prince (Year Six) The Deathly Hallows (Year Seven)
Now I simply dont have the time and inclination to tell you how I feel about all seven books. I can start by saying that the series in its entirety was fantastic. The first three books are innocent, with minimal malice and violence. While all three do include the books antagonist, Voldemort, and they do mention that he killed Harry's parents, again, violence minimal. Book four, where Cedric Diggory dies, and Harry again meets Voldemort (this time back to full strength), this is when the story becomes dark. How ever cute and fun the first three books were, the excitement in the following four books make them that much more interesting. Book five was the absolute hardest for me to get through. It is one of the longest, if not the longest, and very redundant in the first half. Pretty much the evil new teacher does the same thing over and over and over. Okay, we get it, she is horrible. Skip to the good stuff! However, book six was fantastic, and I never would have guessed who the Half-Blood Prince was. Book seven was almost the same as book five, very redundant in the beginning. They pretty much go from hiding place to hiding place until finally the action begins. I was pleased with how it all ended, but as I said before, I'm a sucker for romance, so I wish Rowling had added a little more about how they had all ended up
All in all, damn good series. And for those who say "Bah, I dont want to read Harry Potter," for such and such reasons, Just Do It. The writing is superb as is the storyline.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker Now, I just finished reading this book today. This was actually the first book from the list that I decided to read other than The Time Traveler's Wife and the Harry Potter Series, which I had chosen to read before I began this quest. The play just came to the Scranton Cultural Center, where I work, and I wanted to read the book before I saw the play. I have to admit that I didnt even see the damn play. I got hungry..dont ask :/ The book was very sad, to say the least. Hell, thats the understatement of the century. I dont even know what to say. Its a touching tale again, about love that transcends time, this time between sisters, not lovers. I was a little sad when Mister asked Celie to marry him again, and she said no. I get that she was into Shug, but it would have been sweet for them to try again, when he was a different man, for him to treat her right. I was happy that Nettie and Samuel fell in love. A little disappointed with the ending. I was happy that Nettie came back with Celie's children, but I wish it hadnt been at the very end of the very last letter. But it was a sweet ending none the less.
I'll be writing about the next book I choose from the list, soon. I think it is going to be Lord of the Flies, but I'm not sure! We shall see
Amanda <3