First, I have to say that I actually couldn't put this book down. I had it finished three days ago, but I refrained from writing anything. I wanted to stay on track. This book was much better than the last one I read and I must say it blew a few of the others out of the water as well.
I never saw the twist at the end. It was very surprising, but very real. I could see that happening.
I really can't explain much of what went on. If I hint, I give it away. I can tell you that I so much more in love with Lily's character. She's a grandma that I would want to have. I don't hate Jenna's parents, but I think that they are stupid.
In my opinion, what they did was wrong. I do see the benefits, but I also see the strangeness and the hurt it could cause.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson --- Pt. 3
So, I feel very sorry for Jenna. There is just so much that she doesn't know and so much that her parents are hiding from her. I can understand them wanting to protect her and give her a normal life, but how long did they think that was going to last? She's 17. I'm pretty sure that when she was 30 and still looking like her teenage self, she would begin to suspect that something was horribly wrong. Not only are her parents keeping secrets, but they refrain from telling her the whole truth even when she confronts them about her differences. It kills me. I would hate never being able to trust my parents.
I am in love with the character of Lily though. She is honest, at least up to a point. She recognizes the "monstrosity" that Jenna is, but she can't tell what she really thinks. She doesn't know if she hates what Jenna has become, or if she is happy that she once again has a granddaughter. Lily's past is riddled with fine-lines...She's just a complex character that really keeps you guessing.
Everything seems to be an obstacle that will uncover some new worry for Jenna to go against. It just seems to get a little hopeless. Will she ever be comfortable with herself? With a shelf life of two to two hundred years...will it matter if she becomes comfortable...What happens when the authorities find out? All will be revealed I'm sure...
I am in love with the character of Lily though. She is honest, at least up to a point. She recognizes the "monstrosity" that Jenna is, but she can't tell what she really thinks. She doesn't know if she hates what Jenna has become, or if she is happy that she once again has a granddaughter. Lily's past is riddled with fine-lines...She's just a complex character that really keeps you guessing.
Everything seems to be an obstacle that will uncover some new worry for Jenna to go against. It just seems to get a little hopeless. Will she ever be comfortable with herself? With a shelf life of two to two hundred years...will it matter if she becomes comfortable...What happens when the authorities find out? All will be revealed I'm sure...
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson --- Pt. 2
Pgs. 70-139
Jenna's attitude has definitely made this book worth reading so far. It's comical and sarcastic, but it pops up at the strangest of times. She also seems to have some innate sense of how to diffuse situations. It's amazing. I think I'm already liking this character and this will make it hard on me later when we learn something about what happened to her. I'm not saying it's going to be bad, but if I already like her, I might be in trouble.
I also like the poetry that cuts the chapters. They aren't very long, but they definitely help you understand Jenna's thoughts. They also help you understand the point of the previous chapter, just in case Pearson was being a little too cryptic. Nothing helps you know a person better than seeing their poetry and truly understanding what they want or how they feel. Poetry, at least here, is raw and revealing.
I think I know what is going on! I have a theory. I won't share, I don't want to ruin it. However, I will tell you whether or not I was right when I get to the revelation.
I've definitely seen a lot of hinting at what is going to happen. The more I read, the more I pick on the repeated sentences and ideas. Something is going to come of them. It's hard to wait for the break. I'm ready for it to happen, but I'm also ready to just spend more time learning about Jenna.
And, I was right! I was right! It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would, but now that it's happened, I'm not sure what the rest of the story deals with...Maybe the man who took her picture...But I still don't know about the accident.
Jenna's attitude has definitely made this book worth reading so far. It's comical and sarcastic, but it pops up at the strangest of times. She also seems to have some innate sense of how to diffuse situations. It's amazing. I think I'm already liking this character and this will make it hard on me later when we learn something about what happened to her. I'm not saying it's going to be bad, but if I already like her, I might be in trouble.
I also like the poetry that cuts the chapters. They aren't very long, but they definitely help you understand Jenna's thoughts. They also help you understand the point of the previous chapter, just in case Pearson was being a little too cryptic. Nothing helps you know a person better than seeing their poetry and truly understanding what they want or how they feel. Poetry, at least here, is raw and revealing.
I think I know what is going on! I have a theory. I won't share, I don't want to ruin it. However, I will tell you whether or not I was right when I get to the revelation.
I've definitely seen a lot of hinting at what is going to happen. The more I read, the more I pick on the repeated sentences and ideas. Something is going to come of them. It's hard to wait for the break. I'm ready for it to happen, but I'm also ready to just spend more time learning about Jenna.
And, I was right! I was right! It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would, but now that it's happened, I'm not sure what the rest of the story deals with...Maybe the man who took her picture...But I still don't know about the accident.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Pgs 1-69.
Some might think that reading nearly 70 pages of a book won't give someone much to talk about...and they would be right.
At this point in the book, you know three characters: Jenna, Claire (Jenna's Mom) and Lily (Jenna's "Na Na"). Jenna is a completely curious character. I use the word curious soley because the book used the word to describe her in a comical way. She remembers nothing of the first 16 years of her life and between 16 and 17 she was in a coma, so now she's up life's creek without a paddle...possibly without a boat as well. In order to try to remember something from her past, she is watching homevideos of her life (which she does slowly start remembering things). She watches them in order, but, apparently, if she watches them out of order she might find something interesting waiting for her toward the end of the discs.
Claire is a complete and total nut job. She tries to control everything, but with a teenage daughter she better expect a few fights. I don't think she is ready to have her daughter back. You can tell there is something odd going on, because she acts strangely. She's too superficial, too practiced. Sooner or later, I'm sure we'll see her exterior break and chaos will reign!
Lily is our most impressive character when it comes to hinting at what is going on. She "hates" Jenna, though she doesn't admit it. But, I think that it's more that she doesn't like the new Jenna. Jenna asks about whether or not she was baptised. Lily's response is "When she was two years old." It's telling that she doesn't consider this Jenna to be the Jenna that she helped raise.
At this point I really have no about what is actually happening, but I'm intrigued and the writing style is decent. It hints, but gives nothing away. I'm thinking I will like this book.
Some might think that reading nearly 70 pages of a book won't give someone much to talk about...and they would be right.
At this point in the book, you know three characters: Jenna, Claire (Jenna's Mom) and Lily (Jenna's "Na Na"). Jenna is a completely curious character. I use the word curious soley because the book used the word to describe her in a comical way. She remembers nothing of the first 16 years of her life and between 16 and 17 she was in a coma, so now she's up life's creek without a paddle...possibly without a boat as well. In order to try to remember something from her past, she is watching homevideos of her life (which she does slowly start remembering things). She watches them in order, but, apparently, if she watches them out of order she might find something interesting waiting for her toward the end of the discs.
Claire is a complete and total nut job. She tries to control everything, but with a teenage daughter she better expect a few fights. I don't think she is ready to have her daughter back. You can tell there is something odd going on, because she acts strangely. She's too superficial, too practiced. Sooner or later, I'm sure we'll see her exterior break and chaos will reign!
Lily is our most impressive character when it comes to hinting at what is going on. She "hates" Jenna, though she doesn't admit it. But, I think that it's more that she doesn't like the new Jenna. Jenna asks about whether or not she was baptised. Lily's response is "When she was two years old." It's telling that she doesn't consider this Jenna to be the Jenna that she helped raise.
At this point I really have no about what is actually happening, but I'm intrigued and the writing style is decent. It hints, but gives nothing away. I'm thinking I will like this book.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak --- Pt. 7
Pgs. 492-End
My final verdict? Extremely disappointed.
I was promised that the last hundred pages or so would really pick up and I would be impressed. I was also promised that I would need tissues. Once more, Markus Zusak sabotaged himself.
The author's unyielding need to tell you what happens before it happens destroyed any type of suspense, unexpected grief, or excitement, from hitting me. Way to go, Markus!
Now, the author's suspense killing method of writing might have killed the story, but it did not kill all of the writing. He was very descriptive and he had very insightful ways of creating sentences. Once or twice, I was blown away by some of his quotes. The way he described the weather through the character of Liesel and the way he described death through the narrator point of view was interesting.
He also placed several facts about his family in the story. I wonder exactly what he took from fiction and what he took from fact. Unless we ask him, I doubt anyone will ever know. Maybe, one of these days.
My final verdict? Extremely disappointed.
I was promised that the last hundred pages or so would really pick up and I would be impressed. I was also promised that I would need tissues. Once more, Markus Zusak sabotaged himself.
The author's unyielding need to tell you what happens before it happens destroyed any type of suspense, unexpected grief, or excitement, from hitting me. Way to go, Markus!
Now, the author's suspense killing method of writing might have killed the story, but it did not kill all of the writing. He was very descriptive and he had very insightful ways of creating sentences. Once or twice, I was blown away by some of his quotes. The way he described the weather through the character of Liesel and the way he described death through the narrator point of view was interesting.
He also placed several facts about his family in the story. I wonder exactly what he took from fiction and what he took from fact. Unless we ask him, I doubt anyone will ever know. Maybe, one of these days.
Friday, November 19, 2010
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak --- Pt. 6
Pgs. 359-491
I was really upset that Zucker was pushed up as an important character but then he gets killed. His only use was to get Hans home. If you want the truth I was confused as to Zucker's character. He was a jerk and nothing more. The story could have gone on without him. I just don't see how a story with so much detail can leave so much out at the same time.
As of this point in the story, I'm still not liking it. It does get interesting and exciting, but it is just so inconsistent and annoying that I cannot enjoy it.
I was really upset that Zucker was pushed up as an important character but then he gets killed. His only use was to get Hans home. If you want the truth I was confused as to Zucker's character. He was a jerk and nothing more. The story could have gone on without him. I just don't see how a story with so much detail can leave so much out at the same time.
As of this point in the story, I'm still not liking it. It does get interesting and exciting, but it is just so inconsistent and annoying that I cannot enjoy it.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak --- Pt. 5
Pgs. 292-358
Rudy Steiner is a huge idiot; this appears to be the point of the first couple of sections. He just doesn't know when to buck up and act "right." I know that acting like a Nazi isn't necessarily right, but the alternative is hugely painful and humiliating. In the end, Rudy gets out of the situation, but it takes a while. And he nearly freezes to death. That's ridiculous.
Then Max gets sick. I found this section to be very annoying. Liesel gives him trash to make him feel better. I find that on the dumb side, but she is 11 or 12. Then, she reads to him. I find that much more interesting, but her book choices are very weird. She reads about a murderer escaping. Weird.
Then Max makes it through only to be nearly discovered by a Nazi officer. It was a "fast-pace" section...Or at least as fast-paced as this book can get.
Rudy Steiner is a huge idiot; this appears to be the point of the first couple of sections. He just doesn't know when to buck up and act "right." I know that acting like a Nazi isn't necessarily right, but the alternative is hugely painful and humiliating. In the end, Rudy gets out of the situation, but it takes a while. And he nearly freezes to death. That's ridiculous.
Then Max gets sick. I found this section to be very annoying. Liesel gives him trash to make him feel better. I find that on the dumb side, but she is 11 or 12. Then, she reads to him. I find that much more interesting, but her book choices are very weird. She reads about a murderer escaping. Weird.
Then Max makes it through only to be nearly discovered by a Nazi officer. It was a "fast-pace" section...Or at least as fast-paced as this book can get.
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