The Time Traveler's Wife - Post #2

At first, time traveling sounds like a good time. An unknown adventure that many dream of. It seems like a super power: the ability to revisit past experiences and live future events before they occur. But in this book, time traveling is not presented with this positive spin. Henry goes through so much pain and suffering as a result of his time traveling. He strives to have a normal life. He finds a faithful doctor, Dr. Kendrick, who unsuccessfully attempts at formulating a drug to help Henry remain in the present.

Henry's most recent issue happens when he time travels on a freezing night. He finds himself alone, without clothes and in an unfamiliar time period. This is one thing that can be confusing about the book, but Henry actually calls his own self who is living in the present at this time. When the current Henry and Clare go to rescue time-traveling Henry, they cannot find him. Aware of the difficulties associated with time traveling, Clare says, "We are seemingly unscathed, but sooner or later there will be hell to pay" (450). Because they could not find Henry that night, he ends up getting hypothermia and needs to have both feet amputated. Yet because Henry was time traveling when this happens, he and Clare will not know about the pain he is going through until the future.

Obviously, the story can get very complicated. Many problems become tangled up in the hard-to-follow time sequences. It is very important to pay close attention to the date and time for each chapter. Also, the reader constantly has to make connections between chapters to realize that Henry is living through these events multiple times. This book definitely is not a happy fantasy about a hero with super human abilities. Rather, it tells the story of one very different man trying to live a simple life. As the reader, they must realize that the complicated book layout truly reflects the difficult life Henry must endure.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

This interesting story follows the erratic life of Henry DeTamble. He is not an ordinary man and his life with Clare Abshire is not an ordinary love story. Henry is a time traveler, though many don't believe his story. I found Henry to be very similar to Holden from The Catcher in the Rye. Just like Holden, Henry often finds himself in an unfamiliar place. While that place for Holden was adulthood, the unfamiliar place is literal for Henry as he time travels to various areas and does not always know where he ends up. Because Henry usually doesn't know anyone in the area, or even what time period it is, he roams around looking for activities just as Holden aimlessly explored New York City. Similar to the time when Holden passed time ice skating at Rockefeller Center, Henry "skate[d] for an hour or so, then return[ed] the skates, pull[ed] on [his] boots, and walk[ed]" (117). Both men are lost in their own ways. Holden goes on a journey to remain in his past; Henry goes on a journey back to his past.

I enjoy the uniqueness of this story. However, I do find it confusing at times. I could never imagine writing a story with all the time changes. At times I need to refer back to the beginning of the chapter because even I forget what year Henry is in--imagine how difficult it is for Henry! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes love stories, but keep in mind that it can be confusing.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture is a book written by Randy Pausch, who was a professor for many years. He has also been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. You would think this book would be quite the downer. However, it is just the opposite. Randy talks about what a good life he has had, even though it has been shortened due to his disease. He also gives tips on how to live out your own life to fullest. I was extremely moved and inspired by this book.

Randy decided to write this book based on his last lecture presented at Carnegie Mellon (the college he taught at). The theme of his lecture focused on achieving childhood dreams. As a teenager, I began thinking about my dreams when I was reading this book. Randy had already developed specific goals for his life at my age and here I am, with almost no clue about my future. I know I want to be a teacher, so that's a start. But for now, I guess I will just have to start thinking about my future goals more carefully.

Proving his eternal youth, Randy compares life to Winnie-the Pooh. Towards the end of the book he states, "As I see it, there's a decision we all have to make, and it seems perfectly captured in the Winnie-the-Pooh characters created by A. A. Milne. Each of us must decide: Am I a fun-loving Tigger or am I a sad-sack Eeyore?" (180). I have always loved Winnie-the-Pooh. I grew up watching the cartoon and still have my stuffed animals of the characters in my room. I hope that I will always hold onto these pieces of my childhood, just like Randy has. I also hope that I will always be a Tigger in life. Of course, everyone has their Eeyore days but overall remaining happy is very important. I loved how Randy incorporated childhood memories to teach lessons about staying true to your childhood.

The last book I read was also about a person struggling with cancer (A Time for Dancing). Both characters end up losing their battle to cancer in the end. But, these characters are very different from each other. While Julie in A Time for Dancing chose a sooner death over painful chemotherapy, Randy has done all he can to enjoy a few more moments of life. Now I am surely not passing judgement on either of their decisions; I have never had to make such a tough decision. But it was interesting to explore the contrast between the two.

I believe everyone should read this book. It was a real story with truly valuable lessons. Randy says at one point in the book that he is not grateful for his diagnosis, but he is grateful for the time that it granted him to live. He said that he preferred death to come with a warning, rather than say a heart attack or car accident. Each person should take his appreciation for time and live their lives out to the fullest.

A Time for Dancing by Davida Hurwin -- Spoiler Alert

What a tearjerker this book was! I finished it earlier tonight and I am still recovering. The story followed a year in the life of two best friends. However, this year changed life drastically for both of them. They were used to spending all of their time together: laughing, partying, and just having fun. But when one of the girls, Julie, was diagnosed with cancer, both friends took a hard hit. These girls, Julie and Sam, were so close that it was almost as if both had been told they had cancer.

After trying to fight the disease with a positive attitude, Julie was pulled into the harsh reality of her situation. She referred to her battle with cancer as her solo journey. She believed that no one could control how her life turned out at that point. This was hard for Julie to cope with, as it would be with anyone. Though I could never imagine having to go through what Julie went through, I try to empathize with her pain. I can definitely understand her worries about battling cancer on her own. Nobody likes to face a tough situation by themselves. Humans love having safety nets. This reminds me of Holden not wanting to grow up in The Catcher and the Rye because he would have to face life on his own. And Holden still had his life ahead of him.

Sadly, Julie did not. Ultimately, cancer won the battle and she ended up dying at the end of the book. This is when the real waterworks started to come. With tears in my eyes (then and now), I finished reading the book. This really left me thinking. I had a hard day today, but nothing like the year that Julie and Sam went through. I realized that I should really hold on to what I have and not get hung up with what I don't have. Of course I would love to say that I will never take anything for granted again and that I will never get upset over little things. But, I'm only human. There is no way for people to be happy all of the time, even if they should be. I'm sure I will still have my moments, but hopefully I will always be able to keep the ideal state of mind close behind.

The end of the book quotes the song "Imagine" by John Lennon. That was very fitting as the closing scene took place at Julie's funeral. All of her loved ones were left imagining what Julie's life would have been and how this would impact their own life. Likewise, I was left imagining how people go through these struggles everyday. I hope that people can deal with these struggles and others can help those deal with them. Then I hope "the world will be as one" (John Lennon).

Quarter 1 Comes to a Close

I have just looked over my blogs for the quarter. I noticed that I tend to focus my blogging on what I like about each book. Even if I do not fully enjoy the story, I find a positive aspect to focus on. Also, I write about point of view a lot in my entries. In both my entries about The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and A Time for Dancing I wrote about the unique point of view displayed. I guess I really like commenting on the point of view because it always interests me how authors choose to tell their story.

At first, I did not enjoy the blogging experience. I found myself with nothing to write about. The whole process felt tedious to me. I missed the old system of just reading for independent reading, like we did last year. But then I realized that the blog was a place for me to write anything that I wanted about my book. It didn't have to be like an essay every week; it could be more like free write. Then, I began to open up more and blogging became more fun.

My blogging goal for the second quarter is to summarize less in my blogs. After reading through my blogs, I realized that I spend a lot of each entry telling a summary of what I have read. Though this is good, I aim to write more analysis in the future. I feel that my entries are clear and detailed at this point. I would just like to give fewer details about the actual plot and more details analyzing and writing about the plot. I found that I have definitely become more excited about my blog than I was at the beginning of the year and I hope that this feeling continues!

End of Angels & Demons; Beginning of A Time for Dancing

This week I finished reading Angels & Demons. I really loved how this book came together in the end. Though some points in the story were very boring, the action really picked up at the end. New twists were revealed and the ultimate mystery concluded. I don't want to spoil the ending here but I would definitely recommend this book. I believe I enjoyed it even more than The Da Vinci Code. I would highly recommend it to any Dan Brown fans, or just mystery fans in general.

Next, I began reading A Time for Dancing by Davida Hurwin. One thing that makes this book unique is that the chapters alternate point of view between two best friends: Julie and Sam. I like this arrangement because it is as if two stories are being told at once. The reader is able to hear the story as told from two different girls. This change in point of view creates an interesting dynamic, especially as the characters battle problems. For instance, Jules and Sam were at a party in an early chapter. Also attending this party was Jules' recent ex-boyfriend, whom she still claimed to love. Sam, however, did not feel as much affection toward the guy who just broke her best friend's heart. Thus, their descriptions of the scene differed very much. I believe this arrangement develops each character a lot more, for the reader hears the story from their own point of view rather than a narration. This allows the reader to truly learn about each character.

Angels and Demons - Post #4

At the end of Chapter 89, a very profound conversation was recapped. One of the Vatican guards, Chartrand, was asking the camerlengo a religious question. The camerlengo acts as an assistant to the Pope and steps in for the Pope upon death. In this context, Chartrand asked the Pope how the Bible could truthfully describe God as both omnipotent and benevolent. In other words, according to the Bible, God has complete power over people and uses that power for good. This seems reasonable enough. But, Chartrand takes issue with this theory because there is still suffering in the world. I found the camerlengo's response to this question to be very insightful. After some discussion he retaliated with the question, "So although you have the power to interfere and prevent your child's pain, you would choose to show your love by letting him learn his own lessons?" (453).

I found this response to be extremely thought provoking. It seems that Chartrand agreed with me, for the question seemed to make him stop and think, as well. He replied by saying yes to the camerlengo's question, because as he said, "pain is part of growing up" (453). The camerlengo went on the explain that God is thus taking care of everyone by teaching them about pain and allowing them to learn from their experiences with it.

I found this to be one of the most interesting passages of the book. It may not be the most action-packed or exciting scene, but it holds a very deep meaning. I truly believe that pain makes people stronger. Not only do they learn how to handle tougher situations, but they also come to appreciate everything that is good in there life. Only suffering can make humans be grateful for the times when they are not suffering.

Angels and Demons-Post #3

The excitement has definitely picked up in this book. The main characters, Vittoria and Langdon, are continuing on their quest. At this point in the book, their focus is to track down a man who is guilty of killing Vittoria's father and about to kill four of the most influential Catholic cardinals from around the world. This is all happening during Conclave in Vatican City, which is an event where the new Pope is chosen.

Meanwhile, to add to Vittoria and Langdon's problems, a highly explosive chemical was stolen from Vittoria's deceased father's lab. Thus, in addition to hunting down the mysterious killer, they must also stop this chemical--called antimatter--from blowing up Vatican City and all of the important religious figures who are there for Conclave.

I really like the suspense that this story is taking on. I am a fan of action/adventure movies. This book surely reminds me of one. I can just imagine the clock counting down the minutes until the antimatter explodes and ruins the town. Just like in the movies I'm sure it will come down to a close call. But these stories always end with everyone being safe. That's why we love them after all, isn't it?

Angels & Demons: Post #2

I have continued reading Angels & Demons by Dan Brown this week. I find it very interesting how many subjects are incorporated into this storyline. Of course the main genre is mystery. But the plot focuses on religion and science, as well. While most people think these two things clash, one of the characters, Vittoria, has explained that some believe just the opposite. Vittoria's dad has just been murdered; the cause is unknown. He works as a physicist, yet he is also devoted to the Church. This is unusual, yet he made it work. Upon entering her dad's office after his death with his boss and the main character, Robert Langdon, Vittoria revealed the top secret project her dad and her were working on together.

I was fascinated by the description of the project. It managed to explain how the earth was created by agreeing with both the religious view of the subject and the scientific theory. This clever writing has truly made me more intrigued in the story. At first I was unsure if I wanted to continue reading or abandon the book. But, I do realize that sometimes you need to stick with a book for a little while until it picks up. Now that the plot is beginning to develop I am becoming more interested in the reading.

Angels & Demons by Dan Brown: Deja Vous?

I know it's a bit out of order, but I have decided to read Angels & Demons now, after I just finished The Da Vinci Code. Many fans of The Da Vinci Code asked me if I have read Angels & Demons after finding out about my first choice. Everyone who loved The Da Vinci Code recommended I read this one, as well. So I thought I would give it a try.

So far I find the books to be very similar. First off, it follows another part of Robert Langdon's life--who was the main character in both books. However, the stories are not a continuation of each other. Also, Langdon is an expert symbologist. So, he embarks on a new mystery to solve. This time, he helping a physics center investigate the death of a worker. Langdon is called in because the body exhibits the symbol of an ancient secret society--a specialty of Langdon's knowledge. I found this scenario very similar to when Langdon was called in to sort out the death of a museum curator whose body was covered with different ancient symbols.

Because I immediately saw all of these connections between the two books I wasn't sure that I wanted to continue reading Angels & Demons. After all, what's the point of reading a book with the same plot line as one that I have just finished. But, I voiced this opinion with numerous people that read both Dan Brown novels and they advised me to stick with it. So I guess I will have to see for myself which book is the better one of the series.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

I just finished reading this book. The ending is still sinking in. All in all, I thought it was a great book. It takes a real talent to write a mystery book like this, in which the story follows actual clues from ancient history. I found it really interesting how Dan Brown was able to write a book using all of these historical references - ranging from old Bible stories to Walt Disney's movies. Also, I take Latin so I was able to make connections between some of the history referenced and the language used. I read this book because it was recommended to me by many people and I would say it lived up to my expectations.
Though I thought this book had a great ending, it took me a little while to get into the story. After reading the first couple of pages I found myself confused by the language. Also, the story was not fully developed yet so I had to keep reading for it to make sense.
The main plot of The Da Vinci Code followed the quest of Robert Langdon, a symbologist, and Sophie Neveu, a cryptologist, to find the Holy Grail (an ancient mystery) and to avoid being caught and arrested by international police. As the book continues, the suspense heightens as secrets are uncovered, good guys turn bad, and Sophie and Robert get closer to reaching their goal. I found it astonishing that the 454 page book only covered 2 days in the life of Robert and Sophie.
I would recommend this book to someone who likes mystery books. If you have never read a mystery book before I would recommend giving this one a try anyway because I never read to much of the mystery genre either. I especially liked how the chapters were short, only about 5 pages on average. This made the book seem more fast paced and allowed for easier reading.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Though I do not read it often, I find the historical fiction genre very interesting. I find it quite impressive how authors are able to develop a story around an actual event. My aunt was the first person to tell me about The Boy in the Striped Pajamas around when the movie was entering theaters. The plot follows a year in the life of two boys, whom are both growing up in very different lifestyles. One boy is a victim of the Holocaust, while the other is the son of a commandant of the other side. The story is told through the naive eyes of the second boy described.

Because this boy did not really know what his friend was truly going through and how his own father was an accessory to his suffering, it made for an interesting turn of events. It truly seemed like a 9-year-old was telling the story, yet this book was definitely not for a 9-year-old. The lesson it teaches and the images of the Holocaust make it an emotional read for anyone. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction. It is a quick read but very worthwhile. You will walk away with a new perspective on events in the past and connections to the present.

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is my favorite author. The first book I read by her was My Sister's Keeper in eighth grade. Immediately I fell in love with the story and her overall writing style. Picoult always adds an extra flair into her novels that make them unique. In The Pact the different twist was that the chapters alternated between "Then" scenes and "Now" scenes. Thus, the story was told through flashbacks and the present-day happenings. Little things like that truly make reading much more interesting for me.

The Pact followed an interesting love story. It was especially interesting because one of the lovers is found dead on the first page. Throughout the book the reader tries to figure out why this death occurred through emotional recollections of the teenage lovers' past and controversial court hearings surrounding the death. Picoult really keeps the reader guessing; a foggy end to the character's life makes for controversy with the court decision.

This book is definitely for mature readers. I would recommend it mostly to girls who enjoy emotional love stories. The book goes into many details of the main character's relationship. Though it was not my favorite book by Jodi Picoult I would still recommend it to her fans.