This remarkably quirky book about a family who thrives on their own despair, it seems, comedy comes out of the oddest crime family ever. This book starts with the life of the boy known as Jasper dean, nephew of the long dead crime lord Terry dean, and son of a philosophical grumpy man who happens to be terry deans brother.
The whole book (not a spoiler as it tells you on the BLURB ( or back cover... :) ) ) is based around the death of Jaspers Father as he tries to become someone in life. he is cynical and all together not a good person who really does love his son.
the themes in this book are somewhat unclear until towards the end, but all I will say is that they have to do with trust (even if it isn't smart) and finding yourself (at least before you kick the bucket, so to speak.)
though terry's death seems signignificant, as does mairtains and... well, they aren't really . except the last one. Which I didn't say... so, all and all this is a wonderful, very heart wrenchingly funny book.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Swamplandia!
Swamplandia is a story mainly focused on the story of two children on their way to becoming adults, a coming of age story (rather cliche I know) but this story, if anything, is nothing but cliche. It is heart wrenching, and witty, cold and happy, with a twist of disturbing proportions to top it off.
it focuses on two of the three Bigtree children, running an alligator theme park on an island away from the mainland, away from the world of darkness as it is more commonly known. As Ava, one of the main characters, copes with a sister who can see ghosts (or thinks so) an the other main character, her brother, who has run away to get money for the family, all with a mysterious ( and alarming ) character known as the bird man twisting in and out of the text.
Through the families twists and turns, secrets are exposed
Secrets
are
dangerous
Secrets
That should never be told
but it leaves us to wonder, what would happen if there were no secrets at all - would we be content, no, everyone needs, a little privacy now and again, the question remains, how much is too much?
it focuses on two of the three Bigtree children, running an alligator theme park on an island away from the mainland, away from the world of darkness as it is more commonly known. As Ava, one of the main characters, copes with a sister who can see ghosts (or thinks so) an the other main character, her brother, who has run away to get money for the family, all with a mysterious ( and alarming ) character known as the bird man twisting in and out of the text.
Through the families twists and turns, secrets are exposed
Secrets
are
dangerous
Secrets
That should never be told
but it leaves us to wonder, what would happen if there were no secrets at all - would we be content, no, everyone needs, a little privacy now and again, the question remains, how much is too much?
Thursday, March 10, 2011
A book that made me laugh, and quite literally, cry.
The Book theif
Liesel Memenger's Journy during world war II, and her experiences, from being taunted by her best friend Rudy for a kiss, who both loved eachother, to hiding a fugitive Jewish Citizen from the concentration camps, her story, told trough death, a tired entity, with no more awareness then us, just a job he detests, as even death is touched by this young girls struggle.
His style (Markus Zuzack) was not unlike that of shakespere
who reveals the ending of his plays.
Leisel lives on to witness the death of rudy, kissing him, praying, for him to wake, he never does. She steals books forknowledge, and money from her kind foster family to mail letters to her mother which will never be recieved, through the bombing love hate and fear, The character development, description, the story. Through each reading I cry more and more, laugh more and more and I know these characters exist outside of the confines which so many others are kept, and together, Liesel walks with death as an equal, I miss them
Already...
Liesel Memenger's Journy during world war II, and her experiences, from being taunted by her best friend Rudy for a kiss, who both loved eachother, to hiding a fugitive Jewish Citizen from the concentration camps, her story, told trough death, a tired entity, with no more awareness then us, just a job he detests, as even death is touched by this young girls struggle.
His style (Markus Zuzack) was not unlike that of shakespere
who reveals the ending of his plays.
Leisel lives on to witness the death of rudy, kissing him, praying, for him to wake, he never does. She steals books forknowledge, and money from her kind foster family to mail letters to her mother which will never be recieved, through the bombing love hate and fear, The character development, description, the story. Through each reading I cry more and more, laugh more and more and I know these characters exist outside of the confines which so many others are kept, and together, Liesel walks with death as an equal, I miss them
Already...
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Post on a post to post for a post because we all post.
so, I have a post about a post to post. (is it just me or did that sound somewhat odd.) Anyway... I am posting about Corinna's blog post (here is a link! http://xt0ki.blogspot.com/2011/02/curious-incident-of-dog-in-night-time.html just copy and paste it, as I can't work this thing... I am not good with technology...) I want to make note about the way, and language which Corinna wrote her blog, it was compelling, and if I hadn't already read the book, I would really, want to read it, in fact, I think I want to read it again!
The main reason I am posting this is that I would like to go into some depth about the idea of the mother being at fault. Now I am not defending what she did, however I feel that if I had had a child with autism, I would have a hard time dealing with him/her - probably him as autism and aspergers syndrome which is what he has, there is an argument that aspergers is an high functioning form of autism, I find this possible but unlikely, as he displays symptoms which don't appear frequently in autism - like his want to communicate, though in high functioning autism this can appear as well... oh I just argued against myself didn't I... anyway, maybe it is I won't go any further into it... but back to the main topic
If you were a parent of a child like Christopher, you would love and cherish him but honestly could you handle him. My mother works with children with autism, and it is hard work, but fun, from what she says. But it must be stressful, and with some people, the stress could break them. That could happen, and does sometimes. Sometimes when stress like this occurs, the work can separate families.
Though I disagree with the mothers choice of action would you do better, look at yourself and say, could I go through that. And some will say yes, and some amazing saintlike people have, and should be greatly revered. Children with autism, are wonderful and unique. But I can't help feel some pity for the mother...
that's all...
so with a rather sad end to this post, I bid you all ado
The main reason I am posting this is that I would like to go into some depth about the idea of the mother being at fault. Now I am not defending what she did, however I feel that if I had had a child with autism, I would have a hard time dealing with him/her - probably him as autism and aspergers syndrome which is what he has, there is an argument that aspergers is an high functioning form of autism, I find this possible but unlikely, as he displays symptoms which don't appear frequently in autism - like his want to communicate, though in high functioning autism this can appear as well... oh I just argued against myself didn't I... anyway, maybe it is I won't go any further into it... but back to the main topic
If you were a parent of a child like Christopher, you would love and cherish him but honestly could you handle him. My mother works with children with autism, and it is hard work, but fun, from what she says. But it must be stressful, and with some people, the stress could break them. That could happen, and does sometimes. Sometimes when stress like this occurs, the work can separate families.
Though I disagree with the mothers choice of action would you do better, look at yourself and say, could I go through that. And some will say yes, and some amazing saintlike people have, and should be greatly revered. Children with autism, are wonderful and unique. But I can't help feel some pity for the mother...
that's all...
so with a rather sad end to this post, I bid you all ado
Friday, February 11, 2011
The trilogy concludes
Now, for the third time, I have finished the Bartemaeus Trilogy.
I really do love this series for many reasons, but I would first like to make a sort of disclaimer; the rest of this blog post will have A LOT of spoilers, so as they say, reader beware
Now back to business at hand, I would like to say that when I first read this series, I noticed all the little details between the relationship between Kitty and Bartemaeus, and the death of the major djinn Farqual, Bartemaeus's long standing Arch-rival. I wold love to say I noticed all of the subtleties, however to say that would be lying.
However when reading the books over again, you could really examine the relationship between Nathanial And Bartemaeus. Nathanial seems to adore him through a curtain. He never releases the djinn, and I don't believe that Nathanial thought that Bartenaeus would reveal his true name. The two were always arguing, but I feel, again in some wierd complex way, that Bartemaeus was really Nathanials master. The noble, (not to mention sharp tongued) Djinn was always there for the boy even when Rathanial believed himself to truly be one of the gov't. Sadly though Bartemaeus's wise tutelage ended in nathanial makeing the same sacrifice Ptolemy made back in Alexandria, all those years ago.
I really do love this series for many reasons, but I would first like to make a sort of disclaimer; the rest of this blog post will have A LOT of spoilers, so as they say, reader beware
Now back to business at hand, I would like to say that when I first read this series, I noticed all the little details between the relationship between Kitty and Bartemaeus, and the death of the major djinn Farqual, Bartemaeus's long standing Arch-rival. I wold love to say I noticed all of the subtleties, however to say that would be lying.
However when reading the books over again, you could really examine the relationship between Nathanial And Bartemaeus. Nathanial seems to adore him through a curtain. He never releases the djinn, and I don't believe that Nathanial thought that Bartenaeus would reveal his true name. The two were always arguing, but I feel, again in some wierd complex way, that Bartemaeus was really Nathanials master. The noble, (not to mention sharp tongued) Djinn was always there for the boy even when Rathanial believed himself to truly be one of the gov't. Sadly though Bartemaeus's wise tutelage ended in nathanial makeing the same sacrifice Ptolemy made back in Alexandria, all those years ago.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Bartemaeus Trilogy
hello again here. I would like to speak about the Bartemaeus trilogy, an amazing series of boooks entirely devoted to many different stories, as in different characters
this is meant to, I feel, give an entierly whole perspective on the story, whith this entire perspective, I believe that the story is told from everyone's point of view, especially the pro/antagonist, Bartemaeus. he is an unlikely hero, one which turns out to feel more compassion towards magicians and, mostly Nathanial, I feel that this is sort of, in a wierd way a comming of age, not just for Nathanial, but for Bartemaeus, as he is the one who begins to soften and develop respect for everyone in the relm of our world.
I ALSO have come to notice the simplicity of the way the magicians speak as opposed to the way in which the djinn talk. They speak in a superior tone, which is an interesting dynamic, as if, the magicians have found the means to control one more powerful than himself or herself.
this is meant to, I feel, give an entierly whole perspective on the story, whith this entire perspective, I believe that the story is told from everyone's point of view, especially the pro/antagonist, Bartemaeus. he is an unlikely hero, one which turns out to feel more compassion towards magicians and, mostly Nathanial, I feel that this is sort of, in a wierd way a comming of age, not just for Nathanial, but for Bartemaeus, as he is the one who begins to soften and develop respect for everyone in the relm of our world.
I ALSO have come to notice the simplicity of the way the magicians speak as opposed to the way in which the djinn talk. They speak in a superior tone, which is an interesting dynamic, as if, the magicians have found the means to control one more powerful than himself or herself.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The screwtape letters
After seeing The Screwtape letters on Broadway, I thought it was time to delve into the mysterious world of our own devils, and daemons, all with the guidance of "your affectionate uncle Screwtape" This story by C.S. Lewis (yes think Narnia) is a lesser known story than Narnia, which, for all the hype it got, I feel myself detesting. However, the screwtape letters are simply amazing. They follow a daemon named Wormwood, through his uncles letters to him, about the person he is trying to bring to "our father below."
The story itself is almost a moral, and pokes at our own vices. And is hilarious. (yes this is still the man who wrote Narnia)but I love the way that it seems when the devils are looking down on us the way we look down on beings who we see lower than us. It talks about humanity, as below them, something which i would bet would make most of us humans feel pretty uncomfortable, I mean being thought of as food, and, even highly inferior, really puts you in your place. I hate to make a horrible pun here, but at this point I feel I must point out tat Lewis has us playing the devil's Advocate. Seeing what life would be like down below. And shockingly, it isn't that different from life up above on earth. person attacking person and makes us think about our humanity as a whole. I like it a lot more than I thought I would. It is an amazing boo, and I would recommend it to anyone who has ever thought about any of these issues.
The story itself is almost a moral, and pokes at our own vices. And is hilarious. (yes this is still the man who wrote Narnia)but I love the way that it seems when the devils are looking down on us the way we look down on beings who we see lower than us. It talks about humanity, as below them, something which i would bet would make most of us humans feel pretty uncomfortable, I mean being thought of as food, and, even highly inferior, really puts you in your place. I hate to make a horrible pun here, but at this point I feel I must point out tat Lewis has us playing the devil's Advocate. Seeing what life would be like down below. And shockingly, it isn't that different from life up above on earth. person attacking person and makes us think about our humanity as a whole. I like it a lot more than I thought I would. It is an amazing boo, and I would recommend it to anyone who has ever thought about any of these issues.
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