This is a book I've wanted to read for some time now but never managed to get my hands on it but, finally, I have and you could say I'm glad glad I managed to do so.
This is one of those "set in the future" books where the world has changed with weird laws and machines. A somewhat utopian world.
As mentioned, the story is based in a futuristic world in which books are banned and should a book be found a 'fireman' - in this case, a man who goes to the location of the book(s), sprays it/them with kerosene and proceeds to burn the books. We follow the life of Guy Montag, a fireman who, when working catches a glipse of a book and reads "Time has fallen asleep in the afternoon sunshine". Mesmerised by these words he decides to keep the book.
Wht follows is a story of a man whom disagrees with these laws and, due to having kept a pile of books is forced into secrecy. However, the day he decides to read out a poem to a group of his wife's friends he is sent into a downward spiral which turns into survival of the fittest.
Having been discovered in posession of a book Montag is forced to escape the city and get away as far he can and this book follows the journey just before the discovery to the day in which Montag manages to find somewhere to stay.
Written in the '30s this book is partly similar to 1984. However, despite there being mentions of robotic dogs, voice recognition and walls replaced with large TVs the concept of this story is far from similar to todays world other than that the horrible Kindle is sometimes thought to replace books.
If you're interested in utopia and fucked-up politics with a futuristic twist then this may be a book for you, if not, then still read it anyway. Along with being controversial it is also influntial enough to spawn a band of the same name.
I can't say I'd stand on a rofftop and praise this book like a Messiah but I also wouldn't throw it across the room. A mid-rate I'd say.
Rating: 2.8/5
Friday 17 December 2010
Thursday 9 December 2010
Double book review
As the previous two books I read were done in one night nd were both relatively short, it seems logical to just put them in one blog. Let's begin.
The first book I read was Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" - a book I'd wanted to read for a long time and thanks to a 3-story library at uni, I managed to get my hands on it. And what better time when you have to write an essay on the representation of class in literature?
I'm not really sure about how I'd praise and dis-praise (is that a word?) this book but I can say it was enjoyable, although possibly not as enjoyable as it would have been, had I not been noting down the points of show and tell. Moving on...
It's easy to see why this book has become such a classic which pretty much everyone has heard of - the storyline is fresh with a new concept to the time, it managed to fit in with the current 'scene' of Victorian gothic and could be read by both adults and children alike due to it's simple language lack of vulgarness.
Most of us know the story of a certain scientist creating a mixture of long-named drugs which, when consumed, turned him into an ugly and angry man-thing. Simple enough concept and a good read.
Seeing as this is a critical writing I suppose I'll throw in what I disliked about the book. Now, call me boring etc but throughout the book I remained curious about the characters' backgrounds, although this may have caused the book to drag on. Who knows?
I can't really say this is a book I'll be taking out next month, nor can I be sure that I'll never read it again.
Rting: 3/5
**************
Moving on to book 2 of the night, we have "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck. Although shortter than Jekyll and Hyde, this book was (in my opinion) better and although this was also for some research, it was also an excellent read and possibly as good as "To Kill a Mockingbird", previously reviewed.
I'm not aware of knowing anyone who has read this book and for that, I'm slightly surprised. Our protagonists here are George and Lennie, two men who constantly travel around wroking odd-jobs here and there.
We have George, a somewhat angry man who, from time to time, manages to show a soft side and we then have Lennie, a large man who seems to suffer from mild autism with his repeating of what George has to say and his obsession with soft fabric which often lands him in trouble.
As the book moves on, the reader may begin to feel more and more sorry for the misunderstood Lennie. Frequently called "dumb" and "crazy" he has no idea of what this all means and is forced to go along with George's orders. This therefore creates a depression for the reader also.
However, despite the characters being on and off towards Lennie, one can't help but keep reading. Steinbeck's writing is a constant movement which, although somwhat short and lacking some description at times, still makes a good read.
What can I say to conclude this review? Well, I can't say I'd recommend this book to someone who happens to be extremely emotionally unstable, however, anyone else, have a read. Alike Jekyll nd Hyde, this book could potentially be read by young adults rather than just adults. If you can get your hands on this book, do so.
Rating: 3.8/5
The first book I read was Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" - a book I'd wanted to read for a long time and thanks to a 3-story library at uni, I managed to get my hands on it. And what better time when you have to write an essay on the representation of class in literature?
I'm not really sure about how I'd praise and dis-praise (is that a word?) this book but I can say it was enjoyable, although possibly not as enjoyable as it would have been, had I not been noting down the points of show and tell. Moving on...
It's easy to see why this book has become such a classic which pretty much everyone has heard of - the storyline is fresh with a new concept to the time, it managed to fit in with the current 'scene' of Victorian gothic and could be read by both adults and children alike due to it's simple language lack of vulgarness.
Most of us know the story of a certain scientist creating a mixture of long-named drugs which, when consumed, turned him into an ugly and angry man-thing. Simple enough concept and a good read.
Seeing as this is a critical writing I suppose I'll throw in what I disliked about the book. Now, call me boring etc but throughout the book I remained curious about the characters' backgrounds, although this may have caused the book to drag on. Who knows?
I can't really say this is a book I'll be taking out next month, nor can I be sure that I'll never read it again.
Rting: 3/5
**************
Moving on to book 2 of the night, we have "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck. Although shortter than Jekyll and Hyde, this book was (in my opinion) better and although this was also for some research, it was also an excellent read and possibly as good as "To Kill a Mockingbird", previously reviewed.
I'm not aware of knowing anyone who has read this book and for that, I'm slightly surprised. Our protagonists here are George and Lennie, two men who constantly travel around wroking odd-jobs here and there.
We have George, a somewhat angry man who, from time to time, manages to show a soft side and we then have Lennie, a large man who seems to suffer from mild autism with his repeating of what George has to say and his obsession with soft fabric which often lands him in trouble.
As the book moves on, the reader may begin to feel more and more sorry for the misunderstood Lennie. Frequently called "dumb" and "crazy" he has no idea of what this all means and is forced to go along with George's orders. This therefore creates a depression for the reader also.
However, despite the characters being on and off towards Lennie, one can't help but keep reading. Steinbeck's writing is a constant movement which, although somwhat short and lacking some description at times, still makes a good read.
What can I say to conclude this review? Well, I can't say I'd recommend this book to someone who happens to be extremely emotionally unstable, however, anyone else, have a read. Alike Jekyll nd Hyde, this book could potentially be read by young adults rather than just adults. If you can get your hands on this book, do so.
Rating: 3.8/5
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