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
Monday, 22 November 2010
Therese Raquin by Emile Zola
Zola is/was a I seem to recall briefly hearing of in the past but I'd not checked out any of his books. Until now. As a book put on a set reading list for uni I was expecting an amazing read. However, when I read the blurb which happened to mention "Adultery, murder and madness" I knew this would be my type of novel.
SPOILERS FOLLOW
We're introduced to a bored married woman who initially hates her husband's best friend until, one fateful day, he kisses her and a whirlwind romantic affair soon begins. As with all of these type of affairs we have the man sneaking up to his wife's bedroom for passionate love-making (something which today may be known as "hard, rough sex" - something which I seem to be able to hear from my roommate's room right now). As time goes on, the man and his lover conspire to murder her husband so the lovers can finally get married.
However, as one may or may not expect, things go wrong and they move their seperate ways until a year and a half later when the marriage is finally on the cards again. Cue a disappointing wedding and a chain of events to create an unhappy and abusive couple and you have Therese Raquin in a nutshell.
For a piece of 19th century literature this was a novel written in simple English with no 'classic' words often used in those days. For a book with such violence and anger it has a surprising lack of swearing, although this may just be due to class and time etc.
After reading the blurb I expected something good and something good is what I got.
I doubt I'll be picking this book up again any time soon but it will be one to remain sat on my bookshelf waiting in anticipation to be read again.
If you're a fan of literature with a dark side to it and easy-to-read language, Therese Raquin is certainly a book worth picking up sometime.
Rating: 3.7/5
SPOILERS FOLLOW
We're introduced to a bored married woman who initially hates her husband's best friend until, one fateful day, he kisses her and a whirlwind romantic affair soon begins. As with all of these type of affairs we have the man sneaking up to his wife's bedroom for passionate love-making (something which today may be known as "hard, rough sex" - something which I seem to be able to hear from my roommate's room right now). As time goes on, the man and his lover conspire to murder her husband so the lovers can finally get married.
However, as one may or may not expect, things go wrong and they move their seperate ways until a year and a half later when the marriage is finally on the cards again. Cue a disappointing wedding and a chain of events to create an unhappy and abusive couple and you have Therese Raquin in a nutshell.
For a piece of 19th century literature this was a novel written in simple English with no 'classic' words often used in those days. For a book with such violence and anger it has a surprising lack of swearing, although this may just be due to class and time etc.
After reading the blurb I expected something good and something good is what I got.
I doubt I'll be picking this book up again any time soon but it will be one to remain sat on my bookshelf waiting in anticipation to be read again.
If you're a fan of literature with a dark side to it and easy-to-read language, Therese Raquin is certainly a book worth picking up sometime.
Rating: 3.7/5
Monday, 4 October 2010
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
Yes, I know it's been a long time since writing here. All this uni business has prevented me from sitting down and properly reading a book. However, my arrival at the uni has allowed me to read the one book I've wanted to read for over a year: Fight Club.
Many of us have seen the film and the book has many similarities. However, there are also many differences - all of which I can't list here due to risking spoiling the book but lets just say that the book will help one know how and where the narrator went during those gaps in the film.
Sadly, due to the risk of spoiling the book, I can't write a long review but what I can say is that the book is certainly ecellent and met my very expectations. Just like the film it is aa mind-fuck and makes you wonder what all that was about. In the end, though, the story comes together to crete a well-written, well-narrated story of man suffering from insomnia to create an alter-ego.
Due to this being a library book it's not one I can read again anytime soon although at a later date I will be picking it up.
Overall rating: 4/5
Many of us have seen the film and the book has many similarities. However, there are also many differences - all of which I can't list here due to risking spoiling the book but lets just say that the book will help one know how and where the narrator went during those gaps in the film.
Sadly, due to the risk of spoiling the book, I can't write a long review but what I can say is that the book is certainly ecellent and met my very expectations. Just like the film it is aa mind-fuck and makes you wonder what all that was about. In the end, though, the story comes together to crete a well-written, well-narrated story of man suffering from insomnia to create an alter-ego.
Due to this being a library book it's not one I can read again anytime soon although at a later date I will be picking it up.
Overall rating: 4/5
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Dracula by Bram Stoker
We all know who Dracula is so I won't bore you with the details of a man who lives in a castle and bites the necks of humans to add anothe vampire to his army etc etc.
As a review I'll have to say I was a little disappointed with this book. Sure, it was good with some lively and exciting scenes but it wasn't as I'd expected it to be. I kept expecting there to be lively and violent scenes so this was the main disappointment. This isn't to say I dislike the book.
There were a lot of points in which the book drawled on and I just felt like skipping them and getting to the livey points. However, I didn't do so and managed to read every page, including Mina's lengthy letters and diary entries about how the light reflected beautifully off the water.
I think I'll give it a year and re-read the book. Maybe I'll find it better with more reads. If you can handle Van Helsing's trouble with English and general classic literature I would recommend that you pick this book up, however, don't read it if you wish to read an all-swords, all-guns blazing battle between the living and the dead.
Overall rating: 2.5/5 (Sorry Bram)
As a review I'll have to say I was a little disappointed with this book. Sure, it was good with some lively and exciting scenes but it wasn't as I'd expected it to be. I kept expecting there to be lively and violent scenes so this was the main disappointment. This isn't to say I dislike the book.
There were a lot of points in which the book drawled on and I just felt like skipping them and getting to the livey points. However, I didn't do so and managed to read every page, including Mina's lengthy letters and diary entries about how the light reflected beautifully off the water.
I think I'll give it a year and re-read the book. Maybe I'll find it better with more reads. If you can handle Van Helsing's trouble with English and general classic literature I would recommend that you pick this book up, however, don't read it if you wish to read an all-swords, all-guns blazing battle between the living and the dead.
Overall rating: 2.5/5 (Sorry Bram)
Saturday, 28 August 2010
Sex and the British by Paul Ferris
The title pretty much gives away what the book is about but it is still in need of a review. Ferris' book gives the reader a history of sex from the late 1890s to 1993, it's published year. It gives info on how sex was frowned upon by almost anyone except soldiers fighting overseas in WWI. How the feminists would bash any man who mentioned that he'd recently had sex, the fact that self-pleasure would result in a prison sentence and that anyone found owning pornographic "propaganda" would be arrested and the propaganda being burnt.
Surprisingly, even the London Rubber Company were embarrassed to produce condoms which were highly frowned upon until the late '80s.
Many of the rules of sex 60 years ago will make anyone aged 20 wonder what the hell they were thinking back then when even a badly-drawn cartoon of a half-naked woman would be pulled off the shelves instantly.
For a book that could be classed as British history (a subject I don't take a huge interest in) it is one which anyone would find interesting (even those 22 year olds who can't or refuse to read). When I started reading the book I didn't know what to expect - possibly the fact that it might turn out to just be another of those generic textbook-types. However, over the years Ferris has undertaken a lot of research and interviews to produce a book that will entertain, shock and humour.
Like they say, sex sells and this book shows proff that this statement is very much true.
Overall rating: 3.75/5
Surprisingly, even the London Rubber Company were embarrassed to produce condoms which were highly frowned upon until the late '80s.
Many of the rules of sex 60 years ago will make anyone aged 20 wonder what the hell they were thinking back then when even a badly-drawn cartoon of a half-naked woman would be pulled off the shelves instantly.
For a book that could be classed as British history (a subject I don't take a huge interest in) it is one which anyone would find interesting (even those 22 year olds who can't or refuse to read). When I started reading the book I didn't know what to expect - possibly the fact that it might turn out to just be another of those generic textbook-types. However, over the years Ferris has undertaken a lot of research and interviews to produce a book that will entertain, shock and humour.
Like they say, sex sells and this book shows proff that this statement is very much true.
Overall rating: 3.75/5
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
The Iliad by Homer
One of the classics on Greek mythology The Iliad focuses on the Trojan war between the Acheans and Trojans. And quite a war it is with spears going through stomachs and arrows going into necks.
The basis of the story is that in the sky on Mount Olympus there are many gods who control the earth and it is these who control who will win the war. It's hard to describe the story as there is so much going on that it could be put into 3 books if reworded. Put simply, however, it is a document of the mythological war.
Although not for the light-headed The Iliad is an interesting book with many bloody scenes. Perfect for those fans of "Gladiator" or "Braveheart". This one took me longer to read than a book of a larger size purely due to it's writing and riddles. However, Homer's writing is well done and thought out with extensive plots and full descriptions of characters, although some of the details seem a bit irrellevant to the story itself.
This book is not one which you would casually pick up and expect to read in a day. It is one for those who appreciate literature rather than laugh in it's face.
Neddless to say I did enjoy the book but it probably won't be something I'd read again unless it was set for academia.
Rating: 2.5/5
The basis of the story is that in the sky on Mount Olympus there are many gods who control the earth and it is these who control who will win the war. It's hard to describe the story as there is so much going on that it could be put into 3 books if reworded. Put simply, however, it is a document of the mythological war.
Although not for the light-headed The Iliad is an interesting book with many bloody scenes. Perfect for those fans of "Gladiator" or "Braveheart". This one took me longer to read than a book of a larger size purely due to it's writing and riddles. However, Homer's writing is well done and thought out with extensive plots and full descriptions of characters, although some of the details seem a bit irrellevant to the story itself.
This book is not one which you would casually pick up and expect to read in a day. It is one for those who appreciate literature rather than laugh in it's face.
Neddless to say I did enjoy the book but it probably won't be something I'd read again unless it was set for academia.
Rating: 2.5/5
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)