1984 (Book Review)

Review of 1984 by George Orwell

"If the Party could thrust its hand into the past and say this or that even, it never happened—that, surely, was more terrifying than mere torture and death."
- George Orwell, 1984, Book 1, Chapter 3 

Review:

After such a bad experience reading “The Giver,” a decision was made to go back and finally read “1984.” The Giver left this reader hungry for a good dystopian book and I must say that 1984 filled that void. "1984" is a masterpiece and very well constructed. This is a mind-mending book that will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Not trying to connect the dots of the characters world and your own is impossible after being pulled into this written world. 

The big plus about this book was that the characters keep their human nature intact. Although they face so many challenges that tend to bend truth and reality. Many other dystopian books tend to recreate humanity to fit into the story line; however, in “1984” the author does a great job to keep the human side safe in the main character. 
How much can a person take when everywhere you turn seems to lead to a dead end? A great journey in a world of chaos with Winston Smith who faces many challenges and might go insane as he tried to get through them. 

Sit back, read, and enjoy this book as much as I did. 

Character development:

“George Orwell” Does a great job in developing his characters. The best books written are the ones that pull you into the story and make you feel the same emotions that the characters feel. “1984” does just that. 

Plot:

The plot is full of many turns that challenge the characters as well as your mind. Guessing what happens next is a challenge, a big plus. 

Setting:

The setting is incredibly shocking. A world so disfuntional yet organized, that is meant for the better of society. However, a deeper agenda involved is hurting the overall population. 

Book Flow:
The book flow varies from chapter to chapter. Some chapters will flow faster then others. The last third of the book will slow down a bit as the author puts all the pieces of the puzzle together. 

4 out of 5 Stars

Recommended to all Readers 

Ender's Game (Book Review)

Review of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 
Review: 

A book that has hated by some, but loved by many. 

What can I say about a book with so many reviews? I guess Ill just try my best and be as fair and honest as I can. 

The author has an interesting way of pulling you into the story from the beginning. I wont say too much about it because I want others to read this book without any spoilers on my part, however, I must say that first couple of chapters are very well developed and will draw readers from all ages.That being said… I must give a warning... 

After reading a couple of chapters I noticed that the author has many references of nude(naked) children… (I’m sure you read this in other reviews, so I wont get too deep into this, if not try googling it for more info). This really concerned me so I stopped reading the book for a couple of days and decided to read more reviews and do some research on Orson Scott Card. I am not here to trash any author, so I will not say what I read about him, I will leave that up to you, but I will say that there are many who hate him and many more who love his writing. 

After this experience, it took a couple of days to pick this book up again. To do so I had to put all my concerns aside and decided to continue and finish the book. The more I read the more I understood why people really love this book. 

Again, I do not want to give away too much information about this book. I am also going to keep my review short since the internet is full of reviews concerning this book (Some good and some bad). 
My best advice is to at least finish the book with an open mind and do not be too stuck on certain issues. I cannot say I understand why the author wrote the book the way that he did, but I must honestly say that I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to all adults, but for younger readers, get the PG version, I hear it is available. 

Character Development: 

The author did a good job developing the characters. The first couple of chapters lay out the foundation for the main characters involved in the book. However, the histories of the characters are a little unclear. This wont effect the overall story but I did bug me a little. 

Plot: 

The plot is very interesting. It is full of action and many David vs. Goliath moments. The author definitely used the word “naked” a little too much in this book. However, this does not make the book any worse. On the other hand, I do not think it made the book any better either. 

Setting: 

The setting was a little boring and dull. Most of the story occurs in the “Battle School” and even this place seemed color less. 

Book Flow: 

I am glad with the book flow of Ender’s Game. The book is an average size of about 300 pages and an easy read. 

4 out of 5 shots

The Giver (Book Review)

Review of The Giver by Lois Lowry

"The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared."
— Lois Lowry (The Giver) 

Review:

I am surprised that I did not like this book, especially after all the 4 and 5 star reviews. This being the first dystopian type of book read I tried to keep an open mind and see the bigger picture. However, the more I read the more I wanted to put the book down. Do not get me wrong, I understand the point of the book; however, I believe it was poorly written and the plot was just boring. I am sure others feel different. 

The interesting part of The Giver was the way that the people lived. I wont get too deep into that, I'll let you discover that yourself if you decide to read the book. While reading, many questions passed my mind. I expected that at least some of them would be answered by the end of the book. Unfortunately, not many questions were answered and it left me with a feeling that I wasted my time. That is the worst feeling when reading a book. 

Some of biggest problems with this book are that human nature seems to be taken away. We as humans have certain characteristics that make us who we are. Included in these characteristics are thinking, acting, and feeling emotions. These characteristics seem to be taken away from the characters in The Giver. How? That is never made clear. 

Character development:

The characters in this book are somewhat well developed. Each character has a unique style and personality, even in their situation. Some characters seem too robotic and mechanical. However, the author might have purposely created his characters that way to add to the overall story. 

Plot:

The plot tells a good story about a society in a completely controlled state for the so-called better of the overall civilization. However, the book is full with so many holes and questions that the book feels incomplete. 

Setting:

The setting of the book is tolerable, especially for a book like this. Things do not seem to be what they really are, which keeps the reader entertained enough to continue reading to see what is real and what is not. 

Book Flow:

The book is short enough to read in one weekend. It flows pretty well, however the ending seemed to drag, pulling the reader along. 

2 out of 5 Shots

Sorry Giver Lovers But I have to keep it real :)

The Book Thief (Book Review)

Review of The Book Thief--by Markus Zusak

I could not put this book down. The book was so good that I wish it did not have an ending. A truly amazing work of art full of emotion and powerful words.

"I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right."
— Markus Zusak (The Book Thief)




Quick Synopsis from GoodReads:

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she cannot resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

Review:

What an amazing book. A book that will stay with you, even after the last page. The story, although sad in some areas, is just incredible. The love and passion that Liesel has for words could be found in all people who really enjoy reading a good book.

Markus Zusak a great job with his use of colors. He has a very special gift of pulling the reader right into the story. His descriptions of the settings are marvelous to say the least. Truly Amazing!

Character development:


The Characters are great in this novel. Each character has his/her own personality and quality. It is guaranteed that you will fall in love with one or more of the characters in this book.

Plot:

The design of this novel is one of a kind. The narrator is death in a setting that is surrounded by it. The emotions run high for the reader, the narrator, and the characters in the book. You will follow the life of a young child who grows up loving words and the people around her. Throughout her journey, she learns how worlds can also destroy.

Setting:

WWII Germany. The authors’ artistic talent is shown in the way he describes each seen to the readers. He writes in such a way that you can almost see yourself being there; a talent unique to only few writers. However, the author does an incredible job doing it in The Book Thief.

Book Flow:

The book is a little long, however, flows very smoothly. Each chapter brings new twists and turns to keep the reader entertained for hours reading this book.

5 out of 5 Shots!!!

A must read for all who love to read books.