The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

This is a book that was also turned into a movie. This book was a very quick read, because it was almost completely pictures. This book is based on a true story of a French Pioneer filmmaker.
I actually did not enjoy reading this book as much as everyone else. I did not enjoy the fact that there were so many pictures because I felt that that didn't aid the imagination, but rather hindered it. I also did not enjoy the story line of this book. I found the story to not have much description in the writing, because of all the pictures that were aiding the story. I enjoy reading a book that is very descriptive because I enjoy picturing things in my mind. I also watched the movie of this book, but it strayed from it a lot and I did not enjoy watching it either.

                                                    Touching the Void - By Joe Simpson

1.   Based on a true story....
2. Joe and Simon, are trying to climb the Siula Grande (West Side). The succeed eventually as before a few groups have tried, but they failed. After they reached the top and celebrated. They then eventually decided to descend from the North Ridge. 
3.  Then there was disaster. Joe slipped down an ice cliff, then he landed very awkwardly, as he broke his leg. Later Simon found him, and brought him back up. But thought to himself that he hoped that he died, since it would be extremely hard to descend with him back down the mountain. After this there was bad weather, and this made it hard to move on. Their stove wouldn't work since they didn't have enough fuel for it and they had barely any water. 
4.  As the weather became worse, they needed to get down the cliff that is about 3,000m high. Simon makes a 300ft rope and tries to descend Joe down from the glacier. It took a very long time and Joe and Simon felt like they were a team again. The weather became worse and it was very hard for them to descend. Their hands were badly frost-bitten, but they descended lower.
5.  They eventually thought that they were at the bottom but suddenly, beneath Joe (100ft) there was a huge crevasse (crack). They were now in a very bad position as Joe couldn't climb the rope and Simon couldn't pull him up because of frost bite. 
6.  Simon realised that this was his chance, as Joe could not see him. He cut the rope and that sent Joe flying down and into the crevasse. But  he was alive. He had landed on an ice bridge with two drops either side. Simon though descended down the mountain alone, as Joe tried to call out for someone to help but there was no-one there. He managed to screw himself to the wall with his frostbite. He never gave up though as he pushed himself up. Then he saw the other part of the rope that was cut. He later cried himself to sleep. He continued to cry out but there was still no answer, the he decided that he had to descend.
7. From there, Joe spent three days without food and with almost no water, crawling and hopping five miles back to their base camp.
8. Simpson's survival is widely regarded by mountaineers as amongst the most amazing pieces of mountaineering survival
   
   

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is a book made by George R. R. Martin. This book is set back in time where technology was more primitive. It is set in a medieval era whereby there are multiple families  who are all fighting to keep their land, to take land or take back what was theirs. All these families fight to have their chosen king on the iron throne.  The families are the Starks, Lannisters, Tyrels, Targarian, Baratheon, Greyjoy, Frey, Tulli. The Starks are based in the north and have their home town as Winterfell and the leader of this family is Ned Stark who passes away later on. The Lannisters and Baratheons are based in Kings landing where the king is. To begin with the King was Robert Baratheon but after a tragic hunting accident, the heir to the throne, Joffrey Baratheon takes over. This book is packed with action and romance. I would definately recommend that you read the books or watch the tv series. It is very interesting and worthwhile

game of thrones a song of ice and fire by George r.r martin

seven families fight over power. the knoble king robert barathian has fallen and leaves his bastard son to the throne and this causes some problems. Edward stark a close friend of Robert was called before he dies, and finds out that the current queen was having incest with her brother jaime lanester.

Their Darkest Hour - Laurence Rees

'Chilling... an important read' - Financial Times

'Fascinating but disturbing' - Daily Mail 

'A remarkably powerful collection' - Daily Telegraph 

'An incredible, well-written, must-read book' - Glasgow Evening Times

'A lasting contribution to our understanding of the Second World War and a powerful insight into the behaviour of human beings in crisis' - Independent 

Laurence Rees is an award-winning documentary maker and historian has been studying with certain unanswered questions, such as:

How could the Nazi killers shoot Jewish women and children at close range? How was it possible to endure the torment of a Nazi death camp? How was it so easy for Japanese soldiers to rape and murder on such a terrifying scale?

A series of interviews with various people that were there during some of the most gruesome events in the Second World War, telling their stories, how they felt, how they did not hesitate and what they felt after the disasters and horrific things they caused. Some of them react calmly, they have no regrets, because of the propaganda spread throughout the world and through each country, encouraging people to be part of the war.

We are introduced to the interviews by Laurence Rees, explaining how she was searching for answers, answers that would make people understand what each person involved in the war felt, and the answers that were not given by other historians.

In each of the interviews she describes the appearance of the person, their reactions to different questions, to different descriptions of her studies. As they answer, most of the people are calm, answering crisply. Most of them show little emotion when they are explaining the events.

An emotional book that shows the horrors of the Second World War with clear and concise descriptions, horrific tales filled with honesty, showing what they went through.

Sovay by Celia Rees

This book is the story of a respectable young woman named Sovay that is engaged to marry a man. However, suspecting that he is not loyal, she puts him to the test by dressing up as a highway man and robbing him of the ring that represented their love, which he promised never to take off. 

The thrill and the excitement of the hijacking pushed Sovay to continue, sort of like Robin Hood. he stole from the rich, and left their riches for the poor to find. 

Once on one of her outings, she came across papers that would condemn her father. 

I have only gotten this far in the book. I really enjoy reading it because it is very action packed ad it keeps the reader interested. This book is very hard to put down, which is really annoying because I havent had the time to read enough this term. I really wish I could have read a bit more of this book, and I really recommend it. 

All Quiet on Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front is narrated by a young man of the age nineteen, Paul Bäumer, who fights in the German army on the French western front in World War I. Oblivious of the path he is to encounter, his journey begun when him and several of his school friends join the army voluntarily. What seemed to have been a glorious idea, fighting in the war for your country, became cruel reality as one by one, Paul sees his friends die beside him.
As we go along with the book, we see the realization that our protagonist slowly discovers of the stupidity of war. He feels remorse and confusion of killing the enemies the war had made of people with no particular grudge against one another. On one particular occasion was his account with a French soldier. Bäumer was forced to hide in a shell hole after being separated from his company. A French soldier that Paul would later know as Gérard Duval, jumped into the same shell hole. Paul stabs him impetuously. He regrets deeply for have had harmed the man. He attempts to help the dying man but with little success. The man dies a slow and painful death. He later found that the dead man he had killed had had a wife and a little girl.
All Quiet on Western Front shows the readers many things including defeat from traumatization and remorse. It shows the brutality, pain and sorrow caused by war, the inability to heal from such terrorizing memories. It is truly a powerful and influential novel with a clear anti-war statement that should be read by everyone.

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

Anna Karenina, a novel by Leo Tolstoy is a classic that most girls must read at some point. For those that have no seen the movie or read the book, there are quite a few spoilers here.

Leo Tolstoy, born on September 9, 1828 in Russia is known for this novel and of course many other works such as The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a classic writer that many people for his flawless works and style of writing.

The book is created around two protagonists, the main ones, Anna Karenina and Konstantin Levin. However, personally, I prefer the moments where Anna appears, with her posh 19th century Russian style, her views and opinions on the aristocracy in Russia.  Her thoughts, her problems are always a knot that as a reader I found very intriguing to unravel. Anna also enjoys reading amongst most things, and loves her son very much.

The book begins with Alexey Alexandrovitch Karenin also known as Stiva, a Minister of State, waking up on his couch after having a dreadful fight with his wife,  Anna Arkadyevna Karenin, or Dolly, that found out about his affair with the governess of the house, a young french girl.

Anna is called by her brother to his house in Moscow, to solve the problem, and try to convince Dolly that what he did was of course terrible, however, he loves her, and he cannot go through life without her.

With a series of events we encounter the very-good-looking soldier, Count Alexey Krillovitch Vronsky, a young man that was the suitor of a rich girl nicknamed Kitty. Kitty truly believed that she would be getting married to Count Vronsky, however, the Count had his eyes on someone else while he was dancing with Kitty, his eyes were following Anna, wherever she went.

I will not continue spoiling the book, however, it is a classic worth reading.

In my opinion, the book shows an idea of family, and what could happen with the tightest of marriages, the deceit, the lies, the passion and yet also the love that crosses through each of them. No matter what, there is a reminder of how important family is, of how it is each person's duty to do what is best for the family. That is why this book is so mesmerising, the twists and turns, the problems encountered by each character, the way that the main characters are ripped between what they want and what they have to do.

A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

A few weeks ago on honour trip, I escaped the world of stress and work and immersed myself in nature, culture and this captivating book. I took 4 other books along with me to Kenya but I ended up reading A Thousand Splendid Suns and nothing else. It was so gripping and shocking that I just couldn't focus on any other books; all the free time we were given in Kenya was devoted to reading. A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the story of the lives of two strong women, who begin their lives with happiness, hope and a good future (depending on perspectives).

Part 1 narrates the story of Mariam's childhood; it is a very short childhood and only focuses on events significant to Mariam, such as her father's weekly visit to the kolba. Even though it only speaks of the first 15 years of her life, her story is told in beauty and detail. The author describes the environment that Mariam sees around her perfectly; relating smells, sounds and the feeling of the wind and dust on skin. Mariam was born a harami or bastard; her mother worked as a maid in a house and her father was the man of that house. She grew up in a kolba, hidden away from the poetic city of Herat; Jalil (her father) built it for them to assure himself that no one knew of his hidden child. Jalil visits her every week, and Mariam is convinced that her father is the greatest man on Earth; she loves him more than anything. Mariam's mother, Nana, who always crushed Mariam's hopes and optimism, kept warning her about their "lot in life". A few very powerful quotes of Nana are:

"There is only one, only one skill a woman like you and me needs in life, and they don't teach it in school... Only one skill. And it's this: tahamul. Endure..."

"Learn this now and learn it well. Like a compass facing north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam."    

"She remembered Nana saying once that each snowflake was a sigh heaved by an aggrieved woman somewhere in the world. That all the sighs drifted up the sky, gathered into clouds, then broke into tiny pieces that fell silently on the people below. As a reminder of how people like us suffer, she'd said. How quietly we endure all that falls upon us."

Part 1 ends when her father betrays her to protect his pride and hide his shame. Jalil promised Mariam that he would take her to the cinema that he owned, so that they could watch Pinnochio together as father and daughter. But he lied, and when she runs away from her kolba and comes knocking on his door his other family lies for him, telling the 15 year old girl that her father isn't home. Mariam is determined to see her father, and so she waits for him on his doorstep for 2 days and nights. Her world is still revolving around Jalil, but when she sees his face in the window, she finally realizes that he could never love her. Mariam goes home, to apologize to Nana; to tell Nana that she was right all along. But Mariam returns to the kolba only to find that Nana has hung herself from the willow tree, and her world collapses around her. 
Jalil takes Mariam in, only because she has nowhere else to go. His family takes care of her, but in the meantime they are organizing a marriage. After two weeks, she is 'married off' to a man three times her age. Mariam is convinced that her future could still have hope, after all, she is getting a home and a husband. So at the age of fifteen, she leaves her home of Herat to the faraway city of Kabul. She is frightened and unsure about this new road she is venturing on, when she finally does settle in in the home of Rasheed (her husband), he sets strict rules in the home. Mariam learns that taking care of an impatient and contemptible man like Rasheed is impossible and soon comes to realize the Nana was right, she must endure. 

Part 2 narrates the life of Laila, a young girl living down the street of Mariam. Her childhood is full of life, education and ensures a good future. I don't want to spoil the story of Laila because it was especially moving for me; having such a hopeful childhood and having to watch her future fall apart around her. I loved the story of the book, narrating the lives of Mariam and Laila; they have to endure the life of a woman under the Taliban rule in Afghanistan and the perspective truly shocks you. At no point in the book was I ever losing interest, every paragraph held my attention. The main reasons that the book was so captivating was because the volatile events that occur in the country around the characters. The author incorporated the history of Afghanistan with the story, affecting the characters directly, historical events such as the Soviet Invasion, the rule of the Taliban, and recovery after the Taliban. 

Many people encouraged me to read this book, so many that by the time I borrowed the book from the library I didn't want to read it anymore. I read several reviews of it (without spoilers) beforehand, and I thought that I was going to read, get disappointed and feel that I wasted my time. This was clearly not the case. I loved this book, and this book is definitely going on my shelf of favorite books (which is very exclusive). A lot of the reviews said that this book was depressing, sad and heartbreaking to read, but I do not agree. I feel that this book expresses the strength of hope, toughness of human spirit and sacrifices for others. 
The author's writing style absorbed my every thought. Khaled Hosseini is an amazing writer, his writing put me in the city, in the home, witnessing, flinching and yelling insults at all the events that envelop in the despicable Rasheed's home. 

After finishing this book, I look at my own life and appreciate the freedom and opportunity I have. I have always appreciated my life, but after reading this book, I can never once complain about the hardship of girl's walk to Rosey, or hows girls aren't treated fairly at Rosey. I highly reccomend this book to everyone, well anyone that will devote their time to this amazing book. 

The Last Song

Recently, I began reading the novel, "The Last Song," by Nicholas Sparks. I just finished "The Notebook" written by him as well. I am very inspired by his writing and I'm very intrigued by his books.

I am nearly halfway done with it, but I am very interested. The main character, Ronnie, is seventeen and going through many teenage problems. Her parents have recently divorced and she is forced to live with her Dad and younger brother for the summer in North Carolina. Thing angers her a lot because she doesn't want to leave behind her life in New York and she doesn't want to live with her Dad. At first, she stays defiant and refuses to do anything because she is so angry at everyone and everything.

As Ronnie begins to form a new love with a local boy and begins to fix her relationship with her Dad and brother, we find out a lot about her past. She was excepted to Juilliard school of Arts for her talent for piano, but after her parent's divorce, she refuses to play the piano.

The Notebook

The Notebook

This story takes place during two different time periods -- the present and the past when the two main characters were young. It starts by the man, Noah, reading Allie the story of their past as lovers. 

In the 1940's, Allie and Noah met as two teenagers while Allie and her family were visiting their summer house in North Carolina. They spent the whole summer together, fell in love, like no other. Since Noah and Allie came from two very different families, Allie's parents were not very fond of Noah. At the end of the summer, the two had to part ways. They promised that they would write to each other everyday and that one day they would find their way back to each other. 

Fourteen years later, when Noah has excepted the fact that Allie is never going to come back and that he only has to live with memories, she returns to the small down in North Carolina. Unexpectedly, she is engaged to another man. This angers Noah and breaks his heart. She has to chose between the obstacle of calling off her wedding only a few weeks away and staying with Noah, or letting go of Noah and marries the man her parents want her to marry. She chooses the obstacle of staying with Noah because once she sees him and talks to him again, all their feelings of their passionate love come back. 

They live together after their many challenges. Although they have nothing in common, they do love each other and love each other until they die old together. 

I saw the movie and read the book, and both were very inspiring and heart felt. 

To Kill A Mockingbird

'To Kill a Mockingbird' is an interesting classic written by Harper Lee.
It is a novel about three different communities who share combinations of hostility, racism and prejudices.

Personally I enjoyed reading this book. It is realistical and I like how the author combines the contrasting childhoods of the individuals.

If you enjoy realistic fiction which historical settings, I recommend you read this. It has a good flow although I had some difficulty understanding a few of the concepts.

Pompeii by Robert Harris

Pompeii is written by Robert Harris. Here is the blurb, All along the Mediterranean coast, the Roman empire’s richest citizens are relaxing in their luxurious villas, enjoying the last days of summer. The world’s largest navy lies peacefully at anchor in Misenum. The tourists are spending their money in the seaside resorts of Baiae, Herculaneum, and Pompeii.
But the carefree lifestyle and gorgeous weather belie an impending cataclysm, and only one man is worried. The young engineer Marcus Attilius Primus has just taken charge of the Aqua Augusta, the enormous aqueduct that brings fresh water to a quarter of a million people in nine towns around the Bay of Naples. His predecessor has disappeared. Springs are failing for the first time in generations. And now there is a crisis on the Augusta’s sixty-mile main line—somewhere to the north of Pompeii, on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius.Attilius—decent, practical, and incorruptible—promises Pliny, the famous scholar who commands the navy, that he can repair the aqueduct before the reservoir runs dry. His plan is to travel to Pompeii and put together an expedition, then head out to the place where he believes the fault lies. But Pompeii proves to be a corrupt and violent town, and Attilius soon discovers that there are powerful forces at work—both natural and man-made—threatening to destroy him.With his trademark elegance and intelligence, Robert Harris, bestselling author of Archangel and Fatherland, re-creates a world on the brink of disaster. 
This is a very interesting book showing the different classes of society in the Roman empire, ranging from the slaves to the richest relaxing their luxurious villa and more. This book is a retelling of the volcanic eruption of Mt Vesuvius in the perspective of an ancient aqueduct engineer. This book is a carefully researched modern thriller in set back a long time ago in August A.D 79 Pompeii. The author tells the story of corruption, politics, love, Roman superstition, slavery, and and engineering. The author carefully reconstructs the lives of people in Pompeii. Overall this book is very interesting throughout the entire book, the suspense builds and builds until at the peak of when the disaster really happens, Vesuvius explodes. I recommend that people should read this book.

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An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green is a book about a teenage boy named Colin. He is a child prodigy, but is never satisfied, and nothing is ever good enough for him. He is looking for his big shot moment to become a genius, but he struggles with many things including depression. Colin has dated nineteen different girls by the name of Katherine. At the beginning of the book, Katherine (the ninetieth) broke up with him, and he can only seem to remember her, the one who broke up with him.

After this break up, Colin's amusing Muslim friend, Hassan, convinces him to go on a road trip with him. They end up in some rural place in Tennessee. They meet a girl named Lindsey, whom Colin is quickly attracted too. They soon find out that she is dating another boy named Colin. (a.k.a. TOC (The Other Colin.)) She is a parametric in training and gives tours of the local Archduke's grave. Soon after their arrival, Holly, Lindsey's mother, employs them at the tampon string factory that she owns.

While his attraction to Lindsey becomes stronger, he searches for his "Eureka" moment. He comes up with a theorem to determine the curve of every relationship. He finds that this theorem has been true for each of his nineteen relationships with each Katherine. Finally, TOC is found cheating on Lindsey. Colin immediately finds Lindsey and is happy when she confesses that he is relieved by this matter. They confess their love for each other and all is well, until he finds out that in his theorem, Lindsey will break up with him in four days. Lindsey finds this out and four days later, slips a note to him saying that they need to break up, and at the end writes "P.S. I'm just joking."

Despite his theorem failing, they end up driving into the distance on another adventurous road trip.

Lolita

                         

Humbert Humbert is a hilarious yet pitiful protagonist of a darkly humorous novel. Though he may be referred to as poetic, if you strip down the skillful and artistic metaphors, the only words left for him are: pedophile and or pervert. Humbert moves into the household of Charlotte Haze, in New England. His sexual affection for young girls cuts deeper when he sees the love of his life, Lolita. Despite her  to be the daughter of his land lady and her age only being twelve, he craves for her affection. Taking advantage of the apparent affections Lolita's mother has for Humbert, he does everything he is able to to shorten his distance from Lolita, even by becoming her new father. This savaged and subversive novel is perplexing and raw yet ravishing and pleasant. Lolita is a brilliantly and beautifully written book with delicate details and vivid conception. Vladimir Nabokov succeeds to produce another book of twisting plots and cryptic characters.

Humbert is a murderer
Annabel leigh - childhood... maybe even poem of Edgar a. Poe? at sea... > leads to pedophiliac behavior (to 'break free' of Annabel's spell)
Mentally ill in some ways - refer to Valeria
Allure of nymphets

(To be continued...)