Little Women

Rating: ★★★★★

Method of Reading: Personally owned hardcover novel, 502 pages
Dates of Reading: January 18, 2011-February 25, 2011
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Publication Year: 1868
Recommended To: Girl readers at any age will enjoy this mixture of romance, fairy tale, and morality.
Quotes: Too many to even list the top ones here!
Movie: By this point, the movie industry has smartly made and re-made it several times.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Women
Link: http://www.online-literature.com/alcott/littlewomen/

My View: During the early parts of this Great American Novel, it seems like the United States' response to the Jane Austen classics. As you read further however, you see that this work had a far greater reach of material, stretching into the corners of familial bonds, especially between sisters, romances, and the purpose of faith. The realism and relatable nature: those make this book a classic.
Parts of this work, as it follows the imperfect Marches through imperfect situation, contrast with Austen's satire. While those novels have lessons woven in, this book is outwardly preachy and rawly emotional, despite the quiet sisters' attitudes. The tomboy Jo, who must reign herself in, has a spot in every girls' heart, as does the maternal and comforting oldest sister Meg (who, I admit, reminds me vaguely of Jane...). The prim aspiring artist, Amy, embodies the universal conflict between being good and having fun. The sickly Beth could make an Army general all choke up a bit. The simple joys and goals of this family and the ordinary but happy futures each looks toward are inspiring and I'm ready to read the next book, hoping I will learn just as much as I did from this one. Despite its somber tone, it is also playful and bright and that is what makes it a classic.


Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliographic info:
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. New York: Baronet/Playmore, 1989. Print.

Mockingjay

Rating: ★★★★★

Method of Reading: Public library hardcover novel, 400 pages
Dates of Reading: December 10, 2012-December 15, 2012
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publication Year: 2010
Recommended To: Fans of the first two... finish 'em up!
Quotes:
Movie: Soon!

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mockingjay
Link: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/mockingjay_102797.htm

My View:  That "very high standard set for the end of the series" I mentioned in my Catching Fire post was not met.
   Fortunately, Katniss retains her unique character. Most interestingly, she's 100% unapologetic for three whole books, unlike most heroines. Her voice is unique and throws you off balance... or sets you on edge. But it's very real and well-timed. Yet I found this book to be a letdown because it dragged on through the gore and never highlighted the meaningful. We never even see Peeta return. It's rather unfair. Even Harry Potter got more of the love stuff right. But this girl--she isn't in it for love or because of love. I think it would be nice if she seemed unable to break from Peeta, like she was capable of some attractive emotion... not that she needs a man or something, just that it would be nice to see her fully love someone (to whom she isn't related) to make her seem less selfish. As Gale predicted, she just ends up choosing the guy who offers her maximum survival potential. Her abrasiveness can be boring at times and often repelling, leaving you anxious to return to the girl with the berries in book 1. Now she isn't really noble nor does she have much compassion. She seems to fight for Panem's revolutionary forces out of personal bitterness toward the capital and loose ideology... and it leaves you wondering whether you were ever rooting for people or just a cause.


Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliographic info:
Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay. New York: Scholastic, 2010. Print.

Catching Fire

Rating: ★★★★★

Method of Reading: Public library hardcover novel, 391 pages

Dates of Reading: December 10, 2012-December 15, 2012

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publication Year: 2009

Recommended To: People who liked the first one.

Quotes:

Movie: Yes. Stunning.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catching_Fire_(2009_novel)

Link: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/catching)fire)88086.htm

My View: Just as original and entertaining as the first book, and I was just as involved and unable to put it down. After The Hunger Games, I was afraid that Collins wouldn't find a way to write a story that was interesting outside of the Games, and really she didn't. Putting the added spin of a rebellion and extra relationships into the story made this fresh, so it didn't "Seam" like a re-run of the first book. This was actually a very clever route to take, and enough adrenaline was included that I didn't miss the first book... but a very high standard was set for the end of the series.


Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliographic info:
Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire. New York: Scholastic, 2009. Print.

The Hunger Games

Rating: ★★★★★

Method of Reading: Public library hardcover novel, 374 pages
Dates of Reading: December 18, 2010-December 21, 2010
Author: Suzanne Collins
Publication Year: 2008
Recommended To: It's an excellent book for girls and (I believe) boys, above age 12. But my grandma tried buying it for my 9-year-old cousin, and I had her return it. It is NOT right for someone that young. Adults will like it, too.
Quotes: 
   "'You know, you're kind of squeamish for such a lethal person'" (258).
Movie: Yeahhhh. And pretty good.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger_Games
Link: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/the_hunger_games_69765.htm

My View: This was a really imaginative (and dark) idea for a novel, but it worked really well. The terror of this imagined world, and the faint reminders of how close we come to atrocity in our own lives, are gripping and I loved reading Katniss's restrainedly horrified point of view. The people in her world are no different than the people we have nowadays, but this book shows you how to deal... And no, I don't mean kill the people who get in your way. I mean Katniss recognizes that some people are bad, some are different, and some are really great people who got caught in a mixed-up world. She just deals with all that instead of complaining about it all the time. The plot was wonderfully laid out so you never have to hate the girl in the arena, and it makes you really care about the characters in a way you never thought you could about the apparently doomed. Plus, Katniss's end-all "human moment" makes you really want to read Catching Fire and Mockingjay.


Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliographic info:
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Print.

A Collection of Letters

Rating: ★★★★★
Method of Reading: Kindle - part of Love and Freindship, and once again tough to assign a page count to.
Dates of Reading: December 18, 2010-December 18, 2010
Author: Jane Austen
Publication Year: Again, after Jane died, but goodness knows what year.
Recommended To: Austenites.
Quotes:
   "I am half delighted with myself for my impertinence."
Movie: No, and it couldn't be a good one.

Wikipedia Link: N/A
Link: http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/juviscrp.html

My View: This odd collection is yet another example of the role letters play in Austen's writing and development. Each letter seems like the beginning of a full-blown story which was born and completed in Jane Austen's mind, but she only had the patience to put down her favorite bit on paper. Thereafter, she trusted the contents of her all-powerful letters would be sufficient to aid the readers' minds in completing their own story, or at least to mortify them with a cliffhanger.

Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

The History of England: From the Reign of Henry the 4th to the Death of Charles the 1st; By a Partial, Prejudiced, and Ignorant Historian.

Rating: ★★★★★

Method of Reading: Kindle - part of Love and Freindship. Again, it's difficult to tell how many pages it is.
Dates of Reading: December 15, 2010-December 15, 2010
Author: Jane Austen
Publication Year: Again, tough to say, but definitely after Austen's death.
Recommended To: Austenites.
Quotes:
   "Many were the people who fell martyrs to the protestant Religion during her reign; I suppose not fewer than a dozen."
   "As I am myself partial to the catholic religion, it is with infinite regret that I am obliged to blame the Behaviour of any Member of it: yet Truth being I think very excusable in an Historian, I am necessitated to say that in this reign the roman Catholics of England did not behave like Gentlemen to the protestants."
Movie: No, but it could make a funny high school Telecom short.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_History_of_England_(Jane_Austen)
Link: http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/austen/accessible/introduction.html

My View: I didn't know enough English history when I read this to truly appreciate the whole book, but its concept is hilarious, and even without a thorough knowledge of the subject it was funny. A great parody of history textbooks and a good practice piece.


Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliographic info:
Austen, Jane. The History of England: From the Reign of Henry the 4th to the Death of Charles the 1st. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Electronic.

Love and Freindship

Rating:★★★★

Method of Reading: Kindle. Since it is usually published with other books bound to it (meaning every Amazon version with a page count listed has this and other stories), and I read it on my Kindle, I don't know how many pages are in just this story alone. It is really short...
Dates of Reading: December 14, 2010-December 15, 2010
Author: Jane Austen
Publication Year: Completed in Austen's youth *cough* spelling *cough* it's not very clear when it was first published. Austen probably wrote it in letters and then shared it with her family each night. I believe that this entire collection was published when the descendent of Austen's who had the notebook containing a lot of her juvenile writing chose to release it to the public.
Recommended To: Austenites :)
Quotes: "no sooner did I first behold him, than I felt that on him the happiness or Misery of my future Life must depend."
Movie: No, and it wouldn't be long enough for one.

Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_and_Freindship
Link: http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/lovfrend.html

My View: The poor grammar, rampant spelling errors, and immature/undeveloped plot line in this book bear little resemblance to Jane Austen's future brilliance. But her the natural bite of her wit is evident. Because it is SO short (and thank goodness, this book couldn't handle being any longer than it is) it's usually published with other early work of Austen's (see next two posts).


Always,
Your Bibliomaniac

Bibliographic info:
Austen, Jane. Love and Freindship. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Electronic.