I started a new blog! I wanted to expand my media outlets. I have this one, which is very focused on the literary side of things, so I wanted another one which is more free. It's about writing in general - including my own (oo-er). And it's on WordPress, because I thought I should mix things up a bit. I think that might allow me to have more control over the design and layout, and add pages to it etc, which I can't do here. It's a bit more complicated, but I think this is good for me. Hopefully....
So if you're bored, please take a look. It's a work in progress at the moment, as I'll probably change the look of things, and keep updating much more frequently than I do on here (in theory, anyway).
http://amusingly.wordpress.com/
As to Mansfield Park (next book to be reviewed), I'm about a third of the way through, so that post should be up maybe next week.
Thursday 29 March 2012
Monday 19 March 2012
Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
Yikes.
Well, it's been a while, and we've both said some things, but I hope that you'll take me back...
Well, I'm writing this anyway!
Just looked at the stats for this blog for the first time in months, and they're amazing! Thank you to anyone who's reading! So it galvanised me into coming back with a bang.
And what bigger bang than to review the heartbreaking, emotional rollercoaster that is
MOCKINGJAY
In my opinion, no better.
*Mild spoilers detailing the horrific events in this novel are included*
Onward!
Well. This book. What to say? I admire authors who have the guts to kill of their characters. It's horrible, and I hate reading it, but it's brave and more realistic to get rid of those who don't deserve to die. I'm currently pondering whether or not to mention the extensive list of deaths, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone... Feel free to comment if you haven't read, but want to know, and I'll tell you!
If you haven't read it, then you'll have picked up that a lot of people die in this book. And it is extremely heartbreaking. Especially the way it leaves Katniss. Speaking of Katniss, I LOVE what happens to her in this book. Not because I'm sadistic, but because it was so different. When we see her at the beginning, a little while after escaping from the 75th Hunger Games, she is completely broken. She can't focus, she breaks down frequently: she is physically and mentally weak. We NEVER see heroes/heroines suffer from PTSD, and I think it was a good thing that Katniss suffers so badly: look what she's been through, how much death she's seen and caused herself. It's far more realistic for her to suffer this way than to spring right back up and be ready to lead an entire rebellion. So I applaud Collins from my very comfy swivel chair that I am currently sitting on. And I also want to ask which, if any, heroes/heroines from other novels would or should have suffered from post-traumatic stress? Harry Potter? I'm as yet unsure about this one. I certainly think he'd suffer post-traumatic guilt, and would spend a long time wallowing in the memory of all the deaths he thought were his fault.
I do think that Gale is amazing with her in this book. Although in Catching Fire he seemed to pressurise her a lot and blame her almost unjustly for her relationship with Peeta, I think he was a better influence on her in this book than Peeta ever would have been. Gale may not have been through the same things as Katniss, but they have this bond that transcends language. He knows what she's feeling, and he can help her through this horrible time. I also think he's pretty awesome in the fighting side. Even the most devoted Peeta-fan couldn't argue with the fact that Gale would have been way better in the Hunger Games than Peeta, who only survived because of Katniss.
Speaking of Peeta, OH MY GOSH. Now that storyline surpassed anything I could ever have expected. It was cruel of Collins, but that just makes me admire her all the more. To completely reverse his feelings towards Katniss through TORTURE was a touch of genius, and incredibly interesting, as we see how much Katniss depended on him before. In fact, she sees this for the first time herself, too. She realises that she took him for granted, and I think that's what sets her on her (very slow) path to genuinely loving him. I think it must have been awful for him, to be so confused about his own memories - imagine not knowing what's real and what's been put there by a corrupt government - and to have no one trust him.
I really liked the parallels between the official government of Panem and the rebel forces: it shows that this is not a battle between good and evil, that these things aren't black and white. It makes it all the more difficult for Katniss to know what she's fighting for - especially after they've won and President Coin suggests they host their own, final Hunger Games. And, of course, the bomb that Gale creates that kills so many innocent children (including SPOILER) goes to show that they're almost exactly the same as the Capitol.
The underground setting for the majority of the novel was successfully claustrophobic, and you could feel the pressure of the walls and the war closing in on Katniss. No wonder she had a hard time!
Then, the end, where everything is supposed to be all happy again, was still riddled with heart-wrenching agony. I have a picture of Katniss sitting alone in her house, not moving for days, burned into my mind. Her mother not returning was just horrific, and, although I don't want to say "heartbreaking" AGAIN, there are no other words. Although I kind of get Gale not wanting to say goodbye. After what he did, nothing he said could ever have made her understand, and it was better that he didn't upset her any more. I just hope that he got over his feelings for her and was happy in the end.
I was glad about the way Katniss's life ended up (again, not going to say just in case - comment if you want to know), although it was still profoundly poignant. It's a nice, peaceful ending, but was it really what she wanted? Would she have been fully satisfied after everything she went to? I think she might have been, but there's always that flutter of doubt in the back of your mind. I think it's because the Epilogue's so short, and we don't get much insight into her future life, that we still think this, and I think that was intended.
Overall, I though this was an excellent book, addressing very mature themes and gripping the reader in an iron fist that still doesn't let you go after you've finished.
On a slightly different note... Who's going to see The Hunger Games on Friday? I am :) very excited - the reviews have been so good, and the trailers look fantastic. Still not as excited about this as I was for Harry Potter, but if I was, I think the world would be worried...
Coming soon [or as soon as it takes me to read and review these novels, which, knowing me, will probably be a while]:
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
Between the Acts - Virginia Woolf
A Handful of Dust - Evelyn Waugh
Yep, you guessed it - more Enlgish books. But IF I shock myself and read these all this month before I go back to Uni, then you could perhaps look forward to the likes of these beauties:
The Bloody Chamber and other stories - Angela Carter
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
The Mitford Sisters - ... can't remember... started this LAST SUMMER, and still haven't finished due to the horrific strain of reading lists for Uni. But I plan on finishing it this summer...
Hope the next gap isn't this long again - believe me, I'll try my hardest!
Btw: if you still haven't had enough of my ramblings on The Hunger Games, here is my review for my University newspaper...
http://www.wessexscene.co.uk/features/2011/11/05/hungry-for-more-a-review-of-the-hunger-games/
*shameless plug*
Well, it's been a while, and we've both said some things, but I hope that you'll take me back...
Well, I'm writing this anyway!
Just looked at the stats for this blog for the first time in months, and they're amazing! Thank you to anyone who's reading! So it galvanised me into coming back with a bang.
And what bigger bang than to review the heartbreaking, emotional rollercoaster that is
MOCKINGJAY
In my opinion, no better.
*Mild spoilers detailing the horrific events in this novel are included*
Onward!
Well. This book. What to say? I admire authors who have the guts to kill of their characters. It's horrible, and I hate reading it, but it's brave and more realistic to get rid of those who don't deserve to die. I'm currently pondering whether or not to mention the extensive list of deaths, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone... Feel free to comment if you haven't read, but want to know, and I'll tell you!
If you haven't read it, then you'll have picked up that a lot of people die in this book. And it is extremely heartbreaking. Especially the way it leaves Katniss. Speaking of Katniss, I LOVE what happens to her in this book. Not because I'm sadistic, but because it was so different. When we see her at the beginning, a little while after escaping from the 75th Hunger Games, she is completely broken. She can't focus, she breaks down frequently: she is physically and mentally weak. We NEVER see heroes/heroines suffer from PTSD, and I think it was a good thing that Katniss suffers so badly: look what she's been through, how much death she's seen and caused herself. It's far more realistic for her to suffer this way than to spring right back up and be ready to lead an entire rebellion. So I applaud Collins from my very comfy swivel chair that I am currently sitting on. And I also want to ask which, if any, heroes/heroines from other novels would or should have suffered from post-traumatic stress? Harry Potter? I'm as yet unsure about this one. I certainly think he'd suffer post-traumatic guilt, and would spend a long time wallowing in the memory of all the deaths he thought were his fault.
I do think that Gale is amazing with her in this book. Although in Catching Fire he seemed to pressurise her a lot and blame her almost unjustly for her relationship with Peeta, I think he was a better influence on her in this book than Peeta ever would have been. Gale may not have been through the same things as Katniss, but they have this bond that transcends language. He knows what she's feeling, and he can help her through this horrible time. I also think he's pretty awesome in the fighting side. Even the most devoted Peeta-fan couldn't argue with the fact that Gale would have been way better in the Hunger Games than Peeta, who only survived because of Katniss.
Speaking of Peeta, OH MY GOSH. Now that storyline surpassed anything I could ever have expected. It was cruel of Collins, but that just makes me admire her all the more. To completely reverse his feelings towards Katniss through TORTURE was a touch of genius, and incredibly interesting, as we see how much Katniss depended on him before. In fact, she sees this for the first time herself, too. She realises that she took him for granted, and I think that's what sets her on her (very slow) path to genuinely loving him. I think it must have been awful for him, to be so confused about his own memories - imagine not knowing what's real and what's been put there by a corrupt government - and to have no one trust him.
I really liked the parallels between the official government of Panem and the rebel forces: it shows that this is not a battle between good and evil, that these things aren't black and white. It makes it all the more difficult for Katniss to know what she's fighting for - especially after they've won and President Coin suggests they host their own, final Hunger Games. And, of course, the bomb that Gale creates that kills so many innocent children (including SPOILER) goes to show that they're almost exactly the same as the Capitol.
The underground setting for the majority of the novel was successfully claustrophobic, and you could feel the pressure of the walls and the war closing in on Katniss. No wonder she had a hard time!
Then, the end, where everything is supposed to be all happy again, was still riddled with heart-wrenching agony. I have a picture of Katniss sitting alone in her house, not moving for days, burned into my mind. Her mother not returning was just horrific, and, although I don't want to say "heartbreaking" AGAIN, there are no other words. Although I kind of get Gale not wanting to say goodbye. After what he did, nothing he said could ever have made her understand, and it was better that he didn't upset her any more. I just hope that he got over his feelings for her and was happy in the end.
I was glad about the way Katniss's life ended up (again, not going to say just in case - comment if you want to know), although it was still profoundly poignant. It's a nice, peaceful ending, but was it really what she wanted? Would she have been fully satisfied after everything she went to? I think she might have been, but there's always that flutter of doubt in the back of your mind. I think it's because the Epilogue's so short, and we don't get much insight into her future life, that we still think this, and I think that was intended.
Overall, I though this was an excellent book, addressing very mature themes and gripping the reader in an iron fist that still doesn't let you go after you've finished.
On a slightly different note... Who's going to see The Hunger Games on Friday? I am :) very excited - the reviews have been so good, and the trailers look fantastic. Still not as excited about this as I was for Harry Potter, but if I was, I think the world would be worried...
Coming soon [or as soon as it takes me to read and review these novels, which, knowing me, will probably be a while]:
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
Between the Acts - Virginia Woolf
A Handful of Dust - Evelyn Waugh
Yep, you guessed it - more Enlgish books. But IF I shock myself and read these all this month before I go back to Uni, then you could perhaps look forward to the likes of these beauties:
The Bloody Chamber and other stories - Angela Carter
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
The Mitford Sisters - ... can't remember... started this LAST SUMMER, and still haven't finished due to the horrific strain of reading lists for Uni. But I plan on finishing it this summer...
Hope the next gap isn't this long again - believe me, I'll try my hardest!
Btw: if you still haven't had enough of my ramblings on The Hunger Games, here is my review for my University newspaper...
http://www.wessexscene.co.uk/features/2011/11/05/hungry-for-more-a-review-of-the-hunger-games/
*shameless plug*
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