DoAF Mid point.

This might sound a bit mean, but I'm honestly a bit bored. It's a real story and all the feelings of pain and isolation are real and I can sympathize with those feelings, but the way and the style the book is written in just doesn't appeal to me. I'm not trying to say as though the story is horrible and the events aren't terrible, but I think it's because the previous 3 books I read were all very fantastical, from the pure insanity of Hypothetically Speaking, to the supernatural and creepiness of The Shining and the massive scale and sci-fi world of Ender's Game. I don't think the problem is with the book itself. I think the problem is that I've accustomed my reading more towards fantastical elements. The Diary of Anne Frank is just what I've read in other Holocaust Novels, the difference being this actually happened. It's just depressing, and I'm not really interested in a book like that.

Diary of Anne Frank Intro

Honestly I'm just reading this because I can't decide on a short enough non-fiction book. I'm almost anticipating this to be an easy read simply because I remember  elementary school having this as a book to read. Although as older person, it may be a different experience than someone else may have had as a child. I may have a more mature perspective or a different way to interpret certain portions. I've never read it before, and I'm not too terribly knowledgeable on the Holocaust. I know about annexing and the genocide and the Hitler and I've read fictional stories on the matter, boy in striped PJs and Devils Arithmetic and others, but as a non-fiction story I'm curious to see how it is.

Ender's Game Final Part

SPOILERS EVERYWHERE
So there are more differences between book and movie. Some are actually pretty big. I think the movie tried not to include them simply to censor it honestly and for the "cool" factor, as Hollywood likes to do. The games I remember being different. probably for the cool factor. There was an iconic scene in the movie where they had everyone used as human shields, which in the book is different where EVRYONE needs to get through the gate rather than a single person. Also the cadets sleep naked. Censorship. Obviously for obvious reasons. But something I thought was interesting was that Ender actually KILLED Bonzo in the book, and was lied to and told Bonzo went to Spain to go home. Though the movie uses this as a way to develop Ender's character better, I think this scenario is more interesting because it shows that the military is afraid of scarring Ender in any way. I remember that some of Ender's superiors hated him in the movie, but in the book, Ender seems a lot less snarky. Also, the destruction of the Formic homeworld is a lot less dramatic feeling. This is probably due to the Book version of Ender just having a more introverted personality. I find that he's not as outgoing, and that's probably because of his worse off family situation? I may be looking too deep, but at the same time, I'm doubtful that the movie writers even took something like the change in Ender's family into consideration when writing Ender himself. Overall The book I feel is a 6/10. It provided interesting insight into the character's and the type of environment the characters live in. However, the plot twists and events are not too big of a surprise to me. Is the rating biased? Yes. But is it how I feel personally? Yes. I would still recommend the book, but make sure to read it before the movie.

Ender's Game Part 2 the halway point

So there are some differences from the book and the movie obviously. I noticed that the movie's "buggers" are now called formics in the book. Not sure why the change was made, honestly buggers in retrospect sounds silly. *SPOILERS* Also, in the movie, I get that they were using children as tacticians for the army's war, but ARE THEY SERIOUSLY ONLY 6 YEARS OLD?!?!? That to me blew my mind. It makes the whole situation more insane. Although now when I visualize the story I see the actors who look like pre-teens/ teens and I just can get over how the people in the book are so goddamn young! Also Ender seems to have a crappier life than I remember. Maybe it was different, but I can't say for sure, but Ender's family seems a lot more, not disjointed, but also not close. The only person aside from his comrades in the Military academy that seems to really try to interact with Ender is Valentine, which is a pretty sad existence if you ask me. To only have a single person you can really confide in. Also, Ender makes no mention of the e-mails in the book. The way the whole book is portrayed is much different from the movie in several respects so far. Motifs like love and caring relationships are really portrayed. Ender's life as a whole just seems so much more bleak. I'm not disliking the book, but it's not the greatest thin either. Probably stemming from the fact I saw the movie. *SPOILERS OVER* I'll see how the ending is, because I remember the movie having little resolution, and I'm curious to see how the book handles it.

Ender's Game Part 1 intro

Okay, before  start actually talking about the book, I have to say that I saw the movie. It was cool. So there may be a bias towards the book. However my sister and brother in law love the Ender series (well from what they tell me, it sounds more like a franchise than a series :P) so I decided to get a ticket and board the Ender's Game Hype Train. It was written years ago in 1985 by Orson Scott Card. Yeah that's about it. It's a science fiction story and I already know the plot and the ending (unless the book is different) so I'm really reading this book more so as a gateway into the series than an enjoyable read.

The shining: Final blog post

I'm not scared. Maybe I just have a high tolerance to fear? Am i just not suspending my disbelief enough? Maybe it's just possible that I had expectations too high for the book. I'm not sure. I expected to be mortified and possibly scarred from this experience. All the hedge lions, the ghouls, the monsters I didn't find scary. I did feel the suspense though. No fear, no horror, but I definitely felt those Oh Shitzu! Moments *SPOILERS* When jack actually empathizes, not sympathize, but EMPATHIZES with his own father and why he beat Jack's mother with a cane, it was definitely an eye-opener for me. I didn't see it coming and it was pretty cool to see. Also, maybe this is my suspension of disbelief not working right again, but the main antagonist Tony was....Danny from the future? A bit corny if you ask me. However, personal criticisms aside, I definitely still loved the book. I may not have been scared like I expected and I definitely won't have any nightmares anytime soon. (OR WILL I? MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA). Also are Wendy and Halloran married now? Not sure, but it feels that way. Not exactly a happy ending, but not exactly a terribly sad one either. It suits the book fine in my opinion. The Shining by Stephen King. The score may be a bit biased, I feel as though I should rate this higher based on external recommendations from others, but I feel this book deserves an 8/10 from me.

The Shining Mid-way blog

So through the first half of the shining (or really more like 70%) I have to say that I'm not horrified at all. I kind of assumed I would go through some sort of psychological mind ****, but I'm still perfectly fine. Maybe I just have to wait for the climax to resolve everything for me to really be horrified.That being said, although it has not yet my expectations, I do have to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying the book. The supernatural element of *SPOILERS* the shining and how it affects the character Danny with his per-cognitive abilities and his mind reading make the story very interesting. His imaginary friend Tony and Jack and Wendy's relationship in the story are all really cool to me. I find the Developments with Jack's back story and his mental struggles with himself as well as his now ironically struggling relationship with Wendy very enjoyable to read. The fact Jack has to deal with himself and his anger is a really good way to develop and to characterize him. Although I feel like there are certain parts that just DRRRRAAAAAAAAGGGGGG on. There was an entire chapter based around news articles about the hotel the family was staying at (Actually I don't know their last names....not sure if the book ever mentioned it or if I just have a bad memory). There was probably some sort of foreshadowing or symbolism that I OVERLOOKED (ha! punny) in that chapter. The parts I get bored I've noticed are basically the really descriptive scenes. They just bore me. Seeing the character interaction is much more fun to read about. But overall, there's more gruesomeness with the naked purple lady and the bloody beating Jack dished out. *SPOILERS OVER*