Grendel

I was not too eager about reading this book, but I didn't have a choice. 'Grendel' was a required read for school this year. In the past the School Board has had the school read books such as 'Monster', 'Lovely Bones', 'The Five People You Meet In Heaven', 'Night', and the like. I never finished 'Lovely Bones', but of the others I can honestly say that I was deeply disappointed. None of them have happy endings, or beginnings for that matter. 'Grendel' was not any different.

The narrator is Grendel himself; the first monster from 'Beowulf'. He lives in a cave in the woods during the middle ages. Most of the book is about the past, and what brought Grendel to hate humans; especially Hrothgar.

The Bad: The book is gory, crude, and has some language issues. One problem I had with the language was that Grendel even admits he does not know what the words mean or imply, he heard them once used by angry men and now swears with those words himself. I personally believe that literature could do without the swearing, there are plenty of other ways to say what you are feeling (that goes for real life speech too...).

The Good: Gardner has an interesting way of writing. Somehow he convinces the reader to feel and think the same way as the monster, even if they don't want to. I don't know how many times I found myself feeling angry at Hrothgar, or the dragon, at the same time Grendel does, and then wonder how I could have felt that anger, or sympathy a paragraph later.

New Books

I just got four books from the library today. I would be shaking with anticipation if I wasn't typing. I am very excited about reading them, but I can't.

I made a rule for myself a while ago- only two books at a time. This helps me keep the plots straight, and collect my thoughts about the book when I have finished it. Currently, I am reading two books, so I must wait until I have finished them to read 'The Lightning Thief', 'The Calder Game', 'The People of Sparks', and 'The Prophet of Yonwood'.

This can be good, though. 'Grendel' is a required read for school this year, not one I chose out of interest. Knowing that these four books are sitting on my dresser, waiting for me, may be just enough encouragement to finish it.

I'm off to find a cosy corner, there are several books waiting for me.

The Media Fast is Over

The Media Fast is over, and I am back on the computer. I read a couple of books during the time I wasn't on the computer or watching TV:

A CURSE DARK AS GOLD-- It took a couple chapters for me to get into this book, but as soon as I did, I was enthralled. Is it everyone's imagination, or is there a curse? Who should you trust? Is it too late for either?







HALF MAGIC-- I had a lot of fun reading Half Magic -and making up my own double wishes. This was a comfortable, easy to read book that makes you laugh and keep reading.



TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE-- this was a guide to prayer partners. It stresses that when two or more pray together the effects are much more... noticeable. You wonder what you could do or could have done if you spent more time in prayer- with or without someone with you.




CITY OF EMBER-- I fell in love with this story at once. There is this underground city, but the people living there know nothing about us. Two children figure much out on their own, but will anyone believe them? What happens when the people of ember run out of supplies, and hope?

THE WRIGHT 3-- I found it confusing that the reader had to decode a little section of the book, and a little frustrating when I couldn't. Although the plot seemed hard-to-believe, it worked. Will the three ever become friends? Can old houses communicate? How much of life is coincidence?

BASIC CHRISTIANITY-- I haven't actually finished this one yet, but so far it is very interesting. There are a few big words, and lots of big concepts and ideas. It really gets you thinking, in a good way.

Media Fast

The summer church camp I am going to this year asks that everyone does a Media Fast for two week prior to going to camp, giving up all TV, computer, and secular music. Because of this I will not be posting for three weeks. I will still be reading plenty of books, but the reviews will have to wait until I get back from camp. See you in three weeks!

Poem of the week

Please Listen

When I ask you to listen to me
and you start giving me advice
you have not done waht I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me
and you begin to tell me why
I shouldn't feel that way,
you are trampling on my feelings.
When I ask you to listen to me
and you feel you have to do something
to solve my problem,
you have failed me,
strange as that may seem.
Listen! All I ask is that you listen.
Don't take or do,--Just hear me.

--Unknown

Wildwood Dancing

Wildwood Dancing is a retelling of the fairy tale 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses'. There are only five sisters in this version, but any more would end up being too complicated. Each sister has a completely different character than the other.
--Tati is busy being in love
--Jena is trying to get back everything that is rightfully hers
--Iulia is trying to grow up, maybe a little too fast
--Paula is the one who has responsibility thrust upon her when her elder sisters neglect their work
--Stella does not understand everything that is happening, and is a bit confused by it all.

The only thing that bugged me was that the story is set in Romania, so all the characters and places have Romanian names- and pronunciations. There is an index in the back, but I felt that it took away from the actual story to have to stop reading and look things up every couple of seconds. As you continue reading, though, you either learn the correct pronunciations, or, like me, make up some of them.

Prepare yourself for forbidden love, greedy cousins, magic enchantments, secret passages, and a loyal pet frog.

The Penderwicks

Mr. Penderwick and his four daughters usually rent a house on Cape Cod for the summer. This year their plans are altered because the house has been sold, and all the other houses are booked. They come across another house, though, and have somewhere new to spend their summer. While at the beautiful estate called Arundel, the Penderwicks meet all kinds of unique people. The four girls, Rosalind, Jane, Skye, and Batty, and their friends come across some problems and must find ways to solve them- without running into Mrs. Tifton.

Overall, this was a pleasure to read. There is always something going on, but it is not too much. Birdsall has a wonderful talent to bring enough adventure to keep the reader interested in a condensed amount of time, while still keeping everything believable.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

Here are some quick notes about the second section in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens:

The second section in this book is titled Paradigms [pair-a-dimes]and principles. It is about statements and beliefs we have that are only half truths. These paradigms keep us from getting along with people. Usually, paradigms are not even true; they are assumptions.

This section also talks about what your life may be centered on, and how that effects how you live.

Here are two good quotes from the section:

If who I am is what I have and what I have is lost, then who am I?

-Anonymous

Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you see the whole world.

-George Bernard Shaw, English playwright