Classics I've Read (And What I Thought of Them) -- Mini-Reviews
As far as classics go, this one's pretty good. It's kind of boring, but if you get pass the slow pacing you'll find a heartwarming story of four sisters. Six out of ten stars.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Ugh, no. Don't even get me started. You know how many chapters in this are in here? Nine. Guess how many days it took me to finish this book? Nine. It's not that it's long; it's just so terribly boring that I couldn't bring myself to torture my brain cells for more than one chapter a day. Maybe I'm too young to appreciate the profound metaphorical meaning or whatever, but I strongly dislike this book. The only good thing that came from reading it was being able to brag. Two out of ten stars.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Now HERE is a classic worth its classification. It's dark and disturbing and presents insight on human nature, and it's really well written! If you've pledged to read more classics this year, this is a great place to start. Seven out of ten stars.
Well, well, well. This is probably the most popular classic I've read it, and although it wasn't as good as I expected, I found that I liked it a little. (The names were a definitely a plus.) If you're looking for a really good book, this isn't for you. But if you need something mildly entertaining, this one isn't bad. Five out of ten stars.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Although I think the author spent way too much time making sure we knew the villain was evil, this is a great story that everyone would benefit from reading. It's a book about friendship, redemption, and the writing style is beautiful. Seven out of ten stars.
Flowers for Algernon is a story about a man and a mouse who become geniuses using brain-enhancing technology... but the change may not be permanent. And it's great! This book may be short, but it packs a big punch and will have you thinking about the price of intelligence for a long time after you finish reading it.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
White Fang by Jack London
1984 by George Orwell
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
No. Just no. Maybe this is one of the most profound works in the world. Maybe it was advanced for its time. Maybe it--you know what? Let's just cut to the problem and be direct (which is something this book never does). To Kill a Mockingbird is BORING. And it's loooong. Well, maybe not compared to some other books I've read, but it feels like 999,999,999,999 words because of its complete and utter snore-worthiness. And guess what, Harper Lee? Most people who are not six do not enjoy reading about a six-year-old girl. So, my recommendation: DO NOT READ THIS. IT IS THE EQUIVALENT OF POKING YOUR EYES OUT WITH A FORK.
In this book, Jack London provides a poetic description of flow theory, which is when you're doing something you love and completely loose track of time. If you love books and wolves, then reading The Call of the Wild is the perfect way to get into flow theory. It's a very short book, but it will make you smile and cry and shake with fear, and you definitely won't regret picking it up.
And here we have another Jack London book about wolves and survival. White Fang is about a wolf/dog named, well, White Fang, and his trials in life. It took me a while to get into, but I'm glad I read it, and I think you will be too. (However, if you're only reading one Jack London book, I would choose The Call of the Wild.)
You've heard of The Hunger Games and the Divergent trilogy, but 1984 will make those dystopian governments look like a joke. Well planned, thought provoking, and brutally honest, 1984 is a profound exploration of individuality and what it means to be free. Reading it isn't fun, but it's very valuable. If you grit your teeth and push through it, you'll be glad you did, and for these reasons, it deserves ten out of ten stars.
I've read more than that, but I don't want this post to be too terribly long, so I'll save the rest for a Part II.
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