Oct 30, 2013

Book 14: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

I was not familiar with the book Ender's Game, but the reaction my husband had to the announcement of the movie made me sit up and take notice.  I secretly put it on my reading list.  When I told him I started reading it, he didn't think I would like it, as it is a book for young adult males.

However, I did like it.  I didn't love it, but I liked it and I am glad I read it.

It is a Science Fiction story set in the future, where the human race is dependent on finding the right person to lead the attack on the alien invaders.  The military believes this person will be young, and searches and trains boys and girls as young as 6 to become elite military leaders.  It is a harsh existence especially when you have to remind yourselves that these are children.

Although the story has a young male as its hero, it is not a story for young children, I mean under the age of 12, I may even say 14.  There is a lot of adult themes and violence, and I mean a lot of violence.

Now that I have read the book I will go see the film.  Hoping they do a good job on depicting the book, which is always a crap shoot.


I did see the movie.  I know there are a lot of die hard lovers of Ender's Game who were not happy with the movie.  I however did like it, and thought they did a good job of presenting the book in movie form.  Yes, the book is better, but it almost always is.   I would have liked to see move of the battle school depicted, and they had to take all of the Valentine and Peter internet stuff out.  Due to time.  But I liked the movie.

Oct 7, 2013

Book 13: Life After Life by Kate Atkinson



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I had heard about this book while on my summer road trip and wanted to read it, I finally got it on my kindle.

I enjoyed this book, and feel like it deserves a second read in the not so distant future, this is a book that I think will give deeper meaning on the second reading after knowing where the story goes.

As much as I liked the liked the book and will recommend it, I have to say I likes some parts more than others.  The beginning was amazing, once I got use to the writing device of Ursula dying and her rebirth, I found the details of how her life changed fascinating.  I like how Atkinson dealt with Deja Vu, I especially found this true in Ursulas's early life.  Later in the book, when we are dealing with WWII I found she lost the deja vu aspect, and I found the story dragging a little.  As morbid as it sounds I kept wanting Ursula to die so I could get another string of her life.  I was confused with the ending, and still wonder what the whole point of it.  Maybe it is nothing more that just what if, and maybe the deja vu we feel is real.

Oct 2, 2013

Short Stories 33-37: The 1920-1922 cluster stories

33. The Smilers
34. Myra Meets his Family
35. Two for a Cent
36. The Cruise of the Rolling Junk
37. The Popular Girl

I am liking this idea of clustering the remaining Fitzgerald stories.  The groupings are manageable, and I am able to figure out where he is in life.  This cluster let me finish up 1920-1922, however, I was unable to get my hands on The IOU or Recklessness.

Again, I have more in depth posts over at Fitzgerald Musings, but out of this cluster my favorite was The Popular Girl, followed by The Cruise of the Rolling Junk.

Next cluster will be 1930-1931 including:
Two Wrongs
The Bridal Party
One Trip Abroad
Babylon Revisted
The Hotel Child
A New Leaf
Indecision
A Change of Class
Between Three and Four