Book Review - Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins-Review

“It’s better to have loved and lost than have never loved at all”

In the book Mockingjay Katniss Everdeen misses Peeta. He is still in the Capitol and now the people of district thirteen want her to be the Mockingjay (or leader in their rebellion). But even though Katniss is with her family, she cannot concentrate in transmitting messages to the people of Panem. She wants Peeta. Gale realizes this and goes to the Capitol in a secret mission to bring Peeta back. He succeeds but Peeta is not the same person Katniss fell in love with. Will happiness with Katniss’s family last? Will the Capitol leave Katniss unpunished for what she has done against them?

After reading the book, I as the reader thought that there were two very important themes:
• War brings more pain than glory.
• Government is what people turn it into.

The themes are portrayed when the rebels turn against the Capitol, since they have been oppressed for so many years. This rebellion brings pain to the protagonist Katniss (since the story is told from her point of view: first person narrative) but also to the people around her. With the rebellion Katniss and all the people of Panem change the government to something that benefits all interests of the oppressed people.

The author came across this idea based on the story from the Greek mythology Theseus and the Minotaur. Where every nine years fourteen children, seven Athenian boys and seven Athenian girls, were given as tributes to the King of Crete, Mino and were thrown into a labyrinth to be devoured by King Mino’s Minotaur. It was one of her childhood favorite stories and she always thought it was unfair for kids to have to pay for what their parents had done. Also, since her father was in the Vietnam War she was found herself flipping through T.V. channels and all of those channels referred it, adding to her fears of her father’s possible death and therefore she used the idea in her book that the people of that community had to watch with anxiety the suffering of their own children. Lastly, her father new a lot about plants and different fruits that could be found in the wild, an idea which she used for the character of Katniss.

I thought that Suzanne Collins was trying to reach out or connect with teenagers and at the same time, she was trying to get the two main themes across, because teenagers will be future adults and if they think they can make a change like the one recently done in Egypt our collective future will be better.

Mutation by Robin Cook

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Mutation by Robin Cook Commentary

Mutation by Robin Cook Commentary

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Reading Log #4- The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid

While reading today, I was able to visualize Carter’s and Saddie’s surprise as they were left alone in their uncle’s mansion while he went to another dimension searching for their enemy and give them proper training. As they were searching in the library for something that would provide them with more information about their past and their newly acquired powers, they heard their uncle’s crocodile “Philip of Macedonia” fighting against someone. They rushed downstairs and found out that what their uncle’s crocodile was fighting were not people but instead serpopards . After sending the crocodile flying in the air, the serpopards attacked the shield that protected their house. Using spells, they broke the protective shield and entered the house. Saddie ordered her cat to protect them. Since the cat was under a spell (in which it’s main task was to protect Saddie) she immediately changed into human form and attacked the serpopards destroying them. Since they were afraid that other creatures would invade the house both of them ran out of the door together with Bast , directely into central park. There they met a cat that was missing an ear and had many scratches. They asked the goddess why didn’t she cure him and she responded that she couldn’t take away the cat’s battle marks because cats were very proud of them. This was the part I visualized best because the choice of words the author used were very descriptive and made the reader want to know more about what would happen to the main characters. While reading this today I was reminded of the book “Prey” given that Jack the protagonist had to run away from the killer swarm.

Therefore, I can connect most with Carter since he is shy and always does what is required of him. But, his uncle, strictly forbid him and his sister (Saddie) from going to the library. But instead of obeying the rules like Carter wanted, his sister influenced him into going there. In this case I would not be able to connect with Carter since I am not easily influenced by others. But independent of that I would love to have Carter as a friend. We share the same beliefs; therefore it would be easy for us to understand each other and to connect with each other’s life.

If I could jump in the book right now I would help Carter, Saddie and Bast escape Sequet . I would tell them that they should not quit on finding their father. Since I cannot go into the book and change anything, I have to be happy with predicting what will happen. I think that Bast will die protecting Saddie and Carter but that they will be caught before they can escape the vengeance of Sequet.

I cannot connect my life experience with anything that the characters have done. Since I have not experienced the death of either of my parents, I have not been kept away from my brother my whole life, I do not own a cat and do not intend to own one anytime soon and I have never gone from country to country travelling because of my father’s work. Also, being Portuguese and from the 21st century is hard to make connections with ancient beliefs of ancient Egypt. There are certain names of gods that are really important for us to understand some of the background information and if not researched those names can be very confusing.

To make the story more interesting, the author has used some of the literary features:
• Imagery
• Similes
• Metaphor
• Colloquial Language
• Motif

This makes the story credible but not entirely realistic. After scientific study proving that magic and multiple dimensions do not exist it is hard to trust the information in the book as truth even though the overall concept is very attention-grabbing.

If I had to analyze this book I would say that it is very appealing and that everyone who likes fiction books should read it. But I would also say that there is some information that the reader will find hard to connect with. But overall it is an excellent book!

Reading Log #3- King Solomon's Mines

King Solomon’s Mines

While reading today, I was able to picture the part of the book (mentioned below) best because I could understand who the characters were and obtain more information about them. Allan Quartermain (the protagonist) goes aboard a boat from England in South Africa directed to England. In the boat he meets Sir Henry Curtis, an old man whose father died and left all his possessions to his oldest son, Sir Curtis and Captain John Good. After talking to each other for some time, Sir Curtis inquires Allan if he is the great hunter Allan Quartermain. Allan confirms Sir Curtis’s suspicion. As a result they ask Allan if he could accompany them to their room so they can speak of more serious matters without being overheard. After Sir Curtis explains to Allan that upon his father’s death he was left with all his father’s possessions. His brother, Neville, out of jealousy left home to find a greater treasure. But Sir Curtis is not pleased with how his relationship with his brother ended so he tries to look for him and share equally his father’s wealth. Surprisingly, Allan tells him that he has met his brother in Africa and that he told Allan he was heading to King Solomon’s mines to get rich. Sir Curtis inquires Allan if he knows how to reach the mines. Allan says he got a map some time ago from a Portuguese and that he promised him he would go to the mines independent of what. Sir Curtis makes a deal with Allan that if he guides them towards that place, Sir Curtis will give him a fair amount of money.

After reading this I think I can connect most with Sir Curtis because he is loyal to his family and has an elevated sense of guilt and responsibility. When my father gives me or my brother money to buy something I usually buy something that can be useful or tasty, meanwhile my brother buys useless materials and always wants me to share what I obtained. At first I always think of how reckless he was in wasting his money in something he won’t ever use but yet my conscience always entices me into sharing my possecions and if he was in the other part of the world I would travel just to find him as well. Yet, I have not traveled anywhere so far with a feeling of guilt. So, it’s really hard for me to think of something I have done that the characters have done as well. The only thing I can relate to the characters is Allan lies to the Kukuanas by saying that they are sons of the biggest star that shines so they will not get killed. Similarly, I have told one teacher that my brother scribbled all over my homework when in reality I had only forgotten it and did not want some points off.

I am having more difficulty understanding the Colonial people’s ways of doing things. They kill people for no reason at all. This is difficult for me to understand since I live in a culture that protects people’s rights and lives at all costs.

Having this said, I would like to have Allan as a friend because his language and hunting skills would come in handy when I would travel to South Africa. He also is good at tricking the natives with materials that are only known in other countries apart from Africa. Therefore, if I could jump into the book right now I would tell Sir Curtis not to trust the black African that wants to travel with them with no costs and wants to carry their luggage. I think that it is very unusual since all Africans referred to in this book will only travel with them to their destination if and only if they pay them.

I think that based in the discoveries I made so far Ignosi, the black African, will steal all their luggage or murder Allan and get all their possessions. Without their possessions, water or food they will wonder in the desert for many days and will finally reach King Solomon’s mines where they will find food, water and will become rich.

I can relate this book to my previous book Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth where Rachel a human is asked to lead Annabeth and Percy through the labyrinth since she can see through the mist . In reward Percy promises that he will tell her more about the surreal world he lives in.

This book contains alliteration to make words stand out in the reader’s attention, imagery to make it easier for the reader to understand the surroundings of the characters and personification since the native people give various human traits to inanimate objects. These literary devices and the existing cities, places and real characters make the story more realistic and credible.

This book is very easy to read and gives people more knowledge about a different place in the world, in this case South Africa. Unfortunately it is not challenging at all but since it is a mandatory read. I would recommend it to people who are still finding interest in reading.

Of mice and men Chapter 1 and 2 vocabulary

Of mice and men

Serial Word Meaning
1 Junctures- A juncture is where two things come together. The juncture of a willow leaf is where the two sides of the leaf meet in the center.
2 Debris- remains. In this case, the "debris of the winter's flooding" would be drops of water falling from the leaves of the tree.
3 Mottled- having a variety of hues or colors; variegated, like marble
4 Recumbent- still; without movement
5 Morosely- in a sad, gloomy manner
6 Lumbered- to move ponderously
7 Pantomine- an ancient Roman dramatic performance featuring a solo dancer and a narrative chorus
8 Contemplated- To contemplate something is to think about it. Lennie is thinking about running away.
9 Imperiously- marked by arrogant assurance
10 Anguished- anguish is a feeling of great physical or mental pain. The look on Lennie's face would show the mental pain he feels at the thought of George leaving him.
11 Yammered- to utter repeated cries of distress or sorrow
12 Scoff- an expression of scorn, derision, or contempt
13 Mollified- to soothe in temper or disposition
14 Pugnacious- having a quarrelsome or combative nature
15 Gingerly- very cautious or careful
16 Handy- conveniently near
17 Omiously- in a threatening way
18 Slough- get rid of
19 Derogatory- belittling and insulting
20 Flounced- to go with sudden determination
21 Plaintively- expressive of suffering or woe
22 Decisive- having the power or quality of deciding
23 Complacently- unconcerned
24 Smugly- highly self-satisfied

How happy is the little stone recital

How happy is the little stone

by: Emily Dickinson

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