Reviews

03
Sep
2021
Tales of Beedle the Bard

Tales of Beedle the Bard

by J. K. Rowling

In the book Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling, there are 5 stories with a lesson to learn. This book is also a part of the Hogwarts Library. The 5 stories are, The Hopping Pot, The Fountain of Fortune, The Hairy Heart, Babbity Rabbity and the Crackling Stump, and the Deathly Hallows. Personally, the Fountain of Fortune is my favorite one, but yours may be different.

The Fountain of Fortune is about this group consisting of 3 elderly women, and one handsome young knight. They all would like to have a nice fortune by splashing themselves in the magical water the fountain possesses. One Of the women lost her valuables, another lost her true love, and another is very very sick.soon. The Prince would like to become rich and happy. So, they all set off on a journey to fill the emptiness caused by these events.

After many days of adventure and sacrifices, they finally reach the fountain. But, only one can bathe in it. The woman who lost all of her valuables says that she doesn’t really need the money anymore while the sick woman was cured during the journey. That only leaves the heartbroken one and the knight. The heartbroken one decides that her love is gone forever and there is no more hope for her. So, the knight says he will jump in the fountain. After a nice refreshing bath, he felt very successful and asked the heartbroken woman if she would like to dance and live with him. She said yes, and the 4 of them left happily and lived a nice long life. But, they never knew that the fountain was not magical at all. 

I really liked this story because of all the humor and the lessons taught at the end of it. Though this story was meant for wizards and witches, all non-magical beings can understand the moral of it too. You don’t need magic or money to be happy and live a good life. You just need to be with the right people.

I didn’t like the story of The Hairy Heart because it was too gruesome. I don’t think it’s suited for kids under seven years old. 

The least impressive story was actually The Deathly Hallows. This is mostly because I already knew the story from reading the last volume of the original Harry Potter series. There was no surprise. 

All in all, J. K. Rowling was a very convincing narrator as Beedle the Bard. It must be a fun challenge as a writer to pretend to be a different person, especially a historical one, and create with the new voice.

 

See my review of the other books in the Hogwarts Library series: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages

See my review of the original Harry Potter series here

Posted by Hellen in Books, Reviews, 0 comments
24
Aug
2021
Harry Potter – the original seven volume series

Harry Potter – the original seven volume series

by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter 7 book covers

The original Harry Potter series included (1) The Sorcerer’s Stone, (2) The Chamber of Secrets, (3) The Prisoner of Azkaban, (4) The Goblet of Fire, (5) The Order of Phoenix, (6) The Half-Blood Prince, and (7) The Deathly Hallows.

The seven volumes of the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is very popular with kids. A wizard with no parents named Harry Potter is introduced to the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry at the age of 11. There, he meets his forever loyal friends, Ron and Hermione.The books follow Harry and his friends on a journey to defeat the Dark Lord, Voldemort. The “8th book”, is a script of a play called The Cursed Child, which is about one of Harry’s children, Albus Severus Potter.

My favorite book out of all of them, would have to be the 6th one, The Half-Blood Prince. In this book, Harry discovers more of Snape’s secrets and learns to prevent Voldemort from entering his mind. Snape is my favorite character and this book is mainly focused on him. I like how Snape is very intelligent and gifted in the art of potion making, and beyond loyal to his true companions. As I learned more about Snape’s past, I learned that he was a tortured and lonely soul, which only gravitated me towards him more. 

Sadly, there was a book I did not enjoy as much as the others. The 3rd one, named The Prisoner of Azkaban. It is about Harry’s Godfather, Sirius Black, who was falsely accused of murder and betrayal, and sent to a prison called Azkaban. Many may argue that this was the best book, but I disagree. The whole plot is very confusing, because of everything that’s happening. Peter Pettigrew is actually a servant of Voldemort, Sirius is a dog, Lupin is a werewolf, and Hermione has a time turner to save a Hippogriff. 

Books tend to be much better than the movies, and I agree. The Harry Potter books have so much more details, uncover more secrets and have more characters than the movie, for the movies have a limited amount of time. No one wants to sit and watch a 6 hour movie just for one book. No thanks. 

Overall, I loved these books. I am a huge fan of Harry Potter myself, no matter if I disliked anything. I have already read the books twice and if I forget the books and need to start reading again, fresh in my mind, I would.

See my review of the Hogwarts Library series: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Quidditch Through the Ages

See my impression about the main character in the 8th book The Cursed Child here.

 

Posted by Hellen in Books, Movies, Reviews, 0 comments
12
Aug
2021
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

by J. K. Rowling

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a part of the Hogwarts Library by J. K. Rowling. In this book, a fictional author Newt Scamander describes each and every creature that is considered a beast, or a non-human being with magical abilities. There are the commonly known unicorns, fairies, and centaurs, but there are also the less famous jabbers, demiguises, and erklings. 

What was most interesting to me is that this book overturned many common assumptions about magical creatures. Muggles, as non-magical beings are called, often display fairies as cute, minute human-like beings who possess magical powers and the ability to talk. However as I found out in the book, fairies are actually unintelligent beasts measuring 1-5 inches and are often used as a decoration. I enjoyed this book because J. K. Rowling put a different perspective on these mythical creatures whom we normally perceive as whimsical and wonderful.

There were many things I didn’t know, such as the fact that centaurs actually preferred to be called beasts, and that erklings are elfish creatures that eat children. J. K Rowling really expanded the world of Harry Potter by introducing us to more previously unknown things, which I thought was really creative and exciting.

In the original seven volumes of the Harry Potter series, Rowling mentioned many of the beasts by name. This book helps a lot because most of the time, J. K. Rowling did not go into much detail about the beasts in the original series, leaving die-hard Harry Potter fans wanting to know more.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Since I’m a big fan of Harry Potter, the setup that allowed me  to “loan” some books from the Hogwarts Library was particularly satisfying. Perhaps one day I can become an expert of magical things, too. 

Posted by Hellen in Books, Reviews, 0 comments
31
Jul
2021
The Queen’s Gambit

The Queen’s Gambit

by Walter Tevis

The Queen’s Gambit is a book about a young chess prodigy’s journey as a growing teenager. In this book, Beth Harmon is 8 years old when she loses her parents and moves into an orphanage. She learns chess from the janitor, Mr. Shaibel, who noticed her talent and potential to become a chess champion. She gets adopted by Mrs. Wheatley and they travel all over the USA for chess tournaments. Mrs. Wheatley dies suddenly. Beth is then chosen to compete in Russia, the chess country. She wins the tournament against powerful Russian players and becomes the world champion.

One thing I liked about this book is how the author described Beth’s emotions in detail, often using analogies. For example, when Beth was in her first competition in Kentucky, she was described as experiencing “the feeling you get when you go up in an elevator.” It helped the reader understand more vividly the emotions and relate to the visceral sensations of the character.

Another thing I liked was how the author informed the reader of almost every chess move in each game. This helped the reader picture what is happening. It was very informative. Although many people may not understand it, we are thankful that the author took his time to write out the steps.

A challenge I had with this book was the vocabulary which was confusing. There were many words I didn’t understand or comprehend and I had to search them in a dictionary. This took time off my reading and interrupted the flow of the story. It would be very beneficial to me and other young adults if there were a children’s version of this book, especially since the protagonist was a child, then a teen.

Overall I really liked this book and I look forward to watching the TV series.

 

Posted by Hellen in Books, Reviews, 0 comments
31
Jul
2021
The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a book about a futuristic dystopian society. In what was once North America stands a nation called Panem, consisting of 12 districts and the Capitol. Each year, the Capitol hots an annual murder game, called The Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen, the main character, volunteers to be a tribute in place of her sister at the reapings, which is a ceremony where fighters are chosen for the Games. Katniss and her partner Peeta must find a way to kill off the other 22 tributes in the Games and later, one of themselves to win.

One part I liked in the book was how much detail the author put into each moment. Collins would use many types of figurative language and lots of references to the mockingjay, a fictional bird. Whenever Katniss had an injury, major or minor, the author connects her injuries with the bird by saying it was an act of rebellion or it was a sign that the rebels will win. 

Another part I liked about the book was how the story was told and presented. It was told in first person by Katniss and I really liked the idea of the story being told from a character’s perspective. I enjoy it more when it’s told from a first person point of view because you get to understand the character’s actions more clearly. You know why they did what they did and you also know how they feel and why they feel that way, an advantage of listening to a story told by a certain person in a book from their point of view. You can tell if a book is told from first person if you hear the words I and me, when describing something not in a dialogue.

One part I did not like was how the author did not reveal secrets or the why in the actions of other characters. Collins decided to choose ignorance as a trait for Katniss which made her mad much of the time and closed the doors to everyone she loves. Little does she know that they are trying to help her. When I was reading, I knew why the other characters did what they did which made the wait for Katniss to know become agonizing.

Overall, I think that this book was extraordinary. Every time I discover a secret, it makes me want to keep on reading to discover the next. I also liked the plot of the story, with the Hunger Games, an idea no one would have thought of if it were not for Collins.

See my review of the second Hunger Games book Catching Fire here.

See my review of the third book Mocking Jay here.

Posted by Hellen in Books, Reviews, 2 comments
24
Jul
2021
Catching Fire

Catching Fire

by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins is a great book about the continuing adventure of Katniss Everdeen. After the first Hunger Games, President Snow tells Katniss to pretend that she and Peeta are very madly in love or else a revolution will start. Since they both attempted to commit suicide in the last hunger games, they are seen as a sign of rebellion and bravery. Snow decides that since the next hunger games is the 75th quarrel, he would choose two victors from each district and allow them to compete. But in the end of the book, the remaining victors fly into District 13.

When the president announced that the remaining victors would be playing, I was surprised and happy at the same time. I was hoping for Katniss to become a mentor, but instead, she got chosen to compete again. I wanted her to not have to relive the horror, but at the same time, I wanted to see what they would do this time around, now that only one person is allowed to win. Thankfully, Katniss and Peeta survived, which I was joyful to know.

Also, after the games, when Katniss is in the plane, Haymitch says that there is no District 12 which got me thinking a lot. Was District 12 actually District 13? Later, you find out that District 12 got bombed but that line made me wonder and think more deeply than I usually do. The author wants you to keep on reading, to uncover the unknown within the characters by revealing the secrets later in the book, which is also a reason I enjoyed it.

But, as always, in every book, there is a part people dislike. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the part where Katniss planned to keep  Peeta alive and do everything she can for him. I think that Katniss is way better than Peeta and that Peeta should care for Katniss. I don’t like when the boy is weak and can’t protect the girl even though it shows a bit more of something different. It’s always Katniss who has to save and fulfill the quests Peeta fails to do. And that right there just proves that this is not your average fairy tale story.

Overall, I think that this book was amazing, and I would recommend it to readers who are looking for a surprise or adventure. But, be sure to read the first book before the second or else you won’t know what’s happening.

See my review of the first Hunger Games book here.

See my review of the third book Mocking Jay here. 

Posted by Hellen in Books, Reviews, 4 comments
18
Jul
2021
Mocking Jay

Mocking Jay

by Suzanne Colins

In the last book of the Hunger Games trilogy, Katniss finds a way to lead the desperate, solemn people of District 13, to find a path to freedom. When Peeta is taken away by the Capitol, to use as bait, Katniss struggles to decide who to love. Peeta or Gale? After what happened in the last hunger games, Katniss yearns for a life where none of this was ever possible, a life where she won’t have to worry about her future kids becoming a tribute.

The plot had a lot of twists and reversals from the previous two books. Several characters broke the images I had formed in my mind. Peeta, previously described as caring, selfless, and courageous, is now presented as a selfish, scared, and traumatized adult. Even though injecting poison into someone’s body was illegal, the Capitol still tried to do this with Peeta. That’s why he’s so disoriented when District 13 finally retrieves him. Because of this change, Katniss was hurt, for someone she actually cared about thought she was a monster. I was very disappointed since I was expecting that if Katniss was rescued in the Games, so would Peeta. But, that’s not what happened and it broke my heart to see someone’s love hate them. 

I don’t think Katniss was supposed to be seen as a woman, or with super heavy makeup, which is why I think no one really saw her as she is, therefore no one really believed in what she was saying. I didn’t like how the author made Gale such an antagonist, for I had thought Katniss would actually spend the rest of her life with him, but after all he did in the third book, I changed my mind. The change in their relationship tells me that not every girl and boy relationship ends peacefully with love. Obviously, Katniss and Gale had different ways of ending the war, and that’s what separated them even further, after the fake dramatic relationship with Peeta

I thought when Peeta started remembering, he would return to himself fully. Sadly, that’s not what happened, though I would have enjoyed it more if it did happen. This shows that hope may not ever match up with reality because when you hope, you are optimistic and think of every possible way for someone to survive. But when you face the harsh reality, the “hope” of what is possible becomes very small and unlikely. In the end, Peeta ends up staying with Katniss, and they have two beautiful children. Even though he did not remember everything, he remembered his love for her, and that she was the one he wanted to spend eternity with.

Overall, this book was amazing. The plot had many twists and turns, along with some cliffhangers, but that’s what makes it fun to read.

See my review of the first book The Hunger Games here. 

See my review of the second book Catching Fire here. 

Posted by Hellen in Books, Reviews, 3 comments
17
Jul
2021
Moonwalking with Einstein

Moonwalking with Einstein

by Joshua Foer

Find Moonwalking with Einstein in your local library

Moonwalking with Einstein is about the author’s journey from knowing nothing about memorization to becoming a World Champion of Memory. Joshua creates weird images in his head to help him remember what something is, where and when. He wrote things such as Einstein karate kicked five times to the groin, which helped him remember the 5 of spades.

Some of the vivid images Joshua used included “Michael Jackson defeated the salmon sandwich with three punches.” I enjoyed reading that and picturing it in my head because you wouldn’t see that in this world. It’s out of the ordinary. I like unusual things that you don’t come across often. That makes it unique and memorable.

Another part I liked was the introduction. It said, “On average people squander forty days annually compensating for the things they’ve forgot. Joshua Foer used to be one of those people.” I think it’s motivating because later in the book, after one year of training he ended up as the Memory Champion. That means I could train for one year and become a champion, too.

I thought it was boring that Joshua spent 30 pages talking about an 84-year-old retired lab technician (E.P.). Joshua explained that whenever EP went on walks, he would go the same way each time, but if he turned the wrong way, he would be completely lost. He used the example to show that people have different kinds of memory. E.P. has dementia. Even though one part of his brain shut down, the other parts are still working with intact spatial memory. There was a lot of repetition in this chapter. It would have been fine if it took just 10 pages.

Overall, this book was interesting in exploring the unusual and weird ways our mind works and how they can be useful in boosting memory abilities. But it felt boring when the same technical points are repeated over and over again, which I thought was excessive.

Posted by Hellen in Books, Reviews, 0 comments
07
Jul
2021
Life of Pi

Life of Pi

by Yann Martel

Life of Pi book cover Yann Martel
Find it in a library near you

Life of Pi is about a boy names Piscine Molitor Patel, who became stranded in a lifeboat with three dead animals and a tiger named Richard Parker. His family were planning on moving to Canada on a cargo ship put sadly, the ship sank, killing his parents and brother. The crew threw him off the ship to the lifeboat before being swept into the ocean themselves. On the boat Pi saw a zebra with a broken leg, an orangutan, and a hyena. The hyena killed the zebra and orangutan but then the tiger jumped out and killed the hyena. Pi learned to fish and tame Richard Parker while drifting for seven months.

I liked how quickly Pi adapted to life on a lifeboat with Richard Parker. He cared for Richard by hunting and feeding the tiger. Pi was a strict vegetarian before the ship wreck but now he eats raw fish and meerkats. This is very brave of him. Since he could’ve died, he knew he would have to eat meat to survive.

I also liked Pi’s comparison of animal world and humanity. Near the end of the book, people from the Japanese company who owned the ship came to ask Pi questions about his journey. They thought his story was unrealistic because it’s impossible for anyone to survive at sea for that long. So, Pi retold the story but replacing the animals with people. Pi outsmarted their skepticism and asked which story feels more interesting and natural. They replied the one with the animals and that’s how the story made it to the press.

One thing I didn’t like about the book is the excessive detail about gory or gruesome events. It’s violent and I felt that the author was magnifying the violence with sentences like “his blood oozed out all over me and Richard Parker”, and many vivid descriptions of killing. The cannibalism told in the people-version of the story is especially disturbing.

Posted by Hellen in Books, Reviews, 0 comments
05
Jun
2021
The Girl Who Fell from the Sky

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky

by Heidi W. Durrow

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow is about a girl who has survived from an attempted suicide and starts a new life. Rachel is starting 6th grade at her new school, in a new town with her grandma. The book’s narrator switches between the main characters, Brick and Rachel. Rachel is a very light skinned brown person who is very smart but people still make fun of her because they are jealous of her beauty and her intelligence.

I liked how in the end of the book, Rachel tells us what her mother’s last words were, and it solves the mystery that was lingering throughout the book. I felt satisfied when they revealed the answer so I wouldn’t have to keep on worrying about why something happened. When Rachel was eleven years old her mother, Nella, killed herself by jumping from the roof of their apartment building. Nella pushed her son, Robbie, to his death and held her baby, Ariel, in her arms as she jumped. 

The book was a bit confusing since they kept on switching between characters, and sometimes you forget the narrator changed which changes how you read it. If you sometimes keep on reading, thinking it’s the same character, and the plot doesn’t make sense. It’s confusing because if this character was just in Texas, how did they end up in Australia? I wish there was more differentiation between the characters’ voice and style of narration to make the transition more obvious. 

The plot of the story was very exciting. The story was very original, and there were many mysteries waiting to be solved. As I was writing about this book, I found out that the story of the suicide was based on a true story, of a mom who couldn’t bear seeing her children suffer. It made me feel sad, because the baby who died was less than a year old, and I felt that they should’ve lived longer to experience the wonders of the world.

Posted by Hellen in Books, Reviews, 0 comments