Have you ever read an entire series just to have it end in a way that makes you flip back a few pages and say to yourself "Wait...that was it?" of course you have. Everyone has. We all find that really good series that just ends...not so good.
I have recently (recently meaning a few weeks ago because I swim competitively so getting around to these posts/finding a new book is like asking a cat to not jump up on the table...it won't work out) finished Abhorsen, the third book in the Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix. I enjoyed reading the book. It wasn't the most fast-paced book but it was creative and thought out with a unique writing style. It was still a page turner, my favorite parts being when Lirael was traveling into Death. However, when I came to the end, the final battle against the Destroyer, I guess I just expected...more.
Leading up to the end, the book got progressively better. The events got more exciting, but they were all relatively low key. There wasn't a lot of suspense in my opinion. I was reading to find that big "wow" ending that is so action packed it blows my mind. Well, I got a sorta action packed ending that only got good towards the end when Sabriel returns. There wasn't a lot of fighting, even in Lirael's battle with Hedge. I guess when you battle one of the most powerful necromancers you leave with only a scratch on your arm.
Lirael didn't even kill Hedge, when he looked up at the sky while in death (the Dog tripped him and that made him look at the sky) it was his time, because he had been avoiding death for awhile, and he just died. No epic charter spells here. Just dead.
Nix did a good job on the end of the ending though, when they finally battled the destroyer and everyone had to come together, each person representing a bell. Lirael used a special sword to kill the Destroyer, doing so she knew she herself would die(she didn't share this with Sam and the others, though) and knew what must be done. However, while being engulfed with flame, about to meet her end, the Disreputable Dog jumps in, bites Liraels hands off the sword that they were fixed to, and takes her place as the sacrifice. This was the good action packed ending I was hoping for. People injured, my favorite character unfortunately died, all was good.
But it wasn't all good. I still craved more action, more of that sweet, sweet action. But there wasn't any. That was it. End. The multiple chapters leading up to it, with the destroyer present, that couldn't have been more action packed? The book waited until the last few pages to get really good?
So I find myself among tons of other readers who finish a series only to be unsatisfied. Like many readers, I'm wishing I could change the ending.
Monday, March 23, 2015
Columnist Project
I read 14 different articles written by a variety of columnists. I found some I liked, some I didn't like, and some that made me laugh out loud. While reading, I learned a lot about the perspective of each column and how the author makes his or her argument..
The column I liked the best was a column by Dave Barry called "The Mother of All Parties". It was a humorous piece about mothers going all out for their kid's birthday party. It said, "
Like many moms, my wife believes that a child's birthday party requires as much planning as a lunar landing -- more, actually, because you have to hire a clown." It uses funny lines like this to get the argument across. What I thought was funny was when it went into comparing a mom planned party against a dad planned party. It said, " It would be different if dads planned birthday parties. First off, the party would be about a month after the child's actual birthday, which is when Dad would remember it. Dad's party theme would be ``delivery pizza,'' which would also serve as the cake, the craft project and the party favor. The entertainment would be pulling Dad's finger. The kids would have just as much fun." I thought this was funny, knowing my dad, and how his idea of a birthday party is the most dirt cheap party ever.
I thought the article was funny and well written because you could relate to the situation. A lot of stuff was over exaggerated, adding to the humor. Overall a very good column.
The column I liked the best was a column by Dave Barry called "The Mother of All Parties". It was a humorous piece about mothers going all out for their kid's birthday party. It said, "
Like many moms, my wife believes that a child's birthday party requires as much planning as a lunar landing -- more, actually, because you have to hire a clown." It uses funny lines like this to get the argument across. What I thought was funny was when it went into comparing a mom planned party against a dad planned party. It said, " It would be different if dads planned birthday parties. First off, the party would be about a month after the child's actual birthday, which is when Dad would remember it. Dad's party theme would be ``delivery pizza,'' which would also serve as the cake, the craft project and the party favor. The entertainment would be pulling Dad's finger. The kids would have just as much fun." I thought this was funny, knowing my dad, and how his idea of a birthday party is the most dirt cheap party ever.
I thought the article was funny and well written because you could relate to the situation. A lot of stuff was over exaggerated, adding to the humor. Overall a very good column.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Fahrenheit 451 Theme Handout
Fahrenheit 451 Theme Handout:
Theme: Engaging with difficult and uncomfortable thoughts and experiences is the only route to true happiness.
Group Members: Sammi St. Arnold, Brian Whitney, Hannah Lea, Stephanie Schoenlein, and Evan Haas Bell 3
Events
1. Clarisse asks Montag if he's happy.
2. Montag realizes he's unhappy, and threatens to start reading books.
3. Montag meets Faber and realizes the power of reading/ learning
4. The firemen went to Montag's house.
5. Montag burns Beatty.
6. Montag meets Granger.
Quotes
1. "He was not happy. He was not happy. He said the words to himself. He recognized this as the true state of affairs. He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run off across the lawn with the mask and there wa no way of going to knock on her door and ask for it back." (Bradbury 12).
2. " 'If there was no war, if there was peace in the world, I'd say fine, have fun! But, Montag, you mustn't go back to being just a fireman. All isn't well with the world.' " (Bradbury 104).
3. " 'We all made the right kind of mistakes, or else we wouldn't be here.' " (Bradbury 150).
How it Relates
1. This theme is important to our understanding of the story because the story is based on a society that believes in the opposite, that thoughts and uncomfortable experiences actually diminish a person’s overall happiness, and have rules against people creating their own thoughts and opinions.
2. This connects to our society today because people are depressed and don’t realize that they have to deal with and engage in uncomfortable and difficult experiences is the only way to achieve true happiness. It is important to study and be aware of this theme so that we can grow and be happy in our daily lives, dealing with the hardships in our modern world.
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