The Metamorphosis begins with one of the most iconic lines in all of literature. The translation to English, however, is not nearly as profound[image]
The Metamorphosis begins with one of the most iconic lines in all of literature. The translation to English, however, is not nearly as profoundly shocking as it is in German. Many years ago I read this book in my high school German class. My teacher had these neat handouts with original sketches that I scoured the internet for but could not find. I tried my best to replace them with what I was able to find.
“Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheueren Ungeziefer verwandelt.”
And since most of you are English-speaking people, here is the slaughtered version:
“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.”
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This is the story of Gregor Samsa. He has transformed during the night into a giant insect. Immediately he begins to worry about how he will provide for him family. His first concern is them, not himself or how he will get out of this predicament…or why he is in it to begin with. Gregor, being the sole-provider for his family is expected to be at work. His family is completely embarrassed and ashamed that he missed his morning train. But when his supervisor shows up Gregor is forced to get up and try to offer an explanation.
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When he opens his mouth and speaks to them all they hear is a horrifying insect noise. Gregor is forced to open the door for them to see for themselves what has happened. It is here that we see their initial reactions. The father is angry, the mother terrified and the sister is shocked but willing to try to help Gregor.
As Gergor goes about his day-to-day life his worry over his situation continues to grow. But he soon realizes that his family had been hoarding away his earnings all along though and they are able to live quite comfortably without him at work. They also are able to rent out a room in their home, keeping Gregor closed off completely. He finds himself dreaming of escape.
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As time goes on the feelings towards Gregor grow to indifference. The family stops feeding him, stop caring whether his living space is clean and stop thinking of him at all as someone they once loved. In fact, his father throws an apple at him which lodges in his back and injures him pretty severely.
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At this point Gregor has become nothing but a horrifying burden to his family. They grow to resent him and even show their contempt.
The overall sickening part for me is the ending where (view spoiler)[ Gregor dies and the family moves on ever-so-happily (hide spoiler)] It is so unfair and awful. My heart broke for him.
Kafka was known for writing stories that pointed out the insignificance of the everyday man. His stories are almost never uplifting. Typically we see the down-trodden man facing a severe obstacle. The Metamorphosis is another of example of that.
A story as unique as its opening line, the Metamorphosis is a book everyone should read. It explains s much about Franz Kafka and I think you’d be hard pressed to find another book that will affect you as much as this one.
I’d like to thank my favorite pantless-platoon for reading this one with me! It was a great experience to re-read it in English! ...more
2015 Goodreads Choice Winner: Best Young Adult Fiction
"The great thing about this life of ours is that you can be someone different to everybody.2015 Goodreads Choice Winner: Best Young Adult Fiction
"The great thing about this life of ours is that you can be someone different to everybody."
THIS book.
Do I really need to say more? Yes? Ok. You’ve been warned. This will probably be one of my longer reviews.
I have spent a majority of my life feeling out of place; like I don’t fit in to any one category or group. In my experience it’s the people who do fit in that think feeling that way is unnecessary or “not important”. It’s easy to say that when you’ve always belonged. Feeling insignificant and alone in a room full of people is just one tiny symptom that tends to go hand in hand with depression.
"We are all alone, trapped in these bodies and our own minds, and whatever company we have in this life is only fleeting and superficial".
When it comes to depression our society leans towards the “Get over it”/”Don’t talk about it” side of things. I hear people make remarks like “what does she have to be sad about?” or “that’s life, suck it up” The thing that people don’t understand is that depression isn’t a choice. It is an illness. I am so thankful for an author who finally understands this- that it doesn't just mean someone is sad and cries.
"It's my experience that people are a lot more sympathetic if they can see you hurting, and for the millionth time in my life I wish for measles or smallpox or some other easily understood disease just to make it easier on me and also on them."
The real taboo topic in this lovely country of ours is suicide. If I hear one more person use the word selfish to describe a suicide I think I might go crazy. If you don’t understand depression or any other mental illness, do the rest of us a favor and keep your opinion on how selfish suicide is to yourself. We love to generalize everything, create categories and labels so that everyone fits into their place, so we have something to say about them.
"But I’m not a compilation of symptoms. Not a casualty of shitty parents and an even shittier chemical makeup. Not a problem. Not a diagnosis. Not an illness. Not something to be rescued. I’m a person."
This book.
It has such beautiful and profound writing. Its topics are dark and dreary and so heavy the weight of it threatens to drag you down and down into the deep cavern of sadness and grief. But it is revolutionary. It brings to light the reality of what happens when we ignore the signs; when we accept the symptoms rather than the person.
Theodore Finch stole my heart. His character was so captivating and warm. I wanted to reach my hands through the book and hold on to him and hug him and squeeze him and tell him how much I love him. I wanted to hang out with him and be his best friend. I wanted to sit around eating Chinese food and listening to him explain the Jovian–Plutonian gravitational effect. I want to go wandering with Finch and see life through his eyes.
Violet Markey, or Ultraviolet Remarkeyable, starts out as a girl I can’t quite like but ends up one that I absolutely love. She was a cheerleader, a writer, an IT girl with lots of friends and a great future ahead of her. She lost her sister in a car accident that she blames herself for and is contemplating suicide from atop the school’s Bell Tower when she and Finch first meet.
This story is one about loss, grief, depression, Bipolar Disorder, suicide, apathy and what it means to find all the bright places in life before you go. This book tops my list of Young Adult books and might be my favorite of the whole year. It will certainly go on my “Hands Down Favorites” shelf. This book is life-changing. Do yourself a favor and start reading it.
"Your hope lies in accepting your life as it now lies before you, forever changed. If you can do that, the peace you seek will follow. Forever changed. I am forever changed."
Ps. I would like to thank Kelly for her lovely review. She's the reason I found out about this book- hence the "I Blame Kelly" shelf. ;)
And Shelby also wrote a beautiful review that I wanted to share with you as well.
If my words don't convince you, maybe theirs will.
Unlike most people, I had never heard of Dorian Gray. Go ahead, take a minute and throw your stones so we can go on. (All set? Great!) My first encounUnlike most people, I had never heard of Dorian Gray. Go ahead, take a minute and throw your stones so we can go on. (All set? Great!) My first encounter with Dorian was through this incredible 8 episode series on Showtime called Penny Dreadful. If you haven’t had the chance to watch this show and consider yourself a fan of “classic horror” I strongly suggest you check it out. I’d tell you more but the great part about the show is seeing who will be introduced next. ANYWAY…I’ll move on to the book review now.
As most of you know, I don’t like knowing what a book is about before I read it so I rarely read the description. It was a free download on my kindle and I had the wonderful vision of Reeve Carney dancing in my head for the read. When I first started the read I was intrigued to find out more about Dorian. I was completely head over heels with him because of the show and couldn’t wait to fall even more in love with him while reading the book.
Dorian is vain, there is no question there. But what lengths will he go to in order to preserve his incredible good looks….his youth? This book made me question my own obsession with age. Age and death, wrinkling and ailments. The thought of growing old and dying scares me more than any monster in any book I have ever read. I could relate to Dorian- if not in his vanity(though, to some degree I think we can all relate)- in his longing to be young and carefree forever. I can’t say if I were given the opportunity to stay young forever that I would turn it down.
I felt that the book lost me for a while in the middle. I don’t know if it is because I was reading it at night and I would drift off to sleep and then try to figure out the next night where I actually left off, or if I was just confused by the language and subtlety of the writing. It picked back up though and I was able to soldier on.
I am fairly certain that my brains are still on my pillow and that they will remain there for a long time. When I got to the ending, it was something that I had never even imagined. Of course there were hints and signs, but I prefer to remain blind while reading. It makes it more enjoyable for me. I like to stack those little hints in the back of my mind and let them gather dust back there until “The Big Reveal” causes them to explode inside my mind leaving me with the most amazing book high ever. It’s kind of my thing.
While reading the first part of the book I remember thinking to myself “Hmm, I wonder if I will like this as much as I like the show version of Dorian. It doesn’t seem likely!” After I had finished it I wanted to pick it up and start over. With the combination of the book and show-Dorian has become one of my all-time favorite literary characters. He has stolen my heart, devilish little bastard that he is. ;D The Picture of Dorian Gray has become of the few books that I cherish. It is one I know I will be protective of and that I will be cautious of recommending due to the fear of someone else not appreciating it. There really are only a select few that hold that standard. This is truly an amazing book and I am forever changed. ...more
Apparently I have been living under a rock my entire life because I had never even heard of Bridge to Terabithia before a friend of mine brought it upApparently I have been living under a rock my entire life because I had never even heard of Bridge to Terabithia before a friend of mine brought it up in conversation one day. She says, it’s a short read, I’ll bring you in my copy. Sure! I replied!
I had been under the impression that this was a children’s fantasy book and therefore had visions of Narnia dancing in my head. A few weeks after she had given me her copy I told her I would finally be getting around to it (I was finishing up a book I had been reading). I said to her: I need a nice light read to pick up after the soul-crusher that is The Fault in Our Stars. I wish I had taken a picture of the horrified look on her face that screamed: BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA IS A SOUL CRUSHER. I had been warned.
When I first started reading it I’ll admit I was pretty bored. Again, I had been under the impression it was a fantasy book filled with a mysterious land called Terabithia and that I would soon be immersed in a world I had yet to discover. That was not, however, what I got. Instead I got a story of ten year old kids who become best friends and build a fort on the edge of the forest. Their lives seem rather sad and mundane, except for the few instances where they actually get to escape to their secret hideaway, Terabithia.
I wish it had been more of a fantasy story but the story I did get was satisfying. A complete tragedy that brought me to tears, but the innocence of youth can’t be held onto forever…
Although this book was far from what I thought it would be, I still enjoyed it and thought it was a great book; a book that everyone should read at least once in his/her life. ...more
White Oleander was probably one of the most beautifully written books I have ever encountered; a novel that reads like poetry. This one little passageWhite Oleander was probably one of the most beautifully written books I have ever encountered; a novel that reads like poetry. This one little passage in particular was one that I really loved:
“The pearls weren't really white, they were a warm oyster beige, with little knots in between so if they broke, you only lost one. I wished my life could be like that, knotted up so that even if something broke, the whole thing wouldn't come apart.”
Janet Fitch wrote this book with such an incredible understanding of the human condition. It made me wonder what she, as an individual, had encountered throughout her lifetime.
One thing she had a good grasp on was depression. Anyone who has had even a short bout of depression could see the accuracy with which this book was written. Poor Astrid was suffering depression before she even understood what the word meant. I think that was the worst of it- that we as the reader realized what was happening and the implications thereof while Astrid had not even the slightest inkling. I remember the naivety of my youth all too well. It broke my heart.
I admired the courage and strength that Astrid demonstrated throughout the book. She endured so much you have to wonder how much one person can truly handle. It really made me look at life through a new pair of eyes and understand that so much is beyond our control, but how we handle those situations is completely up to us.
There were a couple aspects of this book that made me rate it 4 stars instead of 5. While the writing was beautiful it left the reader to interpret a little too much of the time. I felt that there were a few sections (which I don’t want to give away for fear of spoiling major plotlines) could really have used some elaboration. Instead of definitive answers we are given vague poetic descriptions. I also would have liked to see a different ending. I wanted closure of some sort, but again, it seemed a little vague and open-ended to me. Overall it was a great book and I will recommend it to people, but with a warning. It is an emotionally draining book that will take a lot out of you. Make sure you are in the right mindset for it. ...more
I have thought long and hard about this book and what I could possibly say about it that could even remotely do it justice. I finished this book weeks
I have thought long and hard about this book and what I could possibly say about it that could even remotely do it justice. I finished this book weeks ago and I still find myself reflecting back on it. A true piece of literature like The Goldfinch will leave you in contemplation. I can honestly say it is one of the best books I have ever read in my life and put it in the ranks of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Donna Tartt has created a masterpiece here. I cannot stress that enough. This book is both thought provoking and profound. There is a truth in her writing that spoke to me in ways other books can’t. I will admit it was extremely difficult for me to read at times because the main character loses a parent and I lost my father a mere two weeks before picking this book up. I had to put the book down several times to let the tears pass before I was able to pick it up again. I felt that someone truly knew how I felt and understood my grief in a way that no one else did. Yet another sign of a great writer is writing with emotional accuracy.
“But sometimes, unexpectedly, grief pounded over me in waves that left me gasping; and when the waves washed back, I found myself looking out over a brackish wreck which was illumined in a light so lucid, so heartsick and empty, that I could hardly remember that the world had ever been anything but dead.”
Tartt’s prose is a form of art all in itself. You can tell that she carefully placed each word and took her time writing this novel. It is a long book- 771 pages- but every word serves its purpose and made this book the masterpiece that it is.
The characters are unforgettable and you will reflect on them often with a fondness that is unexplainable to those who do not cherish books. The storyline is heartbreaking and yes, at times, depressing beyond belief. Theo’s life is an ongoing tragedy and the content is heavy to say the least, but there seems to be an underlying glimmer of hope that shines through ever so faintly.
One thing that stood out to me the most throughout this book is how the memories are portrayed. In a lot of books you get these crystal clear images of how things used to be. With this book, Theo’s recollections are hazy from drug and alcohol abuse and fogged over with the passage of time. The memories are how we remember things- where you can’t really recall what you were thinking when you did something, just that you know at the time it felt right.
The actual painting- the Goldfinch- becomes a metaphor throughout the book’s entirety. I can’t get over how intricate this story really was. You understood certain aspects at different moments and then there is a huge revelation that blows the whole storyline wide open that allows you to see the whole picture. You think you know right along while you are reading, but you truly have no idea until that moment just how careful Tartt was with weaving this story.
I remember lying in bed reading at well past midnight, unable to put the book down, and upon reading the aforementioned revelation, sitting straight up in bed, throwing my hand over my mouth and silently saying “oh no, oh no, oh no!”. I sat there for several minutes, rereading it over and over again, silently admiring Tartt’s deft prose.
I have seen a lot of negative reviews for this book, and I personally can’t understand them. I think this is truly one of the best books of our time and one that will stand the test of time. Perhaps if you have never had tragedy strike, or had a real bout of depression in your life, you won’t see the beauty in this book. Having watched my father take his last breath, and lived with depression for years while he battled cancer, I understood this book on a much deeper level.
“That life - whatever else it is - is short. That fate is cruel but maybe not random. That Nature (meaning Death) always wins but that doesn’t mean we have to bow and grovel to it. That maybe even if we’re not always so glad to be here, it’s our task to immerse ourselves anyway: wade straight through it, right through the cesspool, while keeping eyes and hearts open. And in the midst of our dying, as we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic, it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn’t touch.”
I urge people to pick this book up. It is an instant classic in my opinion and will be talked about for years to come. The Goldfinch is truly one of a kind and will impact you in ways you never knew possible. I cannot even begin to do it the justice it deserves. A solid 5 star rating. I look forward to reading more of Tartt’s works. ...more
This book was fantastic from start to finish. Stephen King, once again, takes us away to another world; a world we can get lost in and forget our own This book was fantastic from start to finish. Stephen King, once again, takes us away to another world; a world we can get lost in and forget our own problems for the day. (view spoiler)[ Devin learns a lot that summer, not just "the Talk" or that "wearing the fur" isn't that bad. He learns a lot about life. After having his heart broken, watching two of his friends falling in love, and saving the life of a choking little girl, Devin soon finds the harsh realities of life. He discovers the truth behind the murder in Horror House and many others. He also learns that not everyone can be saved and that sometimes the good really do die young.
All in all this is a beautifully written coming of age story. King has such a grasp on the English language and his writing is something to be admired all on its own. And although, this was a murder mystery, it had just enough touch of the supernatural to give it that Stephen King feel. The story itself was beautiful and while the ending was tragic, and heavily forshadowed, it was a perfect ending that had me both smiling and crying. (hide spoiler)]...more
I had read this in high school but I think I didn't fully comprehend it at the time. After reading it this time I am so glad I chose to revisit it. WoI had read this in high school but I think I didn't fully comprehend it at the time. After reading it this time I am so glad I chose to revisit it. Wow. Such an incredible book! Very disturbing and yet not far from the realities we live each and every day. ...more
I’ve had The Color Purple on my TBR list for a long, long time. I had had it on my kindle for almost 2 whole years prior to me reading it. But, I’m a
I’ve had The Color Purple on my TBR list for a long, long time. I had had it on my kindle for almost 2 whole years prior to me reading it. But, I’m a mood reader and I wait for the book to call to me. I started it, put it on hold while I did a couple buddy reads and finally got around to finishing it.
There was only one thing in the whole book that bothered me and it was the character that is consistently referred to as Mr.____. Throughout the whole book his last name is omitted and I still don’t really understand why. I found it annoying and distracting. All I could do to stop the nervous tic I was developing was fill in the blank. I tried out a few names before settling with calling him Mr. S in my head.
I had a hard time understanding what the purpose of this book was. I found myself trying to figure out what the author was trying to tell me; what the point of the book was. I understood what was happening in the book, that wasn't the problem- but where was the story going? What’s the message?
The book starts out with our MC, Celia writing letters to God. These letters tell us a little bit about her and her life. We find out early on that she has had two children…both fathered by her own father. And then she is essentially sold to her new husband Mr.___ or Albert as he is later referred. Her children are taken from her to be raised by another woman and her sister leaves the house altogether not wanting to be targeted next.
Mr. ____ beats Celia from time to time but as long as she does what she is there to do he leaves her alone. She has to suffer through him cheating on her openly and being downright nasty to her personally.
And then everything changes. Shug, the woman with whom Mr._____ is happily having his affair with is sick and with no one to take care of her. Mr.____ brings her home and ironically Celia nurses her back to health. For me, this was the turning point in the story. I was not fully invested in it until this happened.
Shug’s character was my favorite. I understood her even if I didn't agree with her choices. And her relationship with Celia was what changed my mind about her. She was kind and loving and taught Celia a lot.
The narration changed about halfway through the book when Celia finds out Mr.___ had been hiding her sister’s letters from her. Celia begins to read her sister’s letters and then begins writing back to her.
It was about at this point in my reading that I finally figured out this book. It’s the perfect analogy for life. There is simply no other way to explain it. And in figuring that out, I ended up loving this book more than I thought I would when I started it.
The Color Purple tells us of the up-hill battles we all will face at some point in our lives. It shows us that we all face these battles but some fight harder ones. The paths we take in life are our own. At the end of the day we all have to find a way through.
I’d like to now share a few of my favorite quotes from this book. The dialect was a little hard to get through at times but I understood it was necessary. The meaning behind the words was the important part.
“Oh, Celie, unbelief is a terrible thing. And so is the hurt we cause others unknowingly.”
“I think us here to wonder, myself. To wonder. To ask. And that in wondering bout the big things and asking bout the big things, you learn about the little ones, almost by accident. But you never know nothing more about the big things than you start out with. The more I wonder, the more I love.”
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.”
And lastly,
“Here's the thing, say Shug. The thing I believe. God is inside you and inside everybody else. You come into the world with God. But only them that search for it inside find it. And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don't know what you looking for. Trouble do it for most folks, I think. Sorrow, lord. Feeling like shit. It? I ask. Yeah, It. God ain't a he or a she, but a It. But what do it look like? I ask. Don't look like nothing, she say. It ain't a picture show. It ain't something you can look at apart from anything else, including yourself. I believe God is everything, say Shug. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you cam feel that, and be happy to feel that, you've found it.”
Four of the six members of the Clutter family were bound, gagged and murder
Holcomb, Kansas November 15, 1959
[image] (Herbert, Bonnie, Nancy and Kenyon)
Four of the six members of the Clutter family were bound, gagged and murdered in their home. Herb and Bonnie and two of their four children-Nancy age 16 and Kenyon age 15. The family was well-liked within the community and was generally known for being “good people”.
Two parolees had heard that Mr. Clutter was a man of wealth and that he had a safe tucked away inside his home.
[image] ( Perry Edward Smith)
[image] (Richard Hickcock)
These two men entered the Clutter home on the evening of November 15, 1959. They ended the life of those four people, leaving two surviving children that were not present on the night of the murder.
The town of Holcomb was left in terror that something so awful could happen in their quiet little neighborhood. The townsfolk could not fathom the murder of such innocent people for what appeared to be- no real reason. [image]
Truman Capote was apparently “obsessed” with this murder and followed its trial closely. The movie, Capote, is an excellent one for any who are interested. This was the first book I have ever read by Mr. Capote and I am absolutely amazed with his writing.
This is a heartbreaking story reality. I continuously had to remind myself that these events were not made up; that this actually happened. This is a book that everyone should read; a book that will stay with me* through several lifetimes. It is a masterpiece through and through and I recommend this book to everyone. An incredible read despite its grim content.
When I first came across this book I thought it sounded interesting. I have been trying for the last few years to incorporate more books into my life When I first came across this book I thought it sounded interesting. I have been trying for the last few years to incorporate more books into my life- books that I wouldn't normally pick up. I have a tendency to pick Stephen King over anything else, and found that I was really limiting myself and knew I could potentially be missing out on some great literature. So, I saw this book, and added it casually to my TBR list. If I only knew what a great book it really was, it wouldn't have sat on that list as long as it did.
I had read reviews of the book- carefully so as not to have any of the story spoiled for me- and saw such varied reviews it was hard to be sure of it. I saw a lot of people commenting on the lack of puncuation and grammatical errors so decided to go with the audio version of this one. I am so glad I did. Instead of getting caught up in the grammar and puncuation as many did, I was able to listen to the story being told and what a story it was.
I have a hard time writing reviews because I can't seem to say what I want to express and I don't want to give away too many details. After all, half the fun of reading is finding out what the book is really about. In short, it is about a man who has lived alone and grieved for his lost sister not knowing if she is dead or alive, sick and ailing or well and happy. He happens across two young girls who will change his life forever as he attempts to protect them like he feels he didn't protect his sister.
This is a thought-provoking and truly moving story that anyone who has lost a loved one could relate to. It is about working through grief and moving on and loving in the only way we know how. A remarkable story and beautifully told story.
I strongly recommend this book on audio. If you don't think you can get past the lack of puncuation and rough format please do yourself a favor and listen to it. I think this is a book that will remain with me a lifetime....more
There was only a little pressure on me to love this book by the lovely Jess. You see, she stated that this book is to her what Harry Potter is to me There was only a little pressure on me to love this book by the lovely Jess. You see, she stated that this book is to her what Harry Potter is to me. That’s saying a WHOLE lot. And I also know that when I get people to read Harry Potter it makes my soul happy. It makes it even happier when they LOVE it- which, so far, has been every single person that I’ve beaten into submission convinced! (*knocks on wood*) So when the Pantsless Platoon decided to read this book together I hoped with all my might that this book would be everything to me that it is to Jess.
And guess what?
It totally was.
I am not sure I could really put a finger on what I loved so much about this book. It was a very quick read and I really enjoyed the style in which it was written. I felt like once I started it I didn’t want to put it down. I did because…well you know- life. But when I was reading it I was completely consumed by it. My need to keep reading was overwhelming. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
I felt really bad for our MC, Meresault. I think he was an extremely misunderstood person. If only people took the time to ask him the right questions perhaps they could have finally gotten through to him. We as the reader get a little more insight into his thought process and can understand him better than the people he is interacting with.
Meresault’s first “mistake” according to the world he lives in was that he didn’t cry at his mother’s funeral. He didn’t mourn correctly according to society’s standards. This is utter bullshit. I broke down only twice during the calling hours and funeral for my father. It wasn’t because I don’t love my father. It’s because when it comes to my tears they are mine. They are no one else’s. They come when they want and I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility to my family at that time. I was so focused on maintaining my composure that my grief came later. And It came hard. I answered the funeral director’s questions, I chose the poem for the little cards they hand out, and I wrote the obituary for the newspaper. I even spoke at his funeral. The speech was one of the two times that I broke down. Listen, and listen closely now- ANYONE who judges another person for how they handle themselves is a complete fucking asshole. Until you’ve been through it, do not presume to understand. And here’s the weirder part about human beings- ALL of our experiences are different so therefore how we react to situations is going to be different!
(I’d say I’m sorry for that little rant, but I’m not. It’s a subject that hits a little close to home for me in case you couldn’t tell!)
The cast of characters in this book were a little odd; a little off. But they felt real to me; the woman-beater neighbor, the old man who abuses his dog, Marie the girl who wants to marry a guy who can’t feel any emotion at all. These feel like people that I have encountered in my life. Even the assholes in the courtroom felt like real people to me. I was angered by the justice system and I was upset about how unfair it all felt to me.
I guess what I am saying is that while the subject matter upset and angered me, the reality of the storyline was what blew me away. It’s also quite interesting that this book was published 1946 but it seems like this same situation could occur today.
5 Mind-Altering Stars! I totally get you, Jess! ...more
A couple of years ago, I downloaded Horns to my iPod on audio. I listened to it…while cringing. Whatever you do- do not, I repeat, DO NOT listen to thA couple of years ago, I downloaded Horns to my iPod on audio. I listened to it…while cringing. Whatever you do- do not, I repeat, DO NOT listen to the audio version of this incredible book. My original rating had been a 3-star rating and I’ll tell you why. The narrator was so awful that I tuned most of the story out. I was so focused on how slimy his voice was that I couldn’t hear the story being told. And another thing, there were no cues to tell you that the time was changing. This story covers several different people’s stories from the time they are kids to present day. I need to be in the know. I need to know that Ig is telling me about the first time he met Merrin. I don’t care how you do it, but it needs to be done when a story hops across years.
Now I would like to actually review Horns and tell you all what an incredible book this truly is. I am very glad that I picked this book up and that I had forced myself to forget a majority of it. This was almost a brand new read for me! I will admit that 90% of the reason I decided to do this re-read is because of the fact that Daniel Radcliffe was cast as Ig Perrish in the movie production that is scheduled to come out on Halloween. Let’s face it, if you didn’t know it by now, I am a Harry Potter Super Fan and if there is a Harry Potter actor in a movie, I’m watching it. Once I saw the trailer….(several times because of its awesomeness) I just knew I had to read the book.
This is a wonderful story about life, love, friendship and tragedy. It’s about finding the truth even when the truth is unbearable. It’s about the decisions we make and the consequences thereof. It’s about trying to move on when you’ve lost everything. But mostly it is about how true love transcends all. Ig and Merrin were a beautiful thing. And yes, Ig grew to love the idea of her more than her. He was blinded by his own imagination and perhaps didn’t see what was staring him in the face. But Merrin had her secrets too.
There are so many victims in this book; so many in fact that my heart is going to need a lot of time to recover. I can’t remember a time that I was so conflicted about who to cheer on and who to feel sorry for and who to hate. Clearly there was one who could be hated outright, but a part of me felt for the boy chasing the cat; a small part, yes, but still a part.
One thing that bugged the HELL out of me, because I am a psycho about details was that when the pitchfork gets brought into the mix, it is said that it has 3 prongs. The cover of the book shows a pitchfork with 4. (Go ahead, roll your eyes, I know.) In the words of Holden Caufield, I’m a fuckin lunatic, I swear to God I am. It’s ok. I own my flaws. I forgive Joe Hill for that oversight for the following reasons: Derry is mentioned, Judas Coyne is mentioned and HOLY SHIT there was a Dark Tower reference. That’s right. You can’t tell me that when Ig sees that his brother had put gum in his hair on the bus, and Ig says “Yeah, on Bus Nineteen” that that was not in fact a little Easter Egg for all of his father’s Constant Readers to geek out over.
Thank you, Joe Hill, for telling me such an incredible story. I liked this one much better than Heart Shaped Box and look forward to reading more of your stories. The apple certainly does not fall far from the tree.
Ps. I am glad I gave this book the second chance it deserved. You’re welcome, Joe Hill. ...more
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