To start off, I would say that I can see why many people enjoy this novel. Following a young woman during the Victorian era in London who studies anatomy and enjoys dissecting cadavers, I can see why this would be interesting to read about, especially since during this era, it was a bit taboo to hear of a woman studying anatomy, much less, dissecting dead bodies. I have to admit that the plot of this novel did intrigue me, especially when I read that somehow, Audrey Rose Wadsworth-- the said woman who has a knack for dissecting, would find herself involved in the case of infamous murderer, Jack the Ripper. However, the characters really made this story fall flat for me. Audrey was pretty much your typical "not like other girls" protagonist, and the author seemed very insistent in enunciating that Audrey was definitely NOT like other girls. This pretty much came in the form of having Audrey being intelligent, snarky, bold, and disliking typical "girlish" topics such as boys and dances and the such. While Audrey may have been a promising character, I really didn't like how the author made traits such as being intelligent or bold seem so unique, as if "other girls" did not carry any of these completely normal characteristics. Even more so, the author made pretty much every other female character in this story (with maybe the exception of one), seem very ditzy and typically "girly" and feminine, utilizing these other girls to make Audrey look better. While Audrey wasn't a character I particularly hated, I didn't really enjoy the way she was written. Adding on, the love interest in this story, Thomas Cresswell, was also boringly generic. Other than helping Audrey solve the murders of Jack the Ripper, Thomas didn't really add much to the story. His character was just as cliche as Audrey's, him being sarcastic, mysterious, and handsome-- not to mention the token tortured backstory he had, which seems very prevalent in many male love interests. I'll also add that Thomas wasn't a character I hated either, he was just a very flat one, and pretty boring to read about. While I've read some novels that also contain love interests with traits like Thomas and liked them, I'll have to say that Thomas was definitely not one of these. I wish the author, while also writing about how snarky and mysterious Thomas is supposed to be, gave him more dimension. Audrey and Thomas both felt like very token characters, ones that we've seen and heard of before, making both of them not really seem like people, and more like a walking stereotype. Overall, while this novel had a intriguing plot, the generic characters made the story fall flat for me.
Reviewer Grade: 11
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, an American classic, is one that rightfully deserves all of its fame. A coming of age story that follows four sisters living in poverty, I truly enjoy stories such as these, that slowly follow a "true to life" plot. I love how this novel unraveled each sister as a 3d character and worked through small, but super realistic day-to-day conflicts, while also addressing large societal issues at the time. Published in 1868, I enjoyed the issues this novel shed light on during those times, especially concerning stereotypes and the rights of women. Not being too preachy and upfront about these issues, I enjoyed how gracefully Alcott addressed these conflicts, utilizing the plot to weave these issues into, making the messages pack much more of a punch. Comparing this novel to other classics, however, I'd say that Little Women is not a very difficult read, and the novel is fairly simple to digest, which is something that I enjoy, especially in classics. I would recommend this novel to anyone since it's pretty much a globally known piece, and I think that every message in this novel holds value and merit to life now, as well as it did back then.
Reviewer Grade: 11
Echo Mountain is a fascinating read which follows the harrowing life of Ellie, a young girl living during the Great Depression. After her family is forced to leave their town due to economic challenges, they move to a remote mountain, and learn to live off the land. However, when her father is injured, Ellie must learn to grapple with her situation, and take her of her family. One day, she encounters a strange older lady living in shambles nearby. Although she is at first frightened, she discovers that the woman, who she had believed to be a witch, is actually quite helpful in saving her bedridden father. This book is a fast, easy read, and great for any teen in need of a weekend pick-me-up. I think all adolescents can relate to Ellie's struggle between growing up and acting like a child, so I highly recommend Echo Mountain.
Grade: 8
"Echo" is a fun fantasy book that follows the journey a harmonica takes. It is about the musical people that interact with the harmonica and their journeys, showing how powerful music can be. We meet so many fun people that are going through hard times. We meet Friedrich, a young German boy living in Germany at the beginning of Hitler's career, Mike an orphan who would do anything for his brother, and Ivy, a girl confused by why social concepts are the way they are. The only thing that connects them is the harmonica. The story of the harmonica starts at the very beginning of the book and ends at the very end, making it an underlying second plot/ backstory.
"Echo" is a very fun fantasy/historical fiction book. The beginning intrigued me and was very good at capturing readers. When it gets to the middle parts when we are following different characters it does sort of feel like it is dragging on, but this is made up for with the ending. The ending was beautiful and made me so happy. Pam Muñzo Ryans writing is always so descriptive and it was great at describing music and how it feels in this book. You get to see major historical events' effects on some of the people that it would affect the most. It is a book that makes you think not only about what has happened in the past but also about the small things in life. I liked the backstory about the harmonica, it made the journey that much more special. There were some moments when we were left in the dark, aka cliffhangers and they were full of suspense. The ending as said before was beautiful, it brought everything together and resolved the suspense from the cliffhanger. Overall, this book is great. It has fantastical parts, historical parts, and musical parts, all with great writing.
Passing by Nella Larsen is a classic novel following Irene Redfield and Clare Bellew. The novel follows the timeline of the Harlem Renaissance and delves into themes of 'white-passing' amongst the black community.
Irene, the narrator of the novel considers herself to be a very levelheaded, calm, thoughtful woman, who looks out for her children and is a perfectly attentive wife. Clare Bellew on the other hand is Irene's childhood friend, and her personality is much more colorful than Irene's. When Irene and Clare reunite after many years, we delve into their complicated relationship and clashing personalities.
Passing is a novel that illustrates what the standards of beauty really are and educates readers on the logistics of what passing of as white can mean for a black woman back in the 1920s.
I really enjoyed reading this novel, as 'white-passing' was something I wasn't super aware of, and barely even knew it was a phenomenon in the 1900s. Larsen also created a very interesting dynamic between Irene and Clare and crafted very realistic characters. I enjoyed reading Irene's inner monologues, as it's pretty rare to see an author build up very dynamic characters, that are also painfully human. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone, as it contained lots of powerful messages and themes, without coming off as cliche or overdone.
Reviewer Grade: 11
I truly enjoyed this book! The story follows a 12-year- old boy named Silas whose father becomes involved in a counterfeiting scheme against his will. Silas is told not to follow him when he is taken, but when a horse shows up at his door, he takes it as a sign and sets off on an adventure with his ghostly companion, Mittenwool. The love that Silas has for his father and the means he is willing to use to save him cause the reader to become attached to the young boy and root for him throughout. I give this book five stars for the masterful storytelling used by the author to draw you in, and it uses a simple story to convey a deep message through the love and courage that Silas demonstrates on his adventurous expedition through the wilderness. All in all, I most definitely recommend this book to anyone of pretty much any age from about sixth or seventh grade through high school as a fun read that pulls at your heartstrings a little. Enjoy!
Reviewer grade 9
In a world where Titans and Olympians exist, Circe is born. Daughter of the sun god Helios and ocean nymph Perse, Circe is not as beautiful as her sister, or as powerful as her brothers. And having an unusual fascination for mortals, Circe is shunned and ignored by her family. After learning she is a witch, Circe is exiled to an unknown island where she will be a prisoner forever. There, Circe learns to hone her witchcraft, finds love, and learns that her divinity doesn't come from her immortality, but her will to live.
This author also wrote The Song of Achilles, and both books are so good! I loved all the references to Greek mythology and Circe's powerful perspective. Circe, of course, is my favorite character, and her growth from a meek push-over to a fiercely independent and resolute person was such a relief. If you like Greek mythology, romance, and coming-of-age, this book is perfect for you!
Anya and the Dragon is a captivating, magical book for any reader looking for a coming-of-age adventure tale. Anya, the only Jewish girl in her Russian village, is being evicted from her home because her family can’t afford to pay the anti-Semitic magistrate’s ridiculous fees. When a family claims they’ll pay her if she captures the last dragon in the region, Anya can’t resist the opportunity to help out her family. But it turns out, an evil Varangian warrior wants to use the dragon for nefarious purposes. I found it to be an incredibly unpredictable book, filled with plot twists and character development. I enjoyed seeing Anya change from a girl trying to make a living to a young woman determined to support her family. Although there were many characters that were difficult to keep track of, overall, this was a phenomenal book that kept me turning to the last page.
Reviewer: 8th Grade
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett is a literature novel that has a unique writing style. Bennett switches between characters quickly which can be hard to comprehend at times. Eventually, the style becomes common and the book begins to flow better. The story line follows Desiree Vignes and Stella Vignes, the twins, and their daughters, Jude Winston and Kennedy Sanders from 1968 to 1986. Bennett does an stunning job at conveying the contrasting lives of these girls and the hardships that each one goes through, produced by their own actions or not. Yet, the lesson they learn is that all secrets will be spilled and how you react matters most.
We are Not Free, by Traci Chee is about the point of view of Japanese people throughout World War two. The book starts by showing slight racism from "ketos," and how their lives are getting torn apart because of the war. They then get shipped off to internment camps because Americans don't trust them enough to let them be free. The book focuses a chapter on each character to get the full amount of emotions and feelings about being trapped, not being trusted, and racism against each person in the book.
This book is the best book you will ever read. It gives such a great mix of emotions (I was jumping with joy one minute and crying the next.) It opens your eyes to bigger problems in this world and how lucky you might have it. Don't walk, run to the nearest library and read this book!
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in my opinion, is a very confusing novel to say the least. Switching between past and present, we follow Nick Carraway who narrates the story from his point of view about the main character, Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is a millionaire that throws outrageous parties to anybody willing to come. Nick takes the reader through the journey of discovering who Gatsby really is, including his secrets and fears. The Great Gatsby is a classic novel that might just take a couple reads to fully comprehend.
Grade 11
Christy Lefteri's novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a beautifully written and powerfully relevant story about a Syrian couple escaping their war-torn country and attempting to heal what is broken. Lefteri portrays the challenges faced by refugees in intense and emotional detail, bringing to life the stories which often get lost behind statistics and news headlines.
Nuri is a thoughtful, gentle beekeeper; his wife, Afra, is a painter who creates beautiful landscapes of Aleppo, where they lead a peaceful life. But when war strikes Syria, their lives are eternally altered. The couple must grapple with grief and pain as they make a dangerous journey to the United Kingdom, along the way facing strange lands and strangers who will do anything they can to survive. Afra has gone blind, and every day Nuri faces demons from the past, but they must press on.
Each chapter of the novel is split into present and past, transitioning from Nuri and Afra's daily happenings in the UK to their journey there from Syria. Lefteri's writing is poetic, raw, and compelling as she intelligently weaves together the past and present alongside themes of light and darkness, hope and sorrow, memories and grief. Nuri and Afra's transformation is a symbol of hope; their story and those of the other refugees they encounter show the persistence of life even in the midst of death.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo is meant for a more mature audience; with that in mind, it should be read by anyone who does not fully comprehend what refugees face, wants to gain a new perspective, or is privileged enough to live in a country that has not been destroyed by war. It is an incredibly eye-opening book.
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brian is a pretty good book about the Vietnam war. The book jumps around a lot with the characters in the war, after the war, and before the war. While it could be a little confusing at times, it was still an entertaining book. If you like reading books about Vietnam, but that also go in depth on the character, this would be a great book to read. Overall, I'd recommend this book!
Anne of Green Gables is a popular classic novel about a quirky redheaded orphan named Anne. When Anne is adopted by the Cuthberts at their farm up in Green Gables, we follow Anne as she struggles to adapt to her new life.
Unlike most older classic novels, Anne of Green Gables was a very easy and fast read. I really enjoyed this book, and the story drags you into a youthful and whimsical world. The problems Anne faced, such as her first day at school, or the issues that her overactive imagination would lead her into, were all very fun and lighthearted to read about. This novel filled me with emotions of nostalgia, and the read was a very peaceful and enjoyable one.
Overall, this novel tackles the topics of growing up, being young, and fitting in, all in a very charming way.
Reviewer Grade: 11
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is about two young magicians who have been trained since childhood to engage in a duel against each other. However, the two said magicians, Celia and Marco, although being raised to fight each other, both fall into an unexpected love.
I have to admit, the plot sounds pretty promising. However, when I read this novel I found that it was incredibly difficult for me to actually push through and finish it.
The writing is beautiful, but I think it was too beautiful in a way. Everything was written in a very flowery way, in which the whole story was made up of very gorgeous-sounding lines, but nothing really past that. To put it straight, there was no substance in the plot. The majority of the novel was just long pretty sentences describing what was happening, but not exactly drawing us into what the sentences were trying to describe. It was like the author was telling us about everything and how everything looked to the eye, but I felt no spark. It was all descriptions and no action. I didn't feel or read any emotional lines or even felt much of a fondness towards the two protagonists. Celia and Marco kind of just seemed like two mannequins placed in the story for show, but there wasn't really anything that built up their characters to make them seem real or three-dimensional. The characters were all flat, and I couldn't see myself rooting for them, or really caring about anything they did.
Overall, while Morgenstern has a beautifully poetic way with words, I didn't see myself being pulled into the plot she was attempting to conceive.
Reviewer Grade: 11
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien horrifically recalls Tim’s time during war, in what he calls “A true war story that isn't real”. This book recreates the experiences O’Brien went through during wartime, and is written in a very grotesque manner. The story jumps around from timeline to timeline, in a way that a lot of the time you aren't sure what perspective you’re reading from. While written very well, O’Brien has a habit of making every character seem like a horrific person and puts himself on kind of a metaphorical pedestal, in what seems to be an attempt to reconcile with the guilt he faced from the atrocities committed by him and his platoon. I would definitely recommend this book to others, despite its faults, but I believe the most important thing to know going into this book is that the events described are so grotesque they seem like made up fantasies or true stories that have been modified to seem worse than they actually are, which is part of O’Briens intention of telling the story the way he remembers it happening, not the way that it actually happened.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a historical fiction novel that you won’t be able to put down. Amateur journalist, Monique Grant, is requested to do a private interview with one of the most mysterious Old Hollywood stars, Evelyn Hugo. We follow Evelyn as she retells her elegant and scandalous life as a movie icon. But why does Evelyn want to do an interview now and why did she choose an unknown journalist, Monique Grant? The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo will lead you through the twists and turns of Old Hollywood life and how a single mistake can change a persons life in an instant. I highly recommend this book to anybody that wants a captivating book that will leave you guessing until the very end.
When Patroclus accidently murders a boy, he is exiled to Phthia and disowned by his father. There, he meets Achilles, and almost instantly, the two become close companions, and eventually lovers. Achilles, born to the goddess Thetis and the mortal Peleus, is destined to be the greatest warrior of his generation. When Achilles is given the choice between a short life fully of glory or a long life where he is forgotten, he choses the first and sails to Troy to fight in the Trojan War. No matter how much Patroclus attempts to divert his fate, Achilles is bound to die, but on what terms?
This is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read! You don't need much background on the Odyssey or Iliad to understand the events, which makes it more enjoyable for a wider range of audiences. There are several interpretations to the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles, but this novel was very intimate in their friendship and eventual romantic relationship. I loved the growth of Patroclus and that Achilles realized his flaw and accepted his consequences. The ending was bittersweet, but it was lovely and perfect for their story.
This book is in the top 10 definitely! To Kill A Mockingbird is a story of prejudice Jim Crowe South and the constant fight for justice. Jem is the older brother of 'Scout', a tomboy constantly trying to fit in with the big kids. In the story, they attempt to fight for a black mans rights in attempt to prove his innocence in a rape trial. I would highly recommend this book to middle and high schoolers. This book has a deep meaning of the powerful message that kids can have and their outlook in bad situations.
Beautifully written by Caroline Leech, Wait For Me embodies the importance of love and learning other peoples' stories before passing judgement. Lorna, a teenage Scottish girl growing up during World War II is quick to pass judgement for a German POW (prisoner of war) who has been assigned to her father's farm to work. Paul, a scarred German teenage soldier is quiet and hard-working, helping wherever he is needed. As Lorna begins to warm up to Paul and Paul to her, they begin to build a friendship, and Lorna's original view alters as their relationship builds even though the views of her schoolmates, church friends, and fellow townspeople remain the same: judgmental and unkind. When Lorna receives news of her brother's disappearance, she reacts unkindly toward Paul, but their love for one another mends their broken bond over time. A sweet, romantic historical fiction that is sure to have you feeling for the characters and thinking of how your reaction may be similar or different from that of Lorna's.