Summer Reading Assignment: Entry 2

I have continued to read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.  The two main characters aren't very complicated or complex.  However, Dante is more complicated than Aristotle.  Aristotle just wants friends, probably a girlfriend at first, and he wants his family to be ok and complete again.  Dante is also looking for a relationship and more friends/some friends.  However, his family is ok and fine.  Also, he is the one actually looking to try to answer some of the questions of the universe.  I personally do not think that he will end up getting answers for those questions, but you guys can form your own opinions of the book.  The book is structured where events just keep the book going, and the book contains nothing like real flashbacks.  The events just occur as the book goes along, but there are things that Aristotle remembers about his past.

With what i have read so far, there appears to be only 1 real theme in the book so far.  This theme is: Your actions can have bad consequences.  This is true because of Aristotle's brother, who you will find out about when you read the book, as i will not spoil anything for you guys.

Summer Reading Assignment: Entry #1

The book that i have chosen for my summer English assignment is titled Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz.  It is about two boys, Aristotle and Dante, who are friends and try to understand the world around them.  They are best friends, however they have no (or very little) other friends.  They are both about 15 years old, so still in high school.  The whole book, as i've mentioned, is about them trying to answer questions that are commonly asked and philosophical in nature.  For example, before the book actually starts, there is a paragraph with these kinds of questions,  These questions are:  "Why do we read poetry?  Why do we feel shame?  What is that thing in the pit of your stomach called desire?"  There are other questions, but i don't need to put them down.  So, the major conflict in this novel is that the 2 must stay friends in a world that gives them bullies and other people who look down upon these two, one reason being that Aristotle is rather violent and has no friends other than Dante and his parents (though Aristotle does have his mother and father).

I predict that they will stay friends throughout the book, and they may very well answer some, if not all, of the questions that the universe brings.  Has anyone else read this book?  If you have, tell me what you think/thought about it.  I think it is a great book with a really good plot.  However, one complaint i have so far is that it is really easy to read, as the font is rather large and most of the chapters aren't very long.  But other than that, the book is really good.  I don't believe i have many connections to make between this book and other things like movies, music shows, or other books, other than all the things about 2 friends who go through a lot of things that test their friendship.  So, that is the only real connection i can make with this book.

I hope that any of you who are already interested in this book find it fun and interesting to read.

Why this book part 2

I chose to read Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss for many reasons.  One reason is that i really enjoy reading fantasy novels as a whole genre.  Also, i enjoy the aspect of magic that is always present in fantasy novels.  Thirdly, i like how fantasy novels incorporate mythical creatures/monsters, even ones that you may know and heard of before.  Lastly, i like seeing the many different kinds of characters you see in fantasy novels, like how there are people that are totally amazed, and then there are people who are really interested but don't look like it on the outside.

So, i really like this book for its mythical creatures, magic aspect, and different kinds of characters that the author can incorporate into his/her novel.

Setting of a New Book Part 2

So as i've said, i recently finished Murder on the Orient Express.  Now i have begun reading The Name Of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.  As i've also mentioned in a previous post, it's mainly about the adventures of a young boy/teenager named Kvothe, and mostly of his adventures in the University.  The time changes as the story of young Kvothe is told(story spans across many days and nights, also months and years), but the actual time and place is an inn run by Kvothe called the Waystone Inn over a couple of days and through the nights with little breaks in-between.  The breaks are for the guy writing down the story and if either of them want food or a drink.  This is a fantasy book, so i would expect fighting with not only swords and spears but also with magic.  So, i would seem to also expect great detail from the author/characters.
This book would also have imagery, and very good imagery at that.  One example that i found was, "He drew the sword without a flourish.  It shone a dull grey-white in the room's autumn light.  It had the appearance of a new sword.  It was not notched or rusted.  There were no bright scratches skittering along its dull grey side....It was slender and graceful.  it was deadly as a sharp stone beneath swift water."  This quote, with some other parts containing imagery, is a very good paragraph with great imagery technique.  The words/descriptions used help me to visualize the sword, its color and general shape.  I do believe this book will be very good and entertaining to read.

Letter to the Author ( not really possible in this case)

Dear Agatha Christie:

I really enjoyed your book Murder on the Orient Express.  I just finished it and i was very amazed at how you crafted this story and its plot.  My favorite character is by far Hercule Poirot.  He is very intelligent and has never lost a case.  I like how at the end of one chapter, when Poirot and his 2 friends were done talking together and Poirot had gone to his room, the scarlet kimono ( a clue mentioned in the story) was laying on top of his luggage!  And he took it as an act of defiance from the criminal!  I thought it was very funny.
So, i really just liked all of the book.  Your character Poirot really amazes me sometimes, but i've been able to start to expect his genius in your other books where he is the main character.

Sincerely,
Andrew Flurer

Building Suspense

Agatha Christie builds suspense very well in her mystery novels, especially in the book Murder on the Orient Express.  Many mystery novelists, probably including Christie herself, build suspense by starting with normal, everyday events, while also introducing the characters and the detective.  Then, they go on building the suspense by introducing the crime the plot is centered around.  In the book i'm reading, it would be a murder, as most mystery novels involve murders.  Then, while the detective is trying to solve the case, the author then adds suspense by putting in details that throw off the detective.  But then the detective obviousely gets back on track.  Lastly, the author finishes the suspense by having the detective finally declare who the criminal is and to why they are guilty.  I particularly like how hercule Poirot declares who the criminal is.  It is often very elaborate, but he is actually never wrong in the end.  Therefore, i do believe that Agatha Christie successfully builds suspense in Murder on the Orient Express by incorporating these said techniques into her writing.

Next Reading Novel

So, i am just about finished with the mystery novel Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie.  I believe it has been a great book to read for homework and in my freetime.  What i plan to read next is a book i've already started to read called Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.  I would like to read this book next because i really like fantasy books, and i really like how fantasy boks use characters and magical beings that only exist in fiction and human imagination.  I also like how the main characters usually defeat the antagonist in some really cool way, like a very long and epic fight. 

this book, name of the Wind, is about 661 pages and ninety-two chapters long.  Its about the adventure/story of a long forgotten but really famous warrior.  I say story because this warrior tells his story to another guy who writes it all down, but its also an adventure because chapter go from his story telling to the actual present.  The present being them in an inn run by the famous warrior.  The warrior's name, by the way, is Kvothe.  I would also say a lot of his story and the book is about how he tried to make it at this really good school called the University. I believe i will really enjoy reading the rest of this book, and i'm sure it will be worth it for the length of the book.