The Other by David Guterson.

"A beginning with a catch good enough to keep the reader engaged, planting the seed of "I have to know what happens" but overall, the narrative was overly verbose, arrogant and the story itself was a disappointment."

2 Stars

Pros: It was an interesting look at friendship and how the environment in which we grow up can have a profound impact on our lives.

Cons: The frenetic passion of Barry and his behavior overall was both confusing but also curious, so you wanted to find out what happened/All the characters are egotistical and basically pretty obnoxious.

Full Review:

Neil Countryman and John William Barry meet at a track meet in High School. John William beats Neil in the half mile and after a chance encounter the following weekend, a friendship is formed. The book follows the details of both of their lives and how vastly different they are. John William is passionate, paranoid, obsessed, takes unnecessary risks and is determined to be "free" of the world and its obligations. Countryman, on the other hand, is willing to let the dice fall where they will and not question too much about life. When John William decides to start living his life as a hermit in the middle of the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, Countryman visits him often both to bring him supplies and check on his friend.

In the end, a surprising twist of events leads to Countryman rising to fame all thanks to John William. I believe, in a way, the author was trying to get the point across that friendships, no matter how odd or off kilter they may seem, are important and the bonds we create with others have effects in ways we can't even imagine. I read this book simply to find out what happened, since the curiosity factor of why John William chose to become a hermit, was there, but in the end, it all just boiled down to a lot of egotistical drivel. There were parts where it was promising, where a glimpse of John William's past might bring about some insight, but as a whole, I was left feeling disappointed and confused.

Comments

Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

"When a scientist, Benes, who has integral and world changing information attempts to defect and join our Side, he's injured. A blood clot forms in his brain and the only way to save his life is to miniaturize the crew of the Proteus and inject them into Benes' body, so they can break up the blood clot from the inside. Of course, one thing after another goes wrong and every chapter is a new catastrophe but it was definitely a fantastic voyage. 2 Stars Pros: Grant is one dry character but he's a welcome bit of amusement in an otherwise serious and scientific novel. Cons: Grant is also SUCH a man that he spends most of the mission staring at saving the one woman board, Cora./Definitely ripe with anatomical lessons and what part of the body they were in. Since I've never been great at anatomy, a lot of it was lost on me and became burdensome near the end. Full Review: As in all things, there is a good side and a bad side. This book is very vague as...

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars. Pros: Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place. Cons: The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact. Full Review: When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

"Arnold Spirit, Jr, or "Junior" as he's known on the Rez, does something no Spokane Indian has ever done. He enrolls in Reardon High School and begins the long and often painful process off navigating not only high school and adolescence but also being an outsider. Alexie handles it all with grace, humor and honesty. This was a great read. I would recommend it to anyone." 5 Stars Pros: Alexie handles the ups and downs of not only adolescence, but tragedy and loss in a stark, honest but gut wrenchingly relatable way. Cons: Some of Junior's all-consuming guilt, though understandable was a little repetitive but it's all part of being a teenager. Full Review: It all starts when Arnold Spirit Jr, or Junior, throws a textbook across the classroom. When he opened the book he saw his mother's name, her maiden name and it enrages him. He's furious that the reservation is so poor that they're learning from thirty-year old textbooks. He doesn't...

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