The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater Part 2

Depending on where you began this story, it was about love. The never-ending, changing feeling. Some characters were wealthy with it, some have never known. But one way or another, love is capable of moving mountains. And bringing your friends from the dead.

Blue Sargent wasn’t my favourite, I don’t really like bad-tempered female characters, especially when their breakdowns are completely undeserved by others. But she was a nice protagonist. That is all.

I feel like Gansey was created for reader’s love. He is such hype, geez. He is a nice character to follow. Smart, kind, handsome, with a heart of gold. He deserved that amount of love he received. 

Adam and Ronan are more complicated characters. They’ve gone through enormous changes during this series.

I remember I thought Ronan was this edgy, suicidal type who will get lots of troubles to the group. And Adam was so bitter all the time it was difficult to remember that he was actually broken. We can totally see that they changed when the story ended.

Changed, but not really. More of became their true selves, I guess. Ronan is sweet and loving deep inside him. He has grown with unconditional love in his family. It was really easy for him to end up with edgy and dangerous Kavinsky. But Ronan falls for a tender boy, created his Chainsaw sweet and loving so as his Orphan Girl.

Adam, on the contrary, makes his very first step into the land of love. He is serious about it. He hadn’t anybody to love him in his life. Growing up with an abusive father and careless mother, he is an ideal example of a self-made man. He was the most relatable character for me so I’m quite satisfied with his happy ending.

What I liked about the Raven Cycle is that it is complete on all angles and areas of plot. It’s like the author created this complicated world and each book is very connected. You can find hints about everything that happens in the end even in the first book (and I’m not talking about Gansey’s death obviously).

I enjoyed reading it. Hope you will too. 

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater Part 1

I was so hooked that I couldn’t function until I’m done with the whole series. Obviously, I couldn’t be bothered with writing a review for each book. And to do so now would be hypocrisy. Therefore, there it is – a review of the whole Raven Cycle which includes four books (The Raven Boys; The Dream Thieves; Blue Lily, Lily Blue; The Raven King). This review will have 2 parts which are non-spoilery and very much spoilery. So if you haven’t read the whole series you can read this spoiler-free review and decide whether or not you are interested.

So, this is a story of a bunch of teens that are on the quest to find and wake Welsh King Glendower. There are lots of true love, friendship and bravery and other things you’ll find when you read. You don’t need me to tell about everything you can read on the cover.

What cover doesn’t contain is the number of times you’ll feel completely heartbroken and enormously happy for the characters. All the beautiful pieces that will make them your friends. Because this is a love story. This is a story of friendship. An adventurous quest with loads of supernatural stuff. And this is a road trip novel. But mostly, this is just a beautifully written love letter to Virginia.

Now go, grab books and read them and then return to the part 2 of this review. See you on the other side.

 

“You missed World Hist." 

"Did you get notes for me?" 

"No. I thought you were dead in a ditch.” 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Push yourself. Don't Settle. Just live well. Just LIVE.

This book is the finest example of why you should never listen to the other people hyping. I’ve been recommended to read this since forever. I’ve seen cheesy quotes from it literally everywhere. There wasn’t escape from this book. And when I’ve learnt that there will be a movie I finally decided to give it a go.

This is a love story, a sad one. Very “TFIOS’ style, I would say, characters are older but the tone is the same. From the very beginning I predicted the ending. I wasn’t spoiled about it luckily. And while reading I really hoped that is would be Lou who dies. But anyways, it ended as it should have.

Don’t let the hype fool you, this book is totally not about love. Well, love’s on the list, but just among lots of other important things. This book is about finding your true self. It is about growing, changing your life completely, and not being afraid to make a fresh start in 27. It teaches us that it never is too late to start living a life imagined. And yes, it is about love.

I can’t say that I loved this book. It was an interesting read. I could relate to Lou and her sister in some ways. This book would totally be interesting to anyone in their twenties who struggle to find their place and purpose. 4 stars for relatable characters that actually grow. And prepare yourself for a sadness, it’s better be done beforehand.

Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo

Spira, spera.

 It’s strange to write a review of something this famous. I have read Les Miserables earlier than Notre-Dame and really enjoyed it. I expected so much from this undying classics, people who enjoyed it gave me good reviews and naturally I’ve got the highest expectations. That is why, my friends, you should always read the book by yourself. Especially when it’s classics.  

Basically this is a story of a young and beautiful Esmeralda and the three men who loved or was loved by her. She is basically a teenager, who stupidly fell in love and saw nothing but her crush. I was disappointed with her, she as a character has no meaning. She has no depth and no purpose and was really annoying. Phoebus, her crush, was even worse. Arrogant and plain dumb, but handsome. Had nothing to give to the reader. Claud Frollo, archdeacon, is a little bit interesting character who is the main villain here. But his hectic decisions (“she should die so I will do everything in my power to execute her but I kinda love her so I must save her but she doesn’t want me therefore I’ll execute her) are kind of annoying. Ugh, man, just decide. And then there’s Quasimodo, the only sane person in this circus and Esmeralda is way too stupid so she basically trolls her savior.

I expected it to be a great story of undying love with the strong female lead. Instead I got a story of teenage crush and bunch of people who died because of this. The only interesting plot twist was with Esmeralda’s mother, but it was too obvious though.

It was hard to believe that Hugo could write something so pointless. The main reason behind all this nonsense is beautiful description of Paris and Notre-Dame and that is all. Not a fan of reading about architecture though.

I was tempted to give this novel 3 stars on Goodreads, but gave 4 because it’s Hugo. 

April through my phone

Random photos from my phone to remember this April of 2016.

 The weather was so very nice! I maintained a habit of solitary walks. Liked that. So much time to think.

 

 


The main event in literature world - The Book Arsenal - took place and Shakespeare was not forgotten <3

(Just a random pic I took at the bookstore today)

The 23rd of April is here

Today the whole world celebrates 400 years of Shakespeare’s legacy. This author is very dear to me. Therefore, I’ve decided to write not just standard blog post about his achievements or undoubtedly influence on different spheres of life. Today I want to celebrate my favorite author by writing about his influence on me.

If I’m not mistaken, we came across each other when I was 12-13 and it was instant friendship. That hour I spent turning pages of Romeo & Juliet went really fast. I remember having so many feels it hurt. Then I discovered there’s more to him than just teen love story. In a year, I guess, was the time when Hamlet entered my life.

It’s been 10 years from that time and I still haven’t found anything better. Hamlet spoke to my soul on so many levels. Yes, the characters are flawed. In fact, I cannot recall any character I could associate myself with. Still, I like every bit of it. One thing is original text, the other-its stage adaptations. I became quite addicted to them, watched nearly 10 different and still not enough. They are mostly not satisfying, but some of them are awesome (Tennant and Cumberbatch ones especially). Anyways, for me it’s not a story of depression and bad life choices. For me, it’s a story about questions. We all ask ourselves different questions and existential questions are the most common for all of us. I guess that’s what really spoke to my heart.

Since that time I studied Shakespeare at different courses, read texts and analyses. It never ceases to amaze me that his impact on literature was so big it can compete with the impact of the Bible. In most modernist texts there’s him, standing with his long lost son Hamlet right in the middle of the Tempest. And it will always be him, recognizable or not, he will be present in the texts of the future. Because when you manage to influence people for 400 years after you death it certainly means something.

Thank you. 

The rest is silence.

 Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, Robin Wasserman

“People could bear so much, but Simon did not know how much of the original you was left when the world had twisted you into a whole different shape.”

Cannot fathom the reason why I’ve delayed reading this book (or stories) for so long. I guess I was done with this story when they cancelled shooting the second film. But the new TV series came along and bam I’m here, talking about the adventures of Simon Lewis in Shadowhunter Academy with all my passion.

The story continues after The City of Heavenly Fire. Simon couldn’t bare all the pressure and expectations from his friends (because demon amnesia sucks, you know) and decides to go to the Academy to become a Shadowhunter and be that hero again, bring his life back. Throughout these two years he grows into a completely different man, questions his place in Shadow world, his relationships and feelings to people him barely remembers. Little by little he restores Sizzy into a whole new level which I enjoyed. There were tragedies and sad moments, but, I guess, it was essential to the plot (I mean, Simon Lovelace has a nice ring to it).

Some stories I enjoyed more than the others. Like those with TID characters or Max Lightwood-Bane (Oh my Malec! <3). It was lovely reading and witnessing this Shadow world through the eyes of Simon – once mundane, than Downwolder and mundane again. I think, most of readers could relate to him in ways he sees injustices of Shadownunters breed towards mundanes, Downwolders and fellow Shadowhunters.

 This book is a total must-read before Lady Midnight.