Animal Farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm by George Orwell

5 of 5 stars

Orwell...is clever and I couldn't think of anybody who could've done this story better.

On the first few parts, I wondered right away why somebody would write a story this long with animals as characters. As I progressed, I came to the realization that this is a way to convey a message about politics.

This last line: "The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which." was simply hard to ignore and disagree with.

The plot was all in all a representation of a mask that fell off from a liar.

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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

2 of 5 stars

The book was straightforward (or at least that was how it looked like to me) despite the series of guessing games. It was a natural thing - Nick's way of being curious about a man who likes to throw parties and yet a 'bad host'.

It wasn't exactly sad, but there were signs of loneliness.

All the while, I was looking for somebody in the book that I could love. I didn't reach the love part, but I would pretty much go for Gatsby, the Great.

Gatsby started off as somebody mysterious without much to hide. The moment he revealed his love for Daisy, I sort of got ready for the guessing game as Nick narrated.

The colors, richness, golden-aura - these are the stuffs that made me conclude The Great Gatsby's a novel for the high-class society. There are times when this novel made me sort of feel so lost with the pool of names, words, places... I simply found myself wondering at times what the hell is Fitzgerald saying.

All in all, I didn't like it much, but Fitzgerald's way of narrating a story is absolutely classy.

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Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

4 of 5 stars

At first, I really liked Peter. When the climax approached, I realized Ender was cooler. Oh but the ending, although there was not much Peter on it, made me still choose Peter.

But I get it that the story isn't about who's the best among the three Wiggins: Val, Peter, and Ender. It was a story about a kid who made a great impression and didn't get recognition, but instead was pushed around even more. Pretty much like the ordinary stories, only made extraordinary through Science.

I think Card did a great job with first: the Science stuffs. I've worshiped sci-fi for half of my reading life already, and I must say, Card didn't fail me at all, just like Katherine Applegate. Although it looked to me that he was so inspired by videogames, he was able to keep it unique.

Next, he has a way of delivering lines. I wouldn't think these Wiggins were kids if I'd just hear them. But then again, it was a different time with different approach. I think Ender's Game is an exaggeration, yet excellent way of telling a story about a kid who was pressured almost to death, and grew up too fast he might as well be referred to somebody who skipped childhood.

Looking at Peter's side of the story, he was at least an inch to five smarter than Ender. I loved what Card did in his character. He was ambitious and yet fit to be one.

On Val's side, I liked that she balanced the party, like how she was referred to as the metal between two faces. It was brilliant how Card made her do stuffs I did not expect, such as be a sister to both Peter and Ender.

All in all, the story was deserving to have a happy ending, and I am glad Card gave it to Ender.

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Just Like Heaven by Marc Levy

Just Like Heaven by Marc Levy

3 of 5 stars

Since I'm not a fan of romance, I don't dig books like this that much. However since I've watched the movie (Reese for the win!), I bought the book when I stumbled upon it on a sale.

I think Levy did a good job that I almost thought it would turn out as another psycho-story.

However, I almost hoped it ended more realistically. But then who knows, maybe this kind is realistic after all.

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I Decided To Enter a Reading Challenge

2013 Reading Challenge

Almira has read 56 books toward her goal of 70 books.

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56 of 70 (80%)

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When in the process of elimination, create distractions to keep you focused. - that happened to be my motto since last month.

I'm not really a sad or bitter person. But most of the time, I feel so haunted. So haunted it's as if I've never lived a normal life for quite a while. It's as if I don't remember what it's like to feel, or at least feel anything else other than haunted. Perhaps the death of my brother is starting to take its toll on me. You know that moment when you thought you're over it when you're really not, and then suddenly you wake up and you're crying and you see that awful day coming back to you as if it's happening for the first time? That's how it is. It's been three or four months, I've lost count, nah, I don't want to count...but everyday, it feels like it had just been seconds away. It was as if once again I was kneeling on the ground, trying to see how my brother was doing through that tiny whole (we weren't allowed to see him when he was confined), and the next thing I see was him being pumped by doctors...his chest was bleeding and bruises were all over his tiny body. It's amazing how many details one can see through willpower. I don't remember the window opening wide for me to spectate more of the scene, but he was there...visible through that tiny hole, in pain. I was right there. Five meters away, kneeling, wishing we could exchange places.

There were nights when...I thought I was asleep but then silence would wake me up and darkness would wrap me and yet there was that tiny light again, and the whole thing keeps on coming back. If you'd ask me to narrate the whole day of that day...I could do it even in my sleep. I could even remember what I wore...and I haven't worn that blouse ever since that awful day. I guess that will be the first and last day I'll ever wear that thing.

Hence it brought me to series of miseries, countless and painful, and I'm growing more and more accustomed to it. I came to realize that perhaps I was supposed to get something out of this and I don't know it yet. Along the way, perhaps I shall get that thing and would be free from my series of miseries.

But this time isn't at all bad. I don't know why but in my trying to find out what's been missing, I stumbled upon the humble abode of books. Goodreads. How wonderful indeed, and it must've been fate all along. I decided to use my love for reading as my greatest distraction. I may be running away, so it seems, from all the shits I cannot escape. But I have this chance to have peace and I wish to grab it, even if it would cause me a few minutes of stolen ease.

I decided I should read 70 books for the year 2013. I think that's enough amount to get my mind off several things.

About the name of the site:

I wanted the word 'peruse', but seeing it's already taken, I find another word that means quite the same. In my search, I stumbled upon the word "Parcourir".

parcourir

By Laura K. Lawless, About.com Guide

Definition: to travel, cover; to skim through, run one's eye over

Nous avons parcouru toute la ville en trois jours - We covered the whole city in three days.

J'ai déjà parcouru le livre - I've already skimmed through the book

Related: le parcours - distance, journey, route; career, path; courir - to run

(click the little graphic below to hear the Mot du jour pronounced)

Pronunciation: [par koo reer]