The Two Towers

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings Part #2

Summary:

The Company of the Ring is sundered. Frodo and Sam continue their journey alone down the great River Anduin – alone that is, save for a mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go...

Plot:

I found this part of this story much more exciting than the first. I now really care for the characters, and any danger to them makes me feel very uneasy. We don’t see much of Frodo in the first half of the book, which mainly tells the story of the rest of the Fellowship, but the second half is in turn mainly Frodo and Sam’s adventures. There were many light-hearted moments, and also some very sad ones as well as some scenes that made me pretty anxious. There was more action in this one, I feel, and also more strange settings, that were unlike the ones I’d read about in the Hobbit and the Fellowship. Some parts, however was a little hard to understand, and I got a little confused by all the different names of places. As I said before, Tolkien’s writing is exquisitely detailed, and his descriptions are beautiful.

Characters:

There are some new characters, but not too many, most of which are pretty interesting. There are of course, the likable characters we met in the first part, and many I dislike. The ‘villians’ (or just bad characters) are pretty creepy, and definitely serve their purpose in making the story more exciting. I enjoyed getting to know more about the characters from the first part of the novel, but I must say the new characters that were introduced made this book incredible.

Who should read this:

13+, there is still no language or sexual content, but some thematic material that might be frightening, including violence and some pretty scary creatures. Once again, the writing is good, but very detailed and descriptive, so if that kind of thing bores you I would suggest reading the Hobbit first as a test. Fantasy-fans, you should have read this already...or at least be planning to soon... You cannot read this one without having read part one, that's like starting a book on the 100th page, you won't get it...

My rating:

I really, really enjoyed this book. I have very high hopes of the last part, and I really hope the ending doesn’t let me down like I felt the Hobbit’s did. This rating is for the entire book, I’m not rating each part separately. This part didn’t lower my opinion of the novel at all, and so it stays 5/5.

Quote:

Frodo and Sam have a conversation about whether their story will be told in years to come. This is part of that conversation, which sums up this part of the novel very well for me:

‘You and I, Sam, are still stuck in the worst places of the story...

Read my review for Part 1: the Fellowship of the Ring  and Part 3: The Return of the King!

An Act of Love

Alan Gibbons

Summary:

Seven-year-old Chris and Imran are sworn blood brothers.

Ten years on they are treading separate paths. The spectre of terrorism has wrecked their friendship. It has changed their lives and could even end them.

A story of two ordinary boys growing up in an extraordinary time - our time. A time of terror, when atrocities don’t just happen in TV reports about people in far away places.

Rioting, fighting, maiming and killing are happening here, on our doorstep.

Plot:

This is a very good story. It offers perspectives from all walks of life, religions and races on the same events, and teaches a simple lesson: that we’re all human. It has its tense moments, moments that make you smile, and some that are pretty sad. There is some mystery, and you’re not always sure which of the characters to trust, but it never gets confusing. The writing is simple, yet beautiful and very realistic.

Characters:

This is probably the best part of the book. I really enjoyed reading about the two main characters. They grew up together, but because of their different beliefs grow apart. However, once you get to the end of the book you realise that, even though they weren’t exactly speaking to one another, their stories still share similarities and parallels. All the characters are flawed, but they’re all pretty relatable.

Who should read this:

13+, this story is about war, so obviously there are some violent scenes. There’s very little sexual content, but some language. If you like historical fiction, but want something that’s easy to read this is a good choice. If you’re looking for a happy story, this is not the one for you.

My rating:

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t bored once, I liked the characters and I feel like this is a better-than-average piece of fiction. The only reason I won’t add this to my favourites is because it’s not my favourite genre or type of story. 4/5

Quote:

‘What breaks inside the child that makes the man so flawed?’

Left Behind

Tim LaHaye & Jerry B. Jenkins

Left Behind #1

Summary:

In one cataclysmic moment, millions around the globe disappear.

Vehicles, suddenly unmanned, careen out of control. People are terror stricken as loved ones vanish before their eyes.

In the midst of global chaos, airline captain Rayford Steele must search for his family, for answers, for truth. As devastating as the disappearances have been, the darkest days may lie ahead.

Plot:

This is definitely an interesting novel. Referencing the Bible-book Revelations, it tells the story of the end of the world. The setting of this novel makes it very believable, it’s set in the future, obviously, although it doesn’t give a specific date, and the world is much like we know it to be right now, except for some political differences. Some of the political parts were a bit hard for me to understand, but the basic story is very easy to follow and read. It’s not the best-written book in the world and I would’ve liked some more twists and turns instead of just the straight-forward story, but it kept me interested enough.

Characters:

The characters are all extremely believable and relatable. The main characters are pretty likable (the ones that are supposed to be) and the villain is extremely scary in a non-threatening, peace-loving kind of way (it makes sense if you’ve read the book). Except for the villain the characters are mostly just normal people in extreme circumstances, and I definitely liked them. The story is more important, I think, in this case, than the characters, and so I like that they’re not too complicated.

Who should read this:

10+, the violence is not overly graphic and there’s almost no sexual content and zero language. I don’t think this would interest very young people, as the story might get a little complicated for them, and also because it might be scary, since it is set in a world similar to ours, and is written as a sort of retelling of a book that I personally don’t consider fiction. If you like Christian fiction, and are interested in the end-times this is a quick and easy read that makes it a little more real and easy to imagine.

My rating:

I enjoyed reading this book. I won’t add it to my favourites because I wasn’t blown away by it. But it kept me interested. 4/5

Quote:

“I’m not crazy! See for yourself! All over the plane people have disappeared.

Insurgent

Veronica Roth

Divergent #2

Summary:

I have done bad things. I can’t take them back, and they are part of who I am.

Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future.

Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever… because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead.

Plot:

This is a good story, with a good balance of personal issues and political problems. It answers many of the questions you had after finishing Divergent, but leave you with enough mystery to be excited for Allegiant. There is a good mix of action, romance and friendship, just enough of each to not get overwhelming, and yet enough keep it interesting.

Characters:

Tris is very different in this book. She’s no longer an innocent girl whose biggest problems are fighting in initiation. After the ending of Divergent she now has to deal with so much more, not just because of what’s happening in her world, but also because of things she’s done and choices she must make. You learn more about Tobias/Four’s past and get to know him as a character much better. There are a lot of characters, and it got a little confusing here and there, but most of them are pretty interesting. I was slightly disappointed by Tris’s brother Caleb, but I hope to learn more about that in the next instalment.

Who should read this:

13+, mainly for violence, some mild sexual scenes and very mild language. While the violence is not super graphic or gory, it’s still disturbing. If you enjoyed the first book you will probably enjoy this one. This series is definitely a must for dystopian fans. If you don’t like too much action/fighting this might not be the one for you. It’s an easy read, but like I said, the characters got a little confusing.

My rating:

This book kept me interested throughout, I felt for Tris and the other characters and I definitely enjoyed reading it. However it didn’t get me as excited as Divergent. 4/5

Quote:

“Insurgent,” he says. “Noun. A person who acts in opposition to the established authority, who is not necessarily regarded as a belligerent.”

Read my review for Divergent here! I'll link Allegiant as soon as I review it!

The Hobbit-The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit Part 2

Summary:

After successfully crossing over (and under) the Misty Mountains, Thorin and Company must seek aid from a powerful stranger before taking on the dangers of Mirkwood Forest-without their Wizard. If they reach the human settlement of Lake-town it will be time for the hobbit Bilbo Baggins to fulfill his contract with the dwarves. The party must complete the journey to Lonely Mountain and burglar Baggins must seek out the Secret Door that will give them access to the hoard of the dragon Smaug. And, where has Gandalf got off to? And what is his secret business to the south?

Plot:

So I didn’t have a lot of good expectations from this storyline, mainly because of the first movie and because they’re dragging a 400 page book out into three movies, but I was pleasantly surprised. I’d heard many good things about this movie, but I assumed it was for the cinematography. The story follows the book pretty well, but unlike most book-to-movie adaptations they have added parts instead of not including some. I really liked the fact that they added Gandalf’s story, which was not included in the book. You only hear about what he was up to in the first part of the Lord of the Rings books. Also, it was fun watching this movie, after reading the Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring and knowing what was going to happen. The action was way more intense than in the first movie (which mainly consisted of the dwarves and Bilbo walking). I didn’t like some of the parts they had changed, but the parts that they kept the same were pretty cool.

Characters:

My favorite part of this movie is definitely the elves. They are beautiful, graceful, slightly cold and stand-offish, and I found them fascinating to watch. Bilbo kind of disappeared in the first part of the movie, but got his chance in the spotlight in the end. I didn’t like Thorin’s mean and selfish portrayal in this movie, he lacked the royal, slightly proud, but still good qualities that he had in the book, and just came of as a pompous and self-centered person/dwarf. Smaug didn’t look like I imagined him, I feel like they could’ve added more gems and gold to his chest, as Tolkien described in the book. Overall the wonderful elves balanced out some of the mistakes they made with Thorin, and I enjoyed the characters.

Cinematography:

Wonderful, some parts were better than others, but overall it was great. The colors were rich, the orcs and spiders etc. looked real (and pretty creepy) and the Smaug was magnificent (and really, really big).

Who should watch this:

PG-13, mainly for violence. It’s not bloody or gory (except for some orcs getting their heads chopped off), but it is pretty frightening. If you thought the first one was good, but lacked action you should see this one. If you liked the Lord of the Rings movies, then you might like this. I suggest skipping the first one if you’re familiar with the story.

My rating:

I really liked this movie, and I really hope the last one lives up to it, because I don’t know what they’re going to use for a storyline in that one. It’s not a perfect adaption of the book, but it’s pretty good. So, 4/5.

Quote:

Where does your journey end? You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule. A quest to reclaim a homeland, and slay a dragon!

The Fellowship of the Ring

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings Part 1

Summary:
In a sleepy village in the Shire, a young hobbit is entrusted with an immense task. He must make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ruling Ring of Power – the only thing that prevents the Dark Lord Sauron’s evil dominion.

Plot:

This story has so many twists and turns an things happening it would be impossible to sum it up in a couple of sentences. There’s a lot of action, a lot of beauty, some pretty sad parts, and some that are more humorous. I know this is not a trilogy, and I know Tolkien wrote it as one (very long) novel, but since that novel would take forever to finish, I’m doing my review in three parts. However I don’t see this as a series, but as a very long story. This is a very long, very detailed story, and at times it becomes almost too detailed, but that is Tolkien’s style and I really like the way he wrote these novels. They’re different from most of the other fantasy novels I’ve read in so many ways.

Characters:

This book gets a little confusing at times because there are just so many different characters. You get to know the main ones pretty soon, but the other, less important characters gets a little muddled. This is not really a problem, you don’t need to remember all the characters for the story to make sense. I loved all the characters. I think they’re flawed enough to make them believable (even the ones who are described as flawless, like the elven ‘Queen’ figure), yet they’re likable, and most of them are honourable. The anti-heroes aren’t described very graphically, but the little you know of them is enough to make you nervous when they’re near.

Who should read this:

13+, there’s no language or sexual content, but I wouldn’t suggest this to younger readers, because of the length of this story. It is not an easy read. The style of writing is not hard to understand, but it’s very descriptive and might bore some people. If you’re a die-hard fantasy fan, you should definitely have read this already. I do recommend reading ‘The Hobbit’ first, since it’s shorter, but written in the same style. It will help you decide if you will enjoy this novel or not.

My rating:

I enjoyed this novel much more than the hobbit. Therefore I must give it a higher rating. I truly loved this book, and I will definitely be reading it again, as it’s one of those books where you will discover something new every time you read it. 5/5

Quote:

‘It’s the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.’

I'll link my review for the movie here as soon as I watch it! Read my Review for Part 2: The Two Towers and Part 3: The Return of the King!

The Host

Summary:

When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, Melanie will risk everything to protect the people she cares most about, proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world.

Plot:

I had already read this book before I watched the movie, and one thing I can say about it is that it follows the storyline pretty well. It didn’t have all the scenes of the book in it, obviously, but it stayed true to the basic storyline. It’s not a bad story, or idea, but I feel like they could’ve done a lot more with it. The acting wasn’t the best, and the story felt a little stilted. However, there were some moments that made me smile, it didn’t make me laugh or cry, but it was interesting enough that I didn’t get too bored.

Characters:

I didn’t understand why Wanda (the invader, alien thing) had to speak aloud for Melanie (the human) to hear her. As far as I remember this was not the case in the book, and it looked a little stupid, the character talking to herself all the time. I get that it would’ve been hard to know which was which if they were both just in her head, but it bothered me a bit. Most of the characters felt a little flat. There wasn’t one in particular I really connected with. Wanda is a bit too good to be true, although that is the way of the alien species. None of the characters truly stand out.

Cinematography:

Okay, it’s not wonderful, and I feel like they could’ve done so much more. But, it’s not bad.

Who should watch this:

PG-13, for some sensuality and violence. If you like dramatic teen movies, or enjoyed the book you may like this. However I feel like the book has more to offer. Don’t expect too much.

My rating:

I didn’t hate this movie, but I didn’t love it either. I would’ve liked a bit more from the overall look of the movie, and the acting could’ve been better. 2/5

Quote:

Ian: Strange world isn’t it?

Wanda: The strangest.

I'll be reading the book again, and I'll link that review here!