(Images are taken from the Goodreads website link attached to title of the book)
(Included are my ratings and my personal descriptors of the book.)
February 2018:
1) The Hate U Give ~ Angie Thomas (464 of 464 pages) (5/5 Stars) (Social Issue, Collaboration and Connection that Transcends Skin Colour, Sheds a Powerful Perspective)
2) Night ~ Elie Wiesel (120 of 120 pages) (5/5 Stars) (True Story, Experiences in Concentration Camps during World War II, Haunting)
3) Truancy ~ Isamu Fukui (429 of 429 pages) (4/5 Stars) (Action/Adventure, Dystopian Concept, Intended for 15+ Individuals)
4) The Solitude of Prime Numbers ~ Paolo Giordano (In progress: 204 of 271 pages)
Total Pages Read: 978 pages (35 pages/day)
At first glance, The Hate U Give might seem like another book focusing on race relations and authority within today’s society. You aren’t wrong, but there are more things in play than you expect. Within this novel, we are in the perspective of Starr, where we explore the motivations behind individual’s actions, experience coexistence between black and white individuals, and see the dangers of assumptions that are made based on a single story. I would certainly say that this book was able to break down barriers and start that dialogue about race relations and the intricacies of each interaction that characters encounter. I would also credit Ms. Angie Thomas for making it relatable for teenagers, in terms of the diction used and the contemporary time period this takes place. I also must say that Ms. Thomas did a really good job in the comedic aspect of this novel as the timing of them did not seem forced, but worked well. I loved the character development and how real these characters acted and established the character profile really well. And one last thing to note is the simple, yet powerful book sleeve art and the colour scheme of the book itself. With the white book and black writing on the spine reflecting the topic the novel addresses, would that be considered a coincidence? I think not.
Night by Elie Wiesel was a novel that illustrates the realities and experiences of what it was like to be a Jewish individual during World War II. The novel is narrated by the younger version of Mr. Wiesel, where he shares his haunting experiences of when he was living in multiple concentration camps. In witnessing the deaths of those around him while living in the fear of those in control, we are able to see the conflicts he, along with many other inmates, faced. In instances such as giving up on hope, improper grieving processes, and faced with the decision to save yourself or others around you, this book will leave you emotionally raw and acts as a deterrent from repeating these events in the future of humanity.
Truancy was a novel that a friend had recommended me to read, and I certainly loved this novel. We are taken into a world where the education system is out to break you down, both physically and emotionally. Through rigorous assessments in-class, extreme rules that are mandated by the Mayor of the city, along with the concept of unfair treatment for students, it is an intriguing novel. Tack is our main character, where he becomes bothered by the functioning of the education system and comes across an individual in a restricted district who poses critical questions about his experiences, in which leads to the action for this novel. I would highly recommend this novel, except for younger audiences, as there is some violence and graphic scenes described.
