#44: Inferno

Brown, Dan: Inferno. New York: Anchor Books, 2013. Print. 611 pages.
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SETTING: Florence, Italy.
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SUMMARY: Robert Langdon, the famed Harvard University professor of symbology, once again is at the center of a mysterious adventure.  After waking up at a Florence hospital with no recollection of how he arrived there and a head wound of unknown origin, he, along with Dr. Sienna Brooks, a physician who was caring for him at the hospital, find themselves rushing around Florence trying to solve a mystery that is somehow connected to Dante's Inferno.   
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "When it came to the circumstances of the world, denial had become a global pandemic." - Epilogue, page 610.
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I am very sorry to inform you, dear readers, that I actually read this book two months ago, and thus have forgotten many of the points that I wanted to share with you.  I started off the school year much busier than anticipated, and am only finding time now to create the blog entry for this novel.  I will do my best to recollect as much as I can! 
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Things I liked about this book:

1. The integration of real life organizations and resources into the story line.  This aspect is what I admire the most about all of Dan Brown's novels.  He takes real life entities and places them in a fictional setting, with the end result of creating a story that seems like it could actually play out in reality.
2. The transhumanist movement as a main topic of the novel.  I didn't know about transhumanism at all before reading this book, and I was inspired to research the topic after finishing the novel.  To what extent I agree with their goals and theories is something I will not expand on here because it'll probably amount to an essay's worth of writing.
3. The infectious disease aspect.  I won't say anymore because I don't want to ruin the story!
4. Going off of the last point, having the head of the WHO as a main character.
5. Sienna Brooks' character.  She is incredibly badass.  Misguided, without a doubt, but totally awesome.

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The way Robert Langdon solves the series of clues in the novel.  A constant joke among my classmates is the way that Dr. House figures out his patients' ailments.  Something very incosequential is usually occurring, for example he'll be tossing a baseball up and down.  The baseball will then proceed to drop and roll along an empty hallway, and once it stops, he'll find a sudden spark of inspiration that leads him to the right diagnosis.  Langdon's process of unraveling clues is equally ridiculous at times.
2. This novel wasn't as exciting as Dan Brown's previous novels in the Langdon series.  This could be because his formula for writing these books is becoming old and predictable.  His outlines for all four novels are very similar, and considering I have read Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code more than once, I think I'm becoming adept at predicting what the next step in the story will be.  I will admit, however, that I did not have enough skill to predict the climax or the ending of this novel.  So there is still some intrigue left in the way he creates his stories. 

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For as long as I'll live, I can confidently say that I will read every single fictional novel that Dan Brown will publish until his death.  The same can be said of novels published by JK Rowling and Gregory Maguire.  There are some authors who, even if they have a formula for their books, write novels that I find myself eager to finish.  I have a feeling of contentment while reading them, and sadness upon finishing them.  It's like coming home to a familiar place, with something new added to it that's fascinating and exciting, and once you have to leave, you can't help but feel a little sad.  
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Recommend?  Yes.  Even if it's the 10th novel in the Langdon series and absolutely predictable, I'll still recommend that you read it because Dan Brown's writing style is one that I enjoy.

#43: The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader"

Lewis, C.S.. The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader." New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1952. Print. 210 pages.

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SETTING: Narnia!  New and unexplored parts of this fantastic land are introduced in this third book.

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SUMMARY: The two youngest Pevensie children, Edmund and Lucy, find themselves back in Narnia, this time accompanied by their incredibly annoying and rude younger cousin, Eustace.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "And just as there are moments when simply to lie in bed and see the daylight pouring through your window and to hear the cheerful voice of an early postman or milkman down below and to realise that it was only a dream: it wasn't real, is so heavenly that it was very nearly worth having the nightmare in order to have the joy of waking, so they all felt when they came out of the dark." - Chapter 12, page 157.

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Previous posts:

• Book 1: http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2014/06/39-lion-witch-and-wardrobe.html
• Book 2: http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2014/06/40-prince-caspian.html

I had this SUPER strange urge to read a Charles Dickens novel while I was studying for my board exam, and so I picked up A Tale of Two Cities at the library.  I started reading it and, about seven pages in, I was sooooooo bored.  There was about a ten month period when I was in grad school where all I was reading was classics, and I really enjoyed them.  I think when I was studying for the board exam, I didn't actually want to read a Dickens novel, but was moreso nostalgic for the calmness that I was enveloped in during that time period in grad school.  Anyhow, I realized super quickly that reading a Dickens novel was going to be a slow, tedious, and not in the least bit enjoyable process at the moment, so I put it down and grabbed the rest of the Narnia books.  Like the post for the second book in the series, I'm going to just list some points I'd like to share about this book.

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1. I didn't find it as interesting as the first two books in the series.  I think the main reason is because the wonder that was there of exploring this new fictional world was not as strong in this book.  Another reason is that I missed having all four of the Pevensie kids in the book.  
2. I realized that this entire time I was reading "Pevensie" as "Pensevie."  Similarly, until the first Harry Potter movie came out and I actually heard Dumbledore's name, I read "Dumbledore" as "Dublemore."  So sad.
3. Eustace is the most annoying child in the beginning of the book.  If I have a child like that, I will have failed as a parent.
4. The author paints such fabulously vivid pictures of the various lands and islands the group of travelers visits.  Each area is very diverse and, considering this book is pretty short, the author does a great job of including a lot of detail while managing to be brief.
5. The chapters "The Magician's Book" and "The Dark Island" were my two favorites.  They were, in my opinion, the most imaginative and fun to read.
6. I'm really sad that this is it for Edmund and Lucy.  It's sad to see characters suddenly leave.

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I've already started on the fourth book, but I have to admit that I'm becoming bored of the series... And there are a total of seven books!  Hopefully I persevere, and more importantly, am able to read them efficiently enough to finish the series before the semester starts.

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Recommend?  Yes, since it's part of a series.

#42: The Casual Vacancy

Rowling, J.K.. The Casual Vacancy. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2012. Print. 503 pages.

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SETTING: The town of Pagford in South West England.

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SUMMARY: The Parish Council of Pagford has been long divided over the issue of whether or not to separate themselves from the bordering, lower socioeconomic community, known locally as "The Fields."  After Pagford Parish Councillor Barry Fairbrother's death, the small town is sent into a frenzy, with each side of the Fields issue rallying to get one of their own to fill Fairbrother's Council seat.  

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "Gavin saw a grave purely as a marker for the place where a corpse was decomposing; a nasty thought, yet people took it into their heads to visit and bring flowers, as though it might yet recover." - Part 5, Chapter 10, page 453.

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I had a vague memory that J.K. Rowling recently published her first novel since completing the Harry Potter series, and I was able to find a copy at the library.  I had absolutely no idea what to expect, and was actually quite worried I'd be disappointed because, let's face it, how can you top Harry Potter?  Seemed like a worthwhile venture nonetheless, so I took the chance.  

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Things I liked about this book:

1. The detail!  The main storyline is actually quite simple and nothing to fawn over.  But Rowling's ability to draw the reader in with wonderfully detailed script and dialogue, just as she did in the Harry Potter books, was again made evident in this novel.  I immediately became absorbed into this book, staying up late at night to read just one more chapter, because she manages to make you fall in love with certain characters from the start.  You're rooting for some, and vehemently want others to fail as retribution for their horrible nature and acts.  This book had nothing to do with magic, but her writing ability creates magic from everyday occurrences.
2. The characters.  This novel has real characters.  Going off of the first point again, Rowling's inclusion of such detail, from describing personalities and emotions to the physical surroundings, gives the reader a very realistic feel for the characters.  She creates people you would very likely encounter in everyday life.
3. The discussion of social issues.  Rowling incorporates a number of very important social issues, including drug abuse, child neglect, rape,  and self-harm, to name a few, into the story in a very fluid and beautiful manner.  
4. The build up to the ending.  This novel is a masterpiece, written with such beautiful structure, and the ending is pure finesse.
5. The Sikh family in the story.  Pagford is a very small, mostly white town with one prominent Sikh family.  The family faces deep rooted racism from certain community members because they see the family as different and a threat to the Pagfordian ways.  Rowling does an exemplary job describing the life of this family, and does so in a knowledgeable way.
6. The writing.  It's beautiful.  I've never appreciated a book as much as this one.  

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There isn't a single thing I didn't like about this novel's writing, content, etc..  Instead, here is a list of characters I didn't like in this book:

1. Shirley Mollison: her self-centered behavior is ridiculous.  She's oblivious to everything but herself.  I wanted to smack some sense into her.
2. Howard Mollison: her equally ridiculous husband.
3. Simon Price.  Abusive SOB.  I would have been very happy if he had been carted off to prison at some point.  But to Rowling's major credit, she portrayed this character in a very realistic way and the manner in which his part of the story concludes is unfortunately what probably happens to most abusive partners and parents.

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Rowling is a genius.  Her talents create pure magic.  This book is, to put it simply, beautiful.  I think I've used that word to describe the book at least ten times in this post.  I can continue gushing about how much I LOVED this book for hours.  I am so impressed by Rowling's writing ability, and I wouldn't be surprised if this novel is adapted into a movie.  If she writes another novel, I will be sure to read it ASAP.

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Recommend?  YES!!!!!  One of my top ten favorite novels ever, without a doubt.

#41: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

Maguire, Gregory: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999. Print. 368 pages.

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SETTING: The city of Haarlem in the Netherlands.
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SUMMARY: A retelling of the classic story of Cinderella, this time from the stand point of the "ugly stepsisters."
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "In the lives of children, pumpkins can turn into coaches, mice and rats into human beings.  When we grow up, we learn that it's far more common for human beings to turn into rats." - page xiv.
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I've absolutely loved all of Gregory Maguire's books that I've read so far, which haven't been that many (Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men).  I remembered he has an extensive list of authored books, and I was lucky enough to find one at the library!  
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Things I liked about this book:

1. The entire storyline!  From start to finish, I loved this book!  I haven't read a book with so much enthusiasm in a very long time.  I read the actual story of Cinderella once long ago, but I don't really remember it.  Apart from that, the only exposure I have had to the story is through the Disney movie.  It's made for kids so, obviously, the storyline is pretty bare-bones.  In comparison, this story is so rich and full of fantastically satisfying details!
2. Iris and Ruth, the two stepsisters.  Maguire portrays their characters fabulously.  They each have very complex backgrounds, with Iris' character delved into more fully than Ruth's.  Iris is, undoubtedly, the main character of this story.
3. The reason behind Clara's belief that she is a changeling.  If you plan to read the book (which you should!) don't read the rest of this point...   Ok...  Ready?  It's revealed close to the end of the novel that Clara is kidnapped around three or four years of age by one of her father's businessmen, and she remembers that event as spirits changing her from a disobedient to an obedient child.  I couldn't help but wonder if it was just the trauma of the kidnapping that caused her to have such a memory of it, or if she was perhaps abused in some way by her kidnapper.  It is later revealed in the book that since her kidnapping, her kidnapper has harbored a deep desire to marry her.  He is decades older than her, and even when she is penniless, he still wants to marry her, so the reader can surmise that it isn't for her prior wealth that he is after her.  
4. That Margarethe goes crazy!  I'm glad she does because she was a nasty woman.
5. The ending.  To be a little broader, the last 100 pages or so that serve as the climax of the novel.  It's wonderfully written and parallels the most well-known version of the story of Cinderella very well, making references, in a fabulous literary manner, to the magic pumpkins, fairy godmother, etc. found in the traditional version of the story.

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Things (or characters) I didn't like about this book:

1. Margarethe.  Evil, evil woman!  She claims that all of her actions are for the well being of her daughters, but it soon becomes very clear to the reader that she is quite selfish at the core.  She does love her daughters, in her own strange way, but it is a love that they could probably do without.  
2. The lack of exploration of Ruth's character.  Her main role in the story is revealed at the end of the novel, and once I had finished the book, it became obvious to me that she sees and understands more than is let on during the majority of the story.  This lack of character exploration definitely has a purpose, but from the reader's point of view, it would be interesting to learn more about her character.  Perhaps another book, titled Confessions of the Other Ugly Stepsister, is in order :P (I'm kidding... that would be a pretty boring sequel).

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Once again, Gregory Maguire has provided me with a fabulously written novel.  I have loved every single one of his works that I've read, and for three reasons: (1) he is an incredibly creative writer, (2) he uses well-known childhood favorites as the core of his stories, and (3) he reworks these favorite stories into beautifully rich masterpieces, filled with wonderful details and in-depth explorations into the how and why behind each character's personality.  I most definitely will be reading the rest of his novels in the future. 
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Recommend?  YES!  You'll love it too! 

#40: Prince Caspian

Lewis, C.S.. Prince Caspian. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1951. Print. 184 pages.
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SETTING: The magical land of Narnia!
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SUMMARY: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy find themselves unsuspectingly transported back to Narnia, this time to find the magical world drastically changed from how they had left it one year prior.
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'That's the worst of girls,' said Edmund to Peter and the Dwarf.  'They never can carry a map in their heads.'

'That's because our heads have something inside them,' said Lucy." - Chapter 9, page 99.
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As mentioned in the previous post (http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2014/06/39-lion-witch-and-wardrobe.html), this is my chosen series for the summer.  This is going to be a fairly short post because much of what I wrote for the first book is applicable to the second book.  Instead of the usual list of likes and dislikes, I'm just going to create a brief list of points I'd like to share.
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1. Edmund becomes a much more likable character.  I actually respected him this time around.
2. There seemed to be more references to Greek and Roman mythology versus Christian stories in this second book.  However, this could be a biased observation.  It's very possible that this time around I paid more attention to the mythology references because I missed so many of them in the first book.  The Christian allegories were pretty straightforward, as they were in the first book.
3. One allegory that I thought was cleverly portrayed was the whole concept of having faith in something you cannot see, specifically referring to the four siblings' faith in Aslan and his presence even when he was not in front of them.  The author is paralleling this to the Christian tenant of always believing in Jesus, even when Christians do not feel (or "see") his presence.  Even though I'm not Christian, I fully appreciate the author's writing skills and his ability to portray this concept so smoothly.
4. Doctor Cornelius' character.  He was integral in shaping Caspian's character and maturation into adulthood.
5. The adorable names some of these characters have!  Reepicheep, Trufflehunter, and Trumpkin, to name a few.  Such cute names, and yet they're pretty deadly characters...

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I'm going to take a break before starting the third book in the series, (1) because I don't have it on me and (2) I have three other books lined up to read.  I will pick up the third book very soon, no worries!  Also, I think my summer reading is going to go much slower than planned... Why?  World Cup!  Between two and six hours (depending on who is playing) are dedicated to soccer every day!
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Recommend?  Yes.