Rate and review the last book you read

[ignisia]

for Hana.

Originally Posted by canismajoris

Just finished A Sicilian Romance by Ann Radcliffe. I give it a 7/10 for my enjoyment, but in its construction and execution it was more like a 4/10.

It was highly (bewilderingly) episodic and it took quite a few flights into irrelevancy. The plot was driven only by the need to terrorize the heroine, who never does much at all to aid herself, relying instead mostly on the vices and graces of the male characters. What little strength there is to be found in the female characters is expressed only by their good sense in despairing of their helplessness. The author never really gives them a chance to accomplish anything, and the ending left me as incredulous as much of the beginning. The book is in the end just a silly romance as perhaps the title rightly reflects, and I wouldn't rely on it for anything but a short diversion from serious literature.

I read something else of hers and got a similar impression. She really sucks you into the story, but you still can't help but feel that the story itself isn't quite so good.

Murderer: What, you egg! Young fry of treachery!

My HS friends and I made an inside joke of that line.

[mactheknife]

Simon Scarrow - The Eagles Conquest

7/10

Very enjoyable sequeal.

[UselessCharmMaster]

Balzac - Peau de chagrin (I don't know the English title). I would say 7/10. Good idea for a fantastic story, but the author packed too much in it.

[weasley9]

Hunger Games: 9.5/10

It had a perfect blend of intensity and emotion.

[xhanax315]

8/10 In the Woods by Tana French
This book really worked me up, I was looking forward to finding out one of the mysterious of this book, and it kind of left me blank. It's one of those books where you make your own speculation of what happened. I feel as though the author didn't come up with a good enough idea of what happened. Still a good read though, I look forward to starting the next one.

[xhanax315]

8/10 Shutter Island

[FurryDice]

Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins - 8.5/10

Really packs a punch, and is a memorable read. My second favourite of the trilogy.

Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer - 8/10

One I've meant to read for a while. Funny, entertaining and great characters. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series now.

Last Chance Saloon, by Marian Keyes - 7/10

Yet another I've been meaning to read for ages. Not as good as her later books, but still, as always, deals with a lot more than dating and shopping. I love the message that being on your own is better than a relationship with someone who treats you badly, and that a partner's baggage doesn't mean one should excuse their bad behaviour. (Although standing up for yourself, whether to a partner, friend, family, or colleague is something that crops up a lot in Keyes' books)

Heartstone, by CJ Sansom 8.5/10

Reads very true to the Tudor era, with an intriguing plot. Maybe a bit too much to-and-fro between a few locations, but a very good read. Some interesting new characters, and the return of some old ones.

[APolaris]

I just finished A Clockwork Orange.

I really must give this book two ratings. 7/10 for the story - it has some degree of depth to it, and a bit of understanding about psychology, but in the end it's not particularly eventful and relatively short. It does however show its character development very well, and contrary to popular belief, it is not a book about violence (which is one of the character's traits) but about transformation.

10/10 for the writing style. Since I haven't completed Ulysses, I have to say this is the single best-written and original book I've read, in large part because the author visibly came up with the entire technique on his own and hasn't been successfully copied since. This is an example of truly unique writing.

[Reid]

A Clash of Kings.

Sequal to a game of thrones and beings where it left off, introducing more characters and giving others bigger roles. I really liked this book, i like how you only know as much as the charecters know, nothing more, nothing less. and when you find some things out, it's pretty shocking/surprising. All the charectors for the most part are well done, you know all of their feelings and motivations. while some art it's not in a bad way it's in a way that is supposed to leave us geussing as to where their allegiances are.

9/10

[bellatrix93]

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee. 8/10.

[xhanax315]

The Jane Austen Book Club 8/10

[FurryDice]

Velocity, by Dean Koontz, 7/10

It was a good read, and quite compelling. However, I thought the villain's plot fell into place way too easily, a lot like the Joker's schemes in Dark Knight.

[Voldemorts8thHorcrux]

The Maze Runner by Dashner 10/10 for mood and suspense and like a 5/10 for plot: Very tense sci fi book, just found out it's a trilogy. It was the type of book you couldn't put down but I felt like it had a few way too big plot holes or at least things that weren't explained well enough. Which I guess was the point of a lot of it, but it was a bit overdone.

[freelantzer]

Originally Posted by xhanax315

The Jane Austen Book Club 8/10

Commentary, please! I need to know!

Originally Posted by bellatrix93

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee. 8/10.

Aw, why no 10/10?

[bellatrix93]

Originally Posted by freelantzer

Aw, why no 10/10?

It irritated me how Jean shies away from being a girl, and how she would do anything because she doesn't want her brother to call her a 'girl'. In other words, I don't agree with their definition of what a girl is. . Besides I felt it was a little bit slow.

I like some of the other characters, though. I like Atticus, Alexandra and Maudie. Maudie is absolutely hilarious.

[freelantzer]

Originally Posted by bellatrix93

I like Atticus

Originally Posted by bellatrix93

It irritated me how Jean shies away from being a girl, and how she would do anything because she doesn't want her brother to call her a 'girl'. In other words, I don't agree with their definition of what a girl is. . Besides I felt it was a little bit slow.

She doesn't want to be a "proper lady" like Aunt Alexandria. Miss Maudie is a great example of the type of woman I believe Scout would grow up to be.

[Yoana]

Originally Posted by freelantzer

She doesn't want to be a "proper lady" like Aunt Alexandria. Miss Maudie is a great example of the type of woman I believe Scout would grow up to be.

Oh Scout does resign that she would have to enter this world some day. The she proceeds to label all women as hypocritical.

[FurryDice]

Sushi for Beginners, by Marian Keyes 7/10

A funny, enjoyable read, but a bit more predictable than usual, apart from one surprising development.

[61teewsa]

Paper Towns by John Green

I read the first chapter and found it nessisary to stay up late into the night to finish reading.

[Beatifically]

A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb - 7/10
Despite it's label as a YA novel, it really isn't. It's about two dead characters who are adults but stuck in teenagers' bodies. That is hardly enough basis to make it YA, IMO. Anyway, it was a very interesting take on what happens to some after their deaths. The love between the two characters was quick but actually made sense. If you felt alone for over a century and found someone who can hear and understand you perfectly, wouldn't you feel some form of attachment? To sum it up, it was a very interesting read.