Confusing but good

George Orwell's 1984 has been a tough read for me. The language and the style is unlike any other things that I've read. The concept is also very interesting. I feel like the plot is slow moving but the whole is great. The book was published in 1949 so the time period greatly effects the book. The book is set in 1984, hence the title. The book is George Orwell's vision of 1984 and even though it was inaccurate and to the extreme, the book is not bad. In the book, the continents and countries don't exist. There are new ones like Oceania and Eurasia. Some are at peace, others at war. The government controls everything, they watch everything you do via things called telescreens. The government feeds propaganda and controls rations. It is kind of like Nazi Germany and WW2 which had recently happened in real life. It is cool how Orwell based his book off what was happening in real life.

The book makes the reader think about control and power. Orwell writes, "Syme had vanished. A morning came, and he was missing from work... Syme had ceased to exist; he had never existed" (Orwell 122). Orwell opens up a chapter with this. One of Winston's co-workers was killed by the government. The government has all the control and can make it seem like he never existed. Opening up the chapter with this was a pretty big statement and Orwell wants it that way. He wants the reader to think about how powerful control is and at the time was warning people to not let governments control people. The government motto is:

People live by this motto and it really shows the control. 

Another thing Orwell wants people to think about is love. Winston is secretly having an affair with a woman named Julia. Winston's life was boring and routine until he met Julia. He is happier with her and enjoys his life more. He also can talk about anything with her and they talk about the government and such. They trust each other.  Love is an important thing and so is trust. If Winston and Julia rebel or start some sort of up rising against the government, they will need each other. 

1984

The next book I will be reading is 1984 by George Orwell. The book is a classic and is very well known. Also the book is written by a great author in a time period right after World War 2. I believe that this might effect the book. Also, the time period is a long time ago so the word choice and complexity might challenge me. On a different note, 1984 was George Orwell's prediction of the world in 1984. I think that the concept of the book is very different from anything I've read so I wanted to challenge myself and read it.

The book wasn't recommended to me, but I've heard great things about it. I hope that the book lives up to its hype. Also, I've read another book by George Orwell, which I really enjoyed, so I hope I enjoy this book as much. The book is a classic for a reason, so I hope I enjoy it like a classic.

A great start and a great end

Wow! This book exceeded expectations. From front to back I was hooked. The book had a different tone from anything else I've read. The perspective and background of the author was crucial to the book. The author, Marcus Luttrell, is a Navy SEAL and a person who has a strong passion for the United States of America. He always talks about "the hate in their eyes," referring to the Taliban and Al Qaida. Marcus hates the Taliban just as much and this causes the book to be bias, but in my opinion better. It brings out passion in him and the reader. To end the book Marcus writes, "Because I came through it, and I wouldn't have traded any of it, not for the whole world. I'm a United States Navy SEAL" (Luttrell 96%). He is passionate about being a Navy SEAL and an American and that causes the mood in the book to go from up to down instantly.

Luttrell also talks about being a Texan and how much that meant to him. He goes to see President Bush and talks about how they are "both Texans" (Luttrell 96%). I think that this quote is important because it helps solidify an underlying theme in the book. This theme is love your home and your family. Also, let them help you through hard times and follow your beliefs. Luttrell always talks about his family and what they did to help him get through the hard times. Its an unmeant theme but it is very present.

The thing that really got me in the book is when he talks about how much is friends mean and meant to him. How he always hears there screams and how he thinks about them every day. He really loved his friends and since he survived this, he will and has tons of survivor's guilt and PTSD. He is going to have a rough life ahead of him, but his family and his loved ones will help get him through it. Losing those friends must have been so hard, but he has to get through it. As he said, " I wouldn't have traded any of it, not for the whole world" (Luttrell 96%). He believes surviving it was a great thing even though he lost his friends and many others.

All in all it was a great book that I would recommend 100%.

Luttrell getting his Navy Cross.

How is this real?

I sit here in study hall, in the library, with my friends. I can't imagine losing them, let alone having them die in my own hands because of decisions I've made. Well, that is what Marcus Luttrell, a Navy Seal, has to go through. He wrote, "Danny Dietz died right there in my arms. I don't know how quickly hearts break, but that nearly broke mine" (Luttrell 58%).  Currently in my book, Marcus and three other Navy Seals are fighting hundreds of Taliban fighters in the mountains of Afghanistan. The Navy Seals were on a mission when they were seen by goat herders. They decided not to kill the goat herders because they could be charged with murder at home and the after the herders were let go, they told the Taliban. Now in my book they are getting bombarded and they are down to three men after Danny Dietz died.

The book is unbelievable. I obviously know that is book is non-fiction but the things that have happened to Marcus are mind boggling. He talks about his time training to be a Seal which is the hardest thing I've ever heard in terms of physical exertion (for more information on that go to http://navyseals.com/nsw/hell-week-0/). One of his teachers says, "the real battle is won in the mind. It's won by guys who sit and think about it, plotting and planning to improve. Attending to the detail. Work on their weaknesses and overcome them. Because they can" (Luttrell 31%). This quote sums up the Seals and the way to get through the training. Everything is mental, can you go further and push yourself past the pain. That is what the select few people, the Seals, can do. There is something in them that keeps them going. This quote also foreshadows to the battle. One of his teammates, Danny, who, before he dies, has been shot 5 times but continues to fight. He mentally puts the pain past him and continues to fight.

As for the rest of the book, well I assume that Marcus gets out alive, somehow. If I didn't know the author, book title or anything about the book I would assume he and the rest of his team would get out alive but that is somehow not the truth. I can't wait to see how Marcus does it. Also, I can't wait to feel the emotions along with Marcus. I felt pain when he talked about Danny dying in his arms. This book really grabs your emotions and is a rough read but that is what makes it incredible. The blows are hard but the story is incredible. Hopefully the rest of the book was as good as what I've read.

Marcus and his team. Marcus is the third from the left. Note only 4 of the 6 went on the mission.

NOTE: I'm reading book on kindle so it gives percent not pages.

Lone Survivor

I first hear of this book when my dad and grandmother had read it and didn't stop talking about it. I was immediately intrigued. The storyline was captivating and I recently went to see the movie about. I know I say don't judge a book by its movie and I will stick by my word on this. See the movie was great and 99 times out of 100 if not 100 times out of 100, the book is better than the movie. If this stands true then I'm in for a treat.

For those of you who don't know the storyline is about a Navy Seal whose team of four went into a Middle Eastern country and I won't spoil any more, but he is the only one that comes out alive (hence the title Lone Survivor). The book is written in first person which means that I will be able to see the guy's emotions and the story from someone who was directly involved. I'm sure the story is going to be unbelievable considering everyone has said they loved it. The detail and emotions the author will go into will be unbelievable and well, frankly, I can't wait to get started. I can't wait to go on the journey with this guy and truly see everything from his eyes.

Well I Didn't See That Coming.

I've always heard the expression "A picture is worth a thousand words", but I don't know if the picture above can even describe my thoughts when reading the ending of Allegiant. If you are smart enough to realize my last post was under 24 hours ago. That should say something about how great the book was. See I love books where the ending not only is great, but makes you think. Allegiant had that just like another favorite book of mine, Animal Farm. The last two paragraph's of the book were, "Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life. That is the sort of bravery I must have now" (Roth 318). Reading it now gives me chills. It summed up the book and really shows a main theme in the book that life can get hard but you must get through it by being brave. One person in the book hates himself for his actions in life and takes the hard way out by drinking a memory serum that makes him loose his memories. He is referred to as a cowherd. The themes in the book make you think about society today. People are bullied and have hard lives but if they are brave and get through it, their lives will be better. 

Another theme in the book that was helped shown through a quote is that "...Change is difficult, and comes slowly, and that it is the work of many days strung together in a long line until the origin of them is forgotten" (Roth 298). In daily life people naturally resist change and it is shown through the book as people resist change in every sense.

I feel a great book really touches your sense while reading it and makes you upset when the book is over. Allegiant did both. I felt the emotions that the characters did and felt like I was going through the journey with them. I was reading the book on the nook and the book seemed as if it were to end on page 999 (note all three books were put into one book). Of course it doesn't end at 999 and as I clicked the button to go the next page and realized there wasn't one my heart sank. I was like"NOOOO"... at least in my head.

 I give my full compliments to Veronica Roth, the author. She truly had a well thought out idea and style that kept me into the book, feeling the emotions along with the characters. I recommend you read this book and the series before the movies come out. No movie can bring out the emotions like I felt reading the book and of course you can never judge a book by its movie. Now that my journey with Allegiant is over I will move over to a non-fiction book called Lone Survivor. Hopefully you go on that journey with me. 

NOTE: I tried to keep the spoilers to a minimum as I've had many request to not spoil the books.

NOTE #2: My BBF(Best Blog Friends) links are as follows:

             http://bookline-sinker.blogspot.com/

             http://alittlecupofjoe.blogspot.com/

             http://christinarw.weebly.com/the-wind-up-bird-chronicle.html

Allegiant Has Got My Heart

My heart beats constantly and what would come up on the monitor would look like this.

The difference between the monitor screen and the plot in Allegiant is that there is never a flat or dull moment. The book starts off where the second one left off, destruction and war in the city, unknowing whats outside. Of course the author turns the story around and the main characters leave the city into an unknown world. The author states, "There is only one question left. Cara asks it: 'When should we go?' And I volunteer an answer: 'Tomorrow night'"(Roth 47). This quote sums up Tris who was saying that they should leave the city as soon as possible. Not only does it show Tris's eagerness, but it shows her desperation. And that is a key correlation between Tris and the main theme in the book. Veronica Roth, the author makes it a key to show Tris's desperation to correlate it with desperation in society. The author is trying to say that society sometimes does desperate things that don't necessarily need to be done. Later in the book we find out that these people were put in the cities for experiments and we realize it was just desperation for an excuse.

     Immediately the book grabbed my attention as much as the others in the series and it has been hard to put down. What makes the book interesting is that it is written in the point of view of the two main characters. One chapter it might be Tris's point of view, the next Tobias's. This affects the book a lot. Not only does it provide more insight but it makes the book more entertaining. Having both points of view opens up the book to new insight and new thoughts. Point of view is a key part of a story and it is smartly used by Veronica Roth. 

Tobias says, "I can't move, can't speak. She chose me. She chose me" (Roth 291). This quote sums up my reading experience with this book so far. When I sit down to read it I just wanna relax and focus not talk or be distracted by other things. Also, as surprised as Tobias sounds I read the book turning pages and being surprised. I don't want to take away too much of your time nor of mine, and quite frankly I want to get back to reading so, until next time!

Allegiant Intro

What makes me want to read a book is probably different from what makes you read a book. For me, its knowing that the book is in a serious or has been reccomended. Both are true for the book Allegiant by Veronica Roth. You may or may not know but Allegiant is the third book in the series which all started off with Divergent. I read the first two books quickly and they were captivating and exciting and now I wanted to read the third. The series had been all over the news, due to the movie coming out, and everyone recommended it to me, even my own sister and father! So I read those first two and am ready to start the third. The way that Veronica Roth writes  really makes the books unique. The idea is unlike any other thing I've heard of the interesting message she has put forth really captivates her audience. As you read she makes you think about society and you as a person. As I am about to start the third, I wonder what Veronica Roth will put in it. I predict that Tris and Four, the two main characters, will rebel against Four's mom and see what is beyond the city's walls. Whether that comes true or not the twists and turns in the book will sure keep me captivated and I will finish the journey along with Tris and Four.