AP English Language Period 5

Monday, August 20, 2007

Summer Reading Review

This summer you had the pleasure of reading Beowulf and one other novel from the recommended list of titles in your AP Language acceptance letter. Since you must choose one more independent study novel to read this semester, you need feedback from your classmates assessing the novels they read. Out of five stars, how would you rate the book you read this summer (5=high, 1=low)? List the title you read, follow it with your rating, and explain why you would or would not recommend your choice to another reader. Your responses may be brief, but please be specific.

posted by mferrill at 9:33 AM

32 Comments:

  • This comment has been removed by the author.

    By Blogger Hannah, at August 24, 2007 1:30 PM  

  • Emma ****

    I gave the book Emma four stars. It was a good read, although considered somewhat of a girls novel. The most annoying part of the book is the character of Emma. She plays the part of a nosy match-maker, and during parts of the book I felt like screaming at her. However, this is not such a bad thing I suppose, because it shows that I really got into the story.

    Jane Eyre *****

    Jane Eyre receives 5 stars. It is an excellent novel. Just like Emma, it is considered a girl book. What I liked most about it was the strength that the main character, Jane Eyre, shows throughout the novel. While always knowing what she wants, she will not sacrifice her dignity or go against her personal values. This is what makes the novel great.

    Wuthering Heights **

    I very much disliked the book Wuthering Heights. The plot was very hard to follow, especially as there are 2 stories to follow. The actual romance is told to the main character from the point of view of a servant. While this is an interesting way to tell the story, I would not recommend it because it makes everything very confusing.

    By Blogger Hannah, at August 24, 2007 1:34 PM  

  • 1984 *****

    George Orwell’s 1984 is a fantastic read. The novel is captivating in its characters, and portrays a dystopia with brutal honesty and candid, simple, but eloquent diction. 1984 is, in my opinion, source material for all ‘modern-dystopia’ literature to follow it – this alone makes it worth the time and effort to read. My only pet-peeve with this particular novel is that it is arguably misogynistic; during the first portion of the book, the protagonist harbors violent thought towards women (one in particular), and, although this is resolved, no women are portrayed as intellectual equals to men. Of course, given the time when 1984 was written, this is understandable.

    By Blogger Sarah S., at August 24, 2007 6:39 PM  

  • 1984=****

    George Orwell's 1984 deserves 4 stars because when I first started to read it a see how he pictured the year 1984 being, I thought he was crazy. As I read, I began to see eerie similarities between what he described and things that happen in our soceity. It's a great book if you want to be opened up to a brand new view of or society and how it relates to others. My only complaint would be the ending, but unfortunatley, I had to accept it because it completely fits the tone and message of the novel.

    By Blogger Amanda W, at August 25, 2007 5:42 PM  

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    By Blogger katie_r, at August 26, 2007 12:53 AM  

  • Wuthering Heights****

    I would have to disagree with hannah d, giving it 4 stars. I really liked, in fact it is one of my favorite books. Sometimes it was confusing for a paragraph, but I was still able to follow the story just fine. You kind of always knew what was going to happen in the end, but the leading up to that point had so many different twists that I thought it a very fun book to read and often times couldn't put it down.
    The only complaint is that certain characters did get somewhat repetitive after a while.

    By Blogger katie_r, at August 26, 2007 1:00 AM  

  • 1984 ****

    I also give 1984 a four star rating, this time for the progression of the book. The beginning of the book was hard start, but once it was a few pages in, it turned into a quick and fascinating read. Then about the middle of the book was approximately a 10 page section of pure boredom. To be more specific, Orwell put all of his explanations for the entire novel in one section. It was not only difficult to understand, but the language he used was very textbook-like. Once this section was finished though, the rest of the novel was again fast paced and interesting; scarily accurate in comparison to our society. The only final dissapointment was indeed the ending of the book. It really went against the expectations that we as readers have come to expect. The last sentance is an ending that one will either love or hate. (I hate to reveal more without giving away the ending of the novel.)

    In summary, it's a fantastic read that I would highly reccomend.

    By Blogger jessica m, at August 26, 2007 12:41 PM  

  • The Power and the Glory

    5 out of 5 stars

    Graham Greene is a fantastic writer who paints a vivid and believable picture of the protaganist's inner-struggle. Unlike F. Scott Fitzgerald, Greene's descriptive writing is very straightforward, making it almost more beautiful. The characters are real and multi-dimensional, extremely easy to relate to. The positive characters have flaws, while the antagonists have redeeming characteristics. It is about the true nature of good and the acceptance of self. Its message is fantastic and undeniable.

    I highly recommend this book to anyone. It is both powerful and glorious.

    By Blogger Spencer Z, at August 26, 2007 12:49 PM  

  • Pilgrim's Progress ***

    It's a pretty good read in terms of an English analytical book, but not very entertaining as far as details or realistic conversations go. It is deeply rooted in Christianity, so if you are offended by Christians, this is not the book for you. Some of the symbolism is obvious (such as peoples' names), but other symbols require more thought. Overall, the storyline was rich in plot, if not details, and the characters weren't bad.

    By Blogger Lauren H., at August 26, 2007 2:00 PM  

  • Wuthering Heights****

    I would also give Wuthering Heights 4 stars. It had an interesting plot and all of the characters had different personalities. It was a little bit predictable, but that made the plot pretty easy to follow. It was also interesting how Emily Bronte used the same names for different characters. Sometimes, I got a little frustrated with how the characters acted towards one another depending on their social status, but it got better for me in the end.

    By Blogger Kaity M., at August 26, 2007 4:11 PM  

  • 1984 ****

    Like Sarah, Amanda, and Jessica, I too thought 1984 was overall a great novel. Though it wasn't a page-turner for me until the end, I feel it is an important book to read because its perspective seems exceptionally fresh. Most Americans realize the flaws of our society today, but because 1984 was written in the '40s, George Orwell's ideas come off more as a rude awakening to urge action.

    I like the ending because it is entirely necessary to the rest of the story; the last sentence makes the largest impact and foreshadows some characteristics of our current society: stereotypical and conformist.

    By Blogger Abby M., at August 26, 2007 4:16 PM  

  • 1984 *****

    I loved this book. I agree with Jessica in that it was a bit hard to get into but once I did, it blew me away. There was so much that Orwell predicted correctly about society that it scared me, but it a good way. I love how the book makes you think long and hard about society, and the slow deterioration of individuality. I also agree with Abby on her views of the ending; it was my favorite part of the book. It was hard to accept the tragic existence of humanity it portrayed, but it was necessary.

    I highly recommend 1984!

    By Blogger allison n, at August 26, 2007 6:37 PM  

  • The Once and the Future King ** ½

    This summer I read the longest book of the bunch about King Arthur. I do have to say that this novel did seem to drag on a little longer than I wanted. White’s novel tells the “true” legend of King Arthur. Readers watch Arthur go from being the squire, Wart, to the legendary King of England. The love affair between Launcelot and Guenever is very wishy washy, which makes the book seem even more lengthy. If you get pleasure in reading legends about wizards, magic, and knights, than you will enjoy this novel.

    I would give this novel 2 ½ stars because it was a good book, but some of the events were very elongated. I enjoyed this novel.

    By Blogger Erin L., at August 26, 2007 8:15 PM  

  • 1984 *****
    I highly recommend 1984. Like everyone else has said it makes eerie connections to today’s society. I also enjoyed the way it made me think. I finished the book at 4 a.m. and I stayed up until 6 a.m. thinking about it. The best part of this book for me was the fact that it made me question myself. It made me wonder if I had it in me to go as far as, or even further than some of the characters in the novel. If you want a book that will make you question your very existence this is the book.

    By Blogger mvancleef, at August 26, 2007 8:54 PM  

  • 1984*****

    This book kept me interested for the most part. Adding on to what the others have commented on, the symbols and motifs throughout the book keeps one interested and aware. Each adds to the overall message, confirmed in the last line of the book. The book, like moriah said, makes one analyze and compare the book, even after it is completed. I thought this book was very eye-opening and would highly recommend it for anyone who would like a compelling and controvercial read.

    By Blogger Christine B, at August 27, 2007 3:29 PM  

  • Jane Eyre*****

    Five stars, this is one of my favorite books of all time. Guys, it's definitely a girl book! It starts out a little slow, but it quickly becomes an edge-of-your-seat thriller with the passionate, controversial romance between Jane and Mr. Rochester, and the earth-shattering secret that could destroy it all! I couldn't put it down! I appreciated Jane's strength of mind, and I especially loved the character of Mr. Rochester, brooding and, mysterious, sardonic and witty. Ooh la la!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at August 27, 2007 8:06 PM  

  • Huckleberry Finn****

    Although this novel cannot be read for the next reading assinment, Huckleberry Finn was a very worthwhile read. The author, Mark Twain, tells the story of two runnaways through the eyes of a teenage boy, Huck. This story paints a clear picture of what went on in a southerner's mind in relation to slavery. The ending is exciting and to the point; however, there is a lull in the middle of the book. Overall the story deserves a four star rating because of its rich American heritage.

    By Blogger Megan, at August 28, 2007 12:34 PM  

  • 1984
    Two Stars

    I believe that 1984 contains exaggerated, yet possible predictions for the future. It also has very vivid and moving images; this is why I found it interesting. However, I also found 1984 to be extremely slow, and not far into the story it became very tedious to read. For this reason I would not recommend this novel.

    Like others who read 1984, the ending was my favorite part; it is upsetting, yet realistic and captivating at the same time.

    By Blogger emilee p, at August 28, 2007 8:54 PM  

  • A Tale of two cities
    3 out of 5 stars

    At times, the novel was conmpelling and had me very interested however there were various instances in which there was so little action I simply felt like putting the book down. Because of this up and down pace I give the novel three stars. I you enjoy war stories or the French revolution I would highly suggest the novel. If not, you may want to consider another of these fabulous works.

    By Blogger Ryanp, at August 29, 2007 5:15 PM  

  • 1984

    Five stars

    I thought that the novel 1984 was an excellent read that kept my attention throughout. I thought George Orwell's perspective on what the year 1984 was going to be was very interesting especially since he wrote it after WWII. It was weird to think that his predictions, although not yet true, could someday come about. Another great thing about the book was all the terms and references that I have always heard throughout my life that have come from this book. It filled in many gaps to references (such as Big Brother and doublespeak) that I previously did not know about.
    As a whole I really enjoyed reading 1984 and the scary "truths" that come with it.

    By Blogger Thomas_N, at August 29, 2007 7:35 PM  

  • 1984

    * * *

    I read the novel 1984 over the summer and I would give it three out of five stars. From the very beginning, I had somewhat of a difficult time in becoming interested in the plot. Part 1 of the novel seemed extremely elongated. Nothing of major significance happened until the middle part of the story, which made for quite a dull read. But I, like everyone else who read this novel, found the end to be intriguing. However, I cannot give a favorable recommendation to a novel that is so exhausting in the introduction.

    By Blogger matt l, at August 29, 2007 8:19 PM  

  • 1984-

    I agree with all those before me, it was a great read. In my opinion it was exactly like Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury except slightly more scandalous. The writing was easy to understand and the plot was exciting enough that I didn't have a problem getting through it. The people before me said it made multiple and significant comments on currect society, which I'll agree with. Science fiction novels, from what I understand, are written with the intent to warn the society about dangers ahead. This book makes you question whether or not we have succeeded in averting the dysphoric society that Sarah mentioned.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at August 30, 2007 5:55 PM  

  • Emma ****

    I gave Emma four stars. Like Hannah said it is considered a girl book. I thought parts of it tended to drag out for too long. Sometimes it was obvious what was going to happen, but that event didn't happen for quite a while. Unlike Hannah, I thought the character of Emma was a funny character because of her nosy match-making. Over all I would say that Emma was a good book.

    By Blogger Unknown, at August 30, 2007 8:16 PM  

  • Wuthering Heights ***
    I'm going to go right in the middle of Hannah D and Katie R because I kind of agree with both of them in a sense. I found it very hard to follow at most points, yet there were a few paragraphs in between that clarified a few things for me. It was definately a challenging book for me but it was a decent book. One other thing that I didn't like that much was the point of view from which the story was told. Wuthering Heights is worth reading because it is a challenge and a good read at the same time.

    By Blogger lauren f., at August 30, 2007 9:09 PM  

  • A Tale of Two Cities
    by Charles Dickens
    * * * * *
    5 Stars

    First I must say that I love classics.

    This novel by Dickens climbed my all time favorite books list. The Tale of Two Cities contains a wide variety of emotions ranging from love and desire to betrayal and deceit. Staging during the French revolution, Dickens moves back and forth between the two places England and France. It is amazing how two countries adjacent to each other can be so varied, almost opposite to each other.

    Wonderfully, Dickens implements characters with different complexions into these places then guides these characters into intertwining paths. Just Brilliant!

    Dan Huh

    By Blogger Dan, at August 30, 2007 9:44 PM  

  • 1984-George Orwell ****
    I would reccomend 1984 to anyone who enjoys reading. This was an amazing novel, but I am only giving it 4 stars because, like others, I felt the end was dissapointing, it was extremely important to wake up society, but still dissapointing. I felt this was a great novel because it held my attention throughout the novel, as I sought to find the truth in this strange controlled society. 1984 may challenge some predictions you have for society, but it gives a great outlook on individualism and the worth of the freedoms we have in America. Even though this novel was published in 1949, it is amazing (or possible frightening) how many of Orwell's predictions have come true. This novel will wake you up and make you think.

    By Blogger ChristineT, at August 30, 2007 11:07 PM  

  • Emma***
    Unlike Hannah and Kelly, I gave Emma three stars because I thought that it was difficult to dive into the reading at the beginning of the book. The language of the book is unusual because it is written in a way that is not spoken today and the author places a bunch of sophisticated words in the midst of ordinary sentences, which makes the reading quite hard to understand. Another reason why I would not recommend anyone to read this book is because I think that the majority of the book was just used as a filler, since all of the action of the book occurs in the last one hundred pages.

    By Blogger anam, at August 31, 2007 5:37 AM  

  • 1984-George Orwell


    I really enjoyed George Orwell's 1984 and would give it a solid rating of 4 stars. I was interesting because the topic of "Big Brother" is becoming more and more relevant as world evolves. There wasn't anything really wrong with the book, but at points it can become and dull and hard to understand. The evolution of Winston Smith is remarkable and he is anything but boring. This book has everything you could want and I would seriously recommend this classic novel.

    By Blogger Unknown, at August 31, 2007 9:39 AM  

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    By Blogger Andie R, at August 31, 2007 1:10 PM  

  • Wuthering Heights ****

    In the beginning, Wuthering Heights can be hard to settle in to. I was constantly having to remind myself which character was speaking, but eventually it all fell into place. The way in which the story is told is a bit unorthodox, mainly because it consists of multiple stories all overlapping. It made the story seem more interesting, but also brought up questions as to why the narrator was necessary or what his purpose was. Also, I found it unbelievable that a character could accurately recall and tell, word for word, conversations and events that happened over twenty years ago in her life (as seen when the nurse is speaking of the past).

    Besides that, I did enjoy the story itself. The characters were maddening, but only because they were exhibiting their respective natures. I would recommend it.

    By Blogger Andie R, at August 31, 2007 1:12 PM  

  • The Catcher in the Rye ***

    The reason Catcher gets three stars is because while you are reading the book it may seem rather aimless. The main character was, in my opinion, completely unsympathetic, and the plot was nearly non-existant. Be forwarned that the book is very depressing and will seem interminable. However, the character study in the book was remarkable and arguably the best I have ever seen, because despite the time difference of the 50's to the 2000's, Holden could be anybody in the room.

    -Annie Hathaway

    By Blogger Informant0097, at August 31, 2007 10:30 PM  

  • 1984 ****

    I would give 1984 a four star rating because it was a little tough to get into. I was fascinated with the similarities of the society in the novel and our society and it interested me that George Orwell seemed to be making predictions for out future society. if you like science fiction books then I would highly recommend this one. Just be sure to set aside a good amount of time to read it because it takes a little while to get into.

    By Blogger Natalie M, at September 03, 2007 5:15 PM  

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