Since my parents are coming into town tomorrow for my son's first b-day and will be here until March 5th I am going to write my comments early.
I liked the second half of the book better than the first. I thought that she did a pretty good job with suspense. Even though she gave a lot of stuff away pretty early you still wanted to keep reading to read it for sure.
I was annoyed with the tragedy of Ross. I was also annoyed that it took falling in love again to knock him out of his selfish attitude. It was more like he replaced his lost love - he didn't really get over anything he just took up his love for the new girl where he left off with the old one. He didn't learn to forgive himself or even really to live for himself. He did learn that there were more people on earth to live for and that he wanted to live for them. Which is a start but not a fix to his emotional baggage. And while I love a good happy ending I was annoyed that everybody found their true love at the end of the book. It was just a little too perfect and fateful.
I cringed everytime that Lia tried to commit suicide while she was pregnant. Her relationship with her husband was interesting because she seemed to truly love him even though he didn't know her or try to know her. The author did a good job of making her husband a well-balanced character- he wasn't all bad or all good. He was seriously misguided and blind but he cared for Lia in the only way he knew. He had good intentions but he was so misguided and prejudiced that he could only hurt the situation.
I thought the prejudice against the gypsies was an interesting and terrifying bit of history. The US that we live in today is so different. Prejudice does still exist of course but it is so different. It is amazing to me that people with that kind of mindset could have had so much power and been so mainstream.
Overall I thought it was an o.k. book. It didn't wow me but it wasn't too disappointing either.
Wednesday, February 21
Tuesday, February 13
Fablehaven
I apologize for being really late with my posting. I finished the book about two weeks ago, and just haven't made the time to write anything.
I really enjoyed Fablehaven. I really could just say "Ditto" to everything that everyone else said. I too appreciated the idea that we don't always see things as they truly are. It made me wonder how much goes on around us that we are completely unaware of. The section where the kids discover that the insects are attracted to the mirror was puzzling until the reader was made to understand that the insects were fairies. The author was very adept at throwing in twists and turns that were very unpredictable. Maybe I'm a bit slow, but I had no idea that the hen was Grandma, that Kendra would go to the Fairy Queen for help (So I could have guessed at that one.), that Lena would be turned back into her original form, the fairies would become human sized, and etc. I was also annoyed with Seth. He was an idiot. I wanted to like him for being an adventurous boy, but I was disappointed by his inability to be obedient. I've always been an obedient person, so I, at times have little patience with those who aren't. My poor children.
It was a fun read, and I look forward to reading the sequel. I need to read the first one to my kids first.
I really enjoyed Fablehaven. I really could just say "Ditto" to everything that everyone else said. I too appreciated the idea that we don't always see things as they truly are. It made me wonder how much goes on around us that we are completely unaware of. The section where the kids discover that the insects are attracted to the mirror was puzzling until the reader was made to understand that the insects were fairies. The author was very adept at throwing in twists and turns that were very unpredictable. Maybe I'm a bit slow, but I had no idea that the hen was Grandma, that Kendra would go to the Fairy Queen for help (So I could have guessed at that one.), that Lena would be turned back into her original form, the fairies would become human sized, and etc. I was also annoyed with Seth. He was an idiot. I wanted to like him for being an adventurous boy, but I was disappointed by his inability to be obedient. I've always been an obedient person, so I, at times have little patience with those who aren't. My poor children.
It was a fun read, and I look forward to reading the sequel. I need to read the first one to my kids first.
Sunday, February 11
Fabulous Fablehaven
Ladies,
It's great to welcome two new members of Les Liseuses. I will look forward to the new perspectives. It was also fun to meet Amanda during the Christmas holidays.
I do have to apologize. . . . I was first on Persian Pickle, but I am late on Fablehaven, my own book! It just took me a while to get the new blog going. (KT . . . thanks for getting me into this!) Oh, well . . . I hope it is truly better late than never.
I recommended Fablehaven without having read it myself and I am glad that it lived up to expectations. (My friend, Holly Newton, reviews children's literature and she thought it was awesome.) I, too, got a kick out of the author's biography. I was trying to figure out exactly where he lived to have such a good view of the prison :) I appreciated his writing style and am looking forward to the sequal.
I agree with those of you who were frustrated with Seth. Once he understood how serious their situation was, I assumed he would follow his Grandfather's requests. Even my strong-willed sons would rise to expectations when I was really clear with them about the consequences. However, there is a place in the book where either the Grandfather or Grandmother talks about Seth's virtues. Unfortunately, I didn't underline in this book because I wanted to make it available to my students, so now I can't find the quote. But I remember being surprised that there were any redeeming features in the "knotheaded" boy! I guess his risk-taking will come in handy in the future.
I also enjoyed the development of the relationship between Kendra and her grandparents. It was neat to see them preparing the next generation to take over their responsibilities. I guess in a sense, that is what we all do with our children (and grandchildren). Kendra's willingness to overcome her own fears in order to save her family was very maternal. Her intuition seemed uniquely feminine and I appreciated her ingenuity. I was glad the "hero" was a girl.
That's all for now. It's getting late and I have school in the morning. I will pick up a copy of Second Glance this week and will start reading ASAP. Again, I'm glad you enjoyed the book.
--Karen
It's great to welcome two new members of Les Liseuses. I will look forward to the new perspectives. It was also fun to meet Amanda during the Christmas holidays.
I do have to apologize. . . . I was first on Persian Pickle, but I am late on Fablehaven, my own book! It just took me a while to get the new blog going. (KT . . . thanks for getting me into this!) Oh, well . . . I hope it is truly better late than never.
I recommended Fablehaven without having read it myself and I am glad that it lived up to expectations. (My friend, Holly Newton, reviews children's literature and she thought it was awesome.) I, too, got a kick out of the author's biography. I was trying to figure out exactly where he lived to have such a good view of the prison :) I appreciated his writing style and am looking forward to the sequal.
I agree with those of you who were frustrated with Seth. Once he understood how serious their situation was, I assumed he would follow his Grandfather's requests. Even my strong-willed sons would rise to expectations when I was really clear with them about the consequences. However, there is a place in the book where either the Grandfather or Grandmother talks about Seth's virtues. Unfortunately, I didn't underline in this book because I wanted to make it available to my students, so now I can't find the quote. But I remember being surprised that there were any redeeming features in the "knotheaded" boy! I guess his risk-taking will come in handy in the future.
I also enjoyed the development of the relationship between Kendra and her grandparents. It was neat to see them preparing the next generation to take over their responsibilities. I guess in a sense, that is what we all do with our children (and grandchildren). Kendra's willingness to overcome her own fears in order to save her family was very maternal. Her intuition seemed uniquely feminine and I appreciated her ingenuity. I was glad the "hero" was a girl.
That's all for now. It's getting late and I have school in the morning. I will pick up a copy of Second Glance this week and will start reading ASAP. Again, I'm glad you enjoyed the book.
--Karen
Saturday, February 3
Fablehaven...finely
Hello, let me re-introduce myself. My name is Michelle and I am currently Katie's roommate...at least for the next couple of months. Amazing that it could be that I could actually live with Katie and not post. I am a bit slow sometimes and I just figured out how this blasted thing works on this new fangled system. Anyway, here is my report...
Fablehaven was a cute little novel that caught my attention and I was able to read it in just days. I liked the idea of having a sanctuary for all the "fairy tale" characters that need refuge. I would hope that I would be open minded enough to see what those kids finely saw. I too like the idea that the little "insects" flying around in the garden would actually be fairies...but who too thought that they could be so tough.
I do have to say that I was super frustrated with Seth. I thought what a dumb bunny he was and how he never learned. I can understand sort of pushing the envelope with the rules but when the consequences were as dramatic as they were the first time, I was shocked that not even hours later Seth was being naughty again. Perhaps my naivety in not having children allowed my impatience with him to distract from the story but he never learned. I suppose it is a lesson that we need to learn. We need to be able to learn from our own mistakes and then learn from those around us. Maybe I was frustrated with Seth, perhaps because I am so like him...(deep, I know!)
I really like the lessons that we can learn from seeing out how consequences are paid out according to our decisions. Many of the decisions of grandpa and the kids show us this. Seth didn't know that the fairy would change if certain things were not done. Yet it changed the fairy for the worse...sad. I am just glad that things were righted in the end. One other thing, I would love to have those creatures (I can't remember their name and I don't have the book with me) but they come up at night and fix the stuff that is broken. I need that!
I have to agree with Katie in her assessment in the religious themes throughout. (Isn't this author LDS?) Truely how do we get through our lives without interjecting religious themes in our lives.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I really have enjoyed the diversity of all the books that we have been reading.
Thanks again Katie for setting this up!
Fablehaven was a cute little novel that caught my attention and I was able to read it in just days. I liked the idea of having a sanctuary for all the "fairy tale" characters that need refuge. I would hope that I would be open minded enough to see what those kids finely saw. I too like the idea that the little "insects" flying around in the garden would actually be fairies...but who too thought that they could be so tough.
I do have to say that I was super frustrated with Seth. I thought what a dumb bunny he was and how he never learned. I can understand sort of pushing the envelope with the rules but when the consequences were as dramatic as they were the first time, I was shocked that not even hours later Seth was being naughty again. Perhaps my naivety in not having children allowed my impatience with him to distract from the story but he never learned. I suppose it is a lesson that we need to learn. We need to be able to learn from our own mistakes and then learn from those around us. Maybe I was frustrated with Seth, perhaps because I am so like him...(deep, I know!)
I really like the lessons that we can learn from seeing out how consequences are paid out according to our decisions. Many of the decisions of grandpa and the kids show us this. Seth didn't know that the fairy would change if certain things were not done. Yet it changed the fairy for the worse...sad. I am just glad that things were righted in the end. One other thing, I would love to have those creatures (I can't remember their name and I don't have the book with me) but they come up at night and fix the stuff that is broken. I need that!
I have to agree with Katie in her assessment in the religious themes throughout. (Isn't this author LDS?) Truely how do we get through our lives without interjecting religious themes in our lives.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and I really have enjoyed the diversity of all the books that we have been reading.
Thanks again Katie for setting this up!
Friday, February 2
Another Newbie
I guess I should follow D's lead and introduce myself. Our husbands are very good buddies and when D came into Matt's life I was grateful she and I hit it off so well. She is a gem! I was so sad to see them move away from us. They were one of our very few fave couples that left the Provo area and now me and Ian are all alone. Whah.
After my first year of being a mom I am excited to start reading novels again. I remember reading my head off when I was pregnant, but that came to a hault the moment Liam was born. You can see more of his cuteness on my link in the sidebar. Besides reading a good book, I love surfing the blogosphere and reading up on real life friends and bloggy friends. I love taking photos of my boy and posting them up on his blog too! I never thought journaling could be so much fun!
I certainly don't have the education and experience D has in the literature department, but I do love putting my nose into a recommended book. I don't tend to read books on the fly... only ones that are preferred by someone I know. Being in a book club is the best way to find all kinds of goodness that I wouldn't have otherwise run into. Thanks, Katie, for inviting me to join here.
If you want to know more about me, Click here to read my 100 things about me!
After my first year of being a mom I am excited to start reading novels again. I remember reading my head off when I was pregnant, but that came to a hault the moment Liam was born. You can see more of his cuteness on my link in the sidebar. Besides reading a good book, I love surfing the blogosphere and reading up on real life friends and bloggy friends. I love taking photos of my boy and posting them up on his blog too! I never thought journaling could be so much fun!
I certainly don't have the education and experience D has in the literature department, but I do love putting my nose into a recommended book. I don't tend to read books on the fly... only ones that are preferred by someone I know. Being in a book club is the best way to find all kinds of goodness that I wouldn't have otherwise run into. Thanks, Katie, for inviting me to join here.
If you want to know more about me, Click here to read my 100 things about me!
Thursday, February 1
Just wanted to introduce myself
My name is Danielle Wheeler- my screen name is qweengoober. Thanks for the invite to this book club. I love reading and I love finding/discovering new book. When I was in elementary school I wanted to be a librarian so that I could be surrounded by books all day. :) I found this book club through Liam's Mom who mentioned it on her blog. I know her personally(beyond the blog) through my husband who went to high school with her husband. So a little about myself- I am a Sahm to an 11 month old son. I have an English secondary ed (junior high/high school) degree that I use to tutor some of the kids in my ward. My husband is a visual effects artist who mostly works on commercials(although right now he is working on a movie). Because of his job we moved to the LA area about a year and a half ago. We live in a wonderful family oriented community outside of LA that we love. If you want to hear me brag about my son you can go to my blog here. :) I am looking forward to picking up Second Glance at my library this afternoon.
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