Book/Play Review: Lysistrata by Aristophanes

Author: Aristophanes
Title: Lysistrata
Genre: Play, Humor, and classic
Pages: ebook
First Published: 411 BC
Where I Got It: On my shelf (free download)

"Aristophanes' play, Lysistrata, takes place toward the end of the Peloponnesian War and centers on the lives of the soldiers' wives. One woman, Lysistrata, under the impression that a man's libido is ultimately his driving force in life, comes up with an interesting peace solution: to deny their husbands sexual relations until they can settle on a peace agreement that will end the war. However, Lysistrata's strategy effectively creates even more war than before as the sexes begin to feud with each other. Aristophanes' play is both comic and poignant as it reveals the relationship between men and women in classical Athens society."

I heard of this a long time ago and it peaked my interest, but I never really gave it a shot. Now that I am taking LIT411, this was an assigned reading and I was excited!

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh you Ancient Greeks you. You know how to make me a happy kid. This was just a classic satire piece of the time. Honestly, if you don't laugh out loud at least once while reading this (or watching this) then you have no humor. I felt bad, because I read this for a little bit during our road trip to Ohio and I couldn't help but just laugh! You just can't help it.

I really want to watch this performed live, but I doubt I'll ever get the pleasure. :/ Oh well, I guess. Just watching a rendition on YouTube or whatever will sate me...I guess. 

The only thing I really didn't like was some of the chorus parts. Some where funny, but it got old at some points. I'm glad the writer took a break and had dialogue of the characters again. Other then that, I adored this play. I know I'll be re-reading this in the future. 

In the end, this was fun and funny. People who love plays and love a good laugh will enjoy this play. It is free online, which is where I got my copy, but be careful with translation you get, because there are a couple out there that kind of suck. 0.0 Well, I shall stamp this with 5 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Lysistrata, Calonice, and the Old Men (they were a riot!)
Not-so favorite Character(s): The Magistrate

Book Review: The Stranger by Albert Camus

Author: Albert Camus
Title: The Stranger
Genre: Classic, Fiction
Pages: 123
First Published: 1942
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

"Through the story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on an Algerian beach, Camus explored what he termed 'the nakedness of man faced with the absurd.'"







Randomly stumbled upon this while at the library and I thought I'd give it a go. Had no idea this was a "popular classic".

Well....I'm not sure where to begin or what to really say....ummm....

Well, this was interesting and random. I'm honestly surprised in my college experience so far I haven't read this yet or even heard of it. It's supposedly a "fine" example of existentialism. NEW LITERARY TERM I LEARNED! Head of the English department would be proud of me. haha. After doing some research on this theory and thought process, I can agree. Albert Camus' novel does embody it. The main character, Mersault, especially is a model of this.

Oooooooooooooh Mersault. You silly, silly man. I think he has something wrong with him. He has no feelings. What do I mean by that? He doesn't care about anything. Even when he ends up in jail he shows nothing and feels nothing until he snaps at a priest. That was the most he ever displayed or felt. Throughout the whole book he just didn't care. The only things he cared about was eating, sleeping, having fun with his pals, and sleeping with his girlfriend. I get the message and that it doesn't matter ultimately in the end. Everyone is to die and there is nothing one can do. Fate has already dealt out your hand without your consent. The government and law and other people have complete control over you ultimately. That is why Mersault doesn't really care. 

Also, the book makes one question what makes one human or makes one part of society. There are certain things one must feel/display to be considered human. There are certain norms of humanity. Mersault does not follow the majority of these norms and thus is used against him and labels him "inhuman" and a "monster" and should be punished. Even though him killing the Arab was an accident, he doesn't feel regret one would normally feel. It's not that he's a cold-blooded killer, he just doesn't have the ability to feel "regret" or "remorse". Hell, he didn't feel anything when his mother died. He just felt tired and wanted a cup of coffee with a cigarette. Yet, again, the last point I made comes to play here. He could have stood up and defended himself until his throat was raw, but he saw no point. In the end, he's going to die someday. 

I could defiantly see this book being discussed in a literature class. 

It is a simple and quick read. The author wrote this in Mersault's POV, so it was simple and not over flowing with fancy words or anything. I'm glad he picked this way, because it made one understand the character better. I do, however, wish I had read this in the original language. It's in French and I'm a little rusty, so I decided to continue this in English. Usually in translation something is lost, so someday I think I may find this in the original language and read it. 

In the end, this was an interesting read. It was a small book and I got it done within 24 hours. This is not by any means the book of the century, but it is something someone should read if they like the classics. It truly does make one look at the world differently and makes one think. I shall stamp this with...ummm....4 stars? More like 3.5 but I don't give decimals. 

Favorite Character(s): No one
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Raymond and the Magistrate

Book Review: 1984 by George Orwell

Author: George Orwell
Title: 1984
Genre: Classic, Science Fiction, Dystopia
Pages: 328
First Published: 1949
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

"Written in 1948, 1984 was George Orwell's chilling prophecy about the future. And while the year 1984 has come and gone, Orwell's narrative is timelier than ever. 1984 presents a startling and haunting vision of the world, so powerful that it is completely convincing from start to finish. No one can deny the power of this novel, its hold on the imaginations of multiple generations of readers, or the resiliency of its admonitions. A legacy that seems only to grow with the passage of time."


This would be my second time reading this book. The first time I've read this was in High School for my Senior's English class. It's been a little while since I've read this, but with all the references in my Contemporary class this semester, I've decided to revisit this book.

Just....wow....I forgot how dark and depressing this book is. However, you can't help but put keep reading. It's like a car accident...you just can't but look with wide eyes. Ah hahaha. The cover seems to be appropriate.

This may be dark and depressing and there seems to be hope, but good ol' Georgie Orwell rips it away from you. However, you are left with the reminiscent of the hope. *SPOILER ALERT* Winston and Julia do fall in love and decide to rebel against Big Brother...both are no-nos. At first there seems to be that hope for these characters and for this world. Love seems to be the key. However, at the end Winston and Julia are captured by the minions of Big Brother and they betray each other and turn to love Big Brother. There seems to be no hope and I don't see it, but one can debate that Julia and Winston created a ripple and maybe someday they will relight the flame of rebellion against Big Brother. A load of crap, but its nice to think that such a dark book has a tiny, tiny flame of hope. *SPOILER END* Alas, I don't personally see the hope in the text, but after the text. Perhaps this will wake up those who read it and not allow their government to be like this. The hope lies in the awakening and knowledge given to the reader. HAHA. My professor would be proud of me. Too bad we didn't read this in class.

Sorry....in class we've been talking a lot about hope and darkness and etc. So...it's stuck in my head. XD

Anyways....I was very upset with the ending. I really hated all that went down and it made me mad that George Orwell took away the hope that I was having. I knew what was going to happen, but still...I hoped for a different ending. HOWEVER, I understand WHY he ended it the way he did. It's very symbolic and meaningful. Which brings me to the next point.

This was a very meaningful and genius book. Pure genius and I can see this lasting the sands of times and kids in future English classes having to read this. Every kid SHOULD read this book especially when learning about the time period in which it was written. Waaaaaaaaaay better then 'Animal Farm' (hated that book with every fiber of my being) to getting the point across. 

Well, that's all I have to say without giving away anymore major spoilers....

This was just as dark and depressing as it had been the last time I've read this. I understood the meaning and symbolic-standing behind this the first time, but with time comes wisdom. I have taken many literature classes and I've read many more books and learned more about history, so this just really stuck with me more this time. I really should watch the movie (there is a movie right? Or am I mistaking). I would recommend this to those that like classics and those that want a good adventure that will make them wide-eyed and make them think about the world. In the end, I shall stamp this book with 3 stars. One star more then what I gave it last time. ^.^

 Favorite Character(s): Winston (at the beginning), Julia (at the beginning), and O'Brien (made my skin crawl, but he was a gentlemen. Just read and see what I mean).
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Everyone else....especially BIG BROTHER (even though you never see him)

  

Book/Play Review: Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Author: William Shakespeare
Title: Hamlet
Genre: Drama, Classic, Play
Pages: 42
First Published: 1603
Where I Got It: On my shelf (my big bad book of William Shakespeare

"A tragedy by William Shakespeare. Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatizes the revenge Prince Hamlet exacts on his uncle Claudius for murdering King Hamlet, Claudius's brother and Prince Hamlet's father, and then succeeding to the throne and taking as his wife Gertrude, the old king's widow and Prince Hamlet's mother. The play vividly portrays both true and feigned madness—from overwhelming grief to seething rage—and explores themes of treachery, revenge, incest, and moral corruption."

Well...I'm going to divide and conquer this review. ^.^

The Good

• Drama, drama, and more drama. Though I hate drama in real life, I LOVE Billy's world of drama
• Liked Young Hamlet, even though he wasn't the brightest bulb in the fixture at times.
• The madness was hilarious and tragic all at the same time
• Keep me on the edge of my seat! I wanted Claudis to get what was coming to him.
• It was complex and you all know how I love my complex stories
• It was a quick read, perhaps its just goes to me either getting use to Billy's use of language OR the fact I had to read this for class...perhaps both. 
• Loved the fact that the "villains" of the story were complex and not the A-typical baddie, even Claudis seems to be a little villain-isc though...
• Loved the idea of the ghost aspect. It really added darkness and something unique to this. Also, it was a nice twist and made you think. Could Hamlet be crazy? Or is this ghost thing legit?

The Bad and the Ugly

• The ending. 
• The fact that the Queen married her brother-in-law. That made me mad. Gah, stupid chit.
• I hated the fact that Hamlet was dumb and sensitive and easily distracted...Heck if I was Papa Hamlet I would have not asked Hamlet to do this task of revenge. Tsk. 

Conclusion

This was pretty good and I can see why this was one of the most famous of Billy Shakespeare's plays (behind 'Romeo & Juliet'). It was really good and entertaining. I really should watch it in action, be it a movie or a play. The characters were amazing and complex. I liked Young Hamlet, but he was a sensitive fool at times. I also loved the adding of the ghost made this special and unique. However, though this was really good I loathed the ending. Gah. Made me mad. >.> Anyways....I would recommend this for those that love the classics or are looking for a good play/book. I grant this 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Young Hamlet (at times he annoyed me, though), the Ghost of Papa Hamlet, and Laetres. 

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Young Hamlet (sensitive fool) and Queen Gertrude (*grumbles*) 

*CaroleRae*

Book Review: Of Mice and Men

Author: John Steinbeck

Title: Of Mice and Men
Genre:classics, Historical Fiction, YA
Pages: 107

First Published: 1937
Where I Got It: borrowed from Library


"The tragic story of the complex bond between two migrant laborers in Central California. They are George Milton and Lennie Small, itinerant ranch hands who dream of one day owning a small farm. George acts as a father figure to Lennie, who is a very large, simple-minded man, calming him and helping to rein in his immense physical strength."




I read this in High School a few years ago. I remembered I liked it and so I decided to give this another read, just for the heck of it.

Again...I am stunned that this is a YA book and read in a High School setting. I feel like it is a little more mature and I am stunned that the prudish school boards and all them allowed this book to be read in Freshmen classes and the rest of them. I mean its not R rated or anything, but there is some mature scenes. 

But yeah, I do like this book. It's a complex and simple story of the human condition. It delves into the most complex creatures on this Earth....humans. It talks about how humans like to feel superior and make the weak feel weaker. They love using others weaknesses against them. 

It's a good, quick read that makes you think and I like that. If you read the classics, you need to read this one. I hate the ending, though. I love my tragedies and I seen this ending coming, but I loath it. I feel that John Steinbeck should have gave an ending that gives hope for human kind and that people can be better, but no. No. No. No. *Sighs* I understand what he was pointing out with the last scene, but still.....

In the end, I recommend this for those that like to think with books and for those that love the classics. It's a simple and quick book, but it really does make you think. I wish I could make this review longer, but I can't go into much detail for anything I say is a spoiler. Haha. Overall, I stamp this book with a four. 

Favorite Character(s): Lennie, George, and the dog.
Not-so Favorite Character(s): everyone else.

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<3CaroleRae

Book Review: Northanger Abbey

Author: Jane Austen

Title: Northanger Abbey
Genre: Historical Romance, Classic, Gothic, humor
Pages: 205

First Published: December 1817
Where I Got It: My shelf (bought at Goodwill)

"Northanger Abbey follows seventeen-year-old Gothic novel aficionado Catherine Morland and family friends Mr. and Mrs. Allen as they visit Bath. It is Catherine's first visit there. She meets new friends, such as Isabella Thorpe, and goes to balls. Catherine finds herself pursued by Isabella's brother, the rough-mannered, slovenly John Thorpe, and by her real love interest, Henry Tilney. She also becomes friends with Eleanor Tilney, Henry's younger sister. Henry captivates her with his view on novels and his knowledge of history and the world. General Tilney (Henry and Eleanor's father) invites Catherine to visit their estate, Northanger Abbey, which, from her reading of Ann Radcliffe's Gothic novel The Mysteries of Udolpho, she expects to be dark, ancient and full of Gothic horrors and fantastical mystery."

Finally finished this book. It took me a while, but I always take my time with classics and especially Jane Austen books. For the older stuff it's better that way...at least for me. It's been a couple days since I finished this, so I don't recall half of what I wanted to say and comment on. Mmmm, oh well I guess. 

I liked this, but I feel like I was missing how this was suppose to be funny. Yes, there was a couple funny bits, but I feel like I missed it. How was it funny?! I felt it was really sad and upsetting at points. I mean Henry teased the naive Catherine and points and Isabella was an idiot to the point it was funny. Catherine is odd, Mrs Allen is so out of it that its funny. Perhaps that was the humor? The same could be said about Isabella's brother. At first I really liked Isabella, but after a few chapters I wanted to slap some sense into that thick head of hers. Mmmmm.....but yes, I felt like this was more serious then I expected when I heard that this is "humorous". 

Even though I missed 90% of the humor, I really liked this! Oddly enough it is now tied to my third favorite of the Austen novels. I can't wait to watch the movie soon! Perhaps the movie can change my opinion of Mr. Tilney, because he bugged me. I can't put my finger on it, but I wasn't a fan of him. I feel like he is more realistic to all the other lovely men in her novels. He is more complex and has more "depth", I suppose you can say. All the characters have that same realistic feel to them. It's really hard to explain until you've read all the other books and then this one. 

I loved the concoction that Jane Austen created with this one. There is romance, a little bit of humor, mystery, a small touch of Gothic, and adventure all mixed in one. This novel defiantly shows Jane Austen's genius with the pen. If only she had a chance to write more novels. *sighs* Oh well. I least I still have her short writes to read. ^.^

All-in-all, I really this and I am glad I saved this for last. The characters and the story kept me highly entertained and interested even though it took me an eon to read it. Life....I would recommend this for those that love Jane Austen and other classic novels. You will love this! I was worried I would hate this, but in the end I'm so glad I finally got myself to read this. Out of five stars I grant this 5 stars. It would be 4.5, but I don't give decimals, so I rounded. 

Favorite Character(s): Catherine (she was so naive, but I highly loved her), Isabella (at the beginning) James (Catherine's brother was so cute...poor guy), Mr. Tilney (near the end he got better), and Eleanor Tilney (a darling) 
Not-so Favorite Character(s): General Tilney (GAH), Isabella (middle and ending she made me hate her), and Mr. Thrope (I wanted to kick him from the moment he set foot on stage).

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<3CaroleRae

Book Review: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Author:  Mark Twain

Title: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Adventures #2)
Genre: Fiction, Classic
Pages: 368

First Published: 1884
Where I Got It: My shelf

"Of all the contenders for the title of The Great American Novel, none has a better claim than The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Intended at first as a simple story of a boy's adventures in the Mississippi Valley-a sequel to Tom Sawyer-the book grew and matured under Twain's hand into a work of immeasurable richness and complexity. More than a century after its publication, the critical debate over the symbolic significance of Huck's and Jim's voyage is still fresh, and it remains a major work that can be enjoyed at many levels: as an incomparable adventure story and as a classic of American humor."

Pretty much every summary is like this, so I'll sum it up myself:

Huck Finn is the right-hand man of the infamous kid Tom Sawyer, this story follows Huck and one of his grand adventures. Huck decides that being civilized is out of the question, so he decides to find his freedom. Along the way he comes across Jim, a runaway slave, and the two decide to be friends and explorers and find their freedom together. Along the way Huck and Jim find themselves meeting new people and finding lots of trouble.

I read this when I was a freshmen in High School and here I am reading it again in my American Literature class. In some twisted way I was actually excited about reading this again. Why? Well, with time comes a different perceptive. I did like it beforehand, but now that I'm older my taste may have change. It's always fun to re-read books from your youth. 

Okay...I'm still not a Mark Twain fan, but I did like this book. I also sort of liked Tom Sawyer (I should re-read that too). I like it even more that I believe that Jim is the hero, or so says my professor, and not Huck. Huck is butt-cheek near the end there. I love Jim though. He is such a great guy and just a wonderful character. He is the only "good" character in the book. He is selfless and is such a sweetheart. All the other characters (Huck included) sooner or later show their true colors. 

I must applaud Mark Twain for throwing  a loop into the literature world. During this time slaves had been free for a while, but racism still was like mold; blackening the hearts of everyone. However, he managed to make this a very popular story even though Jim was a main character (and the hero of the story). I'm not sure how Mark Twain managed that, but he was a genius. 

Besides for not being a fan of the majority of characters, I also wasn't a fan of the ending. I forgot how badly it ended. We discussed this in class. My professor asked, "Is the ending meaning something or do you think Twain just dropped the ball on this one just to get this book out of the way and published?" It was a surprising ending and slightly confusing.

Everyone in class said Twain did this on purpose. I agree. There is great meaning on how it ended, but I can't really share my thoughts on what the meaning is. Mark Twain wasn't the sort to "drop the ball". Everything had a reason and so was this.

Sorry about adding some class material to this review, but I couldn't stop myself. It was a fun story and I do believe that everyone who likes classics needs to read this. I can see why it lasted throughout the generations like it did. It'll last many more years. Perhaps my own kids will read this in High School. Out of five stars I grant this one 4 stars. It's the same rating as before, but oh well.

Favorite Character(s): Jim and Huck (beginning and middle)
Not-so Favorite Character(s): Pretty much everyone else

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<3CaroleRae

Book Review: The Scarlet Letter

Author:  Nathaniel Hawthorne
Title: The Scarlet Letter
Genre: Drama, Historical Fiction, Classical, Gothic Romance 
Pages: e-book
First Published: 1850
Where I Got It: From Amazon.com (for free *shushs and looks around*) 


"Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter reaches to our nation's historical and moral roots for the material of great tragedy. Set in an early New England colony, the novel shows the terrible impact a single, passionate act has on the lives of three members of the community: the defiant Hester Prynne; the fiery, tortured Reverend Dimmesdale; and the obsessed, vengeful Chillingworth.


With The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne became the first American novelist to forge from our Puritan heritage a universal classic, a masterful exploration of humanity's unending struggle with sin, guilt and pride."


I had two reasons why I read this: 1) I've been interested in reading this book for a LONG time and it was finally time to do it and 2) I had to read this for my American Literature class. I'm so glad I had the #2 reason arise to finally give me motivation for reading this. Now, I'm kicking myself for avoiding this tale for so long...


I will say it here and now before I continue: SKIP THE INTRODUCTION! Your eyes will bleed and you will want to find the nearest cliff! It is the longest and most DRY piece of writing I've read in a long time. I really like Mr. Hawthorne, but if I saw him walking past me I would trip him in revenge. 


Alright, I got that out of my system. Once I was done with reading the introduction the rest of the book held my undivided attention and I could barely put it down! Yes, at times it was a little hard to read, just because it is in old English. No matter how much you read in old English it still slows you up a little bit. At times I would have to shut to turn off my Kindle and contemplate the events that just occurred.


I loved Nathaniel Hawthorne's view on humanity. There are many shades of grey and this story is a great symbolism of this fact. Some people do "evil" things, but are they really "evil"? If they seem to be "good", are they really "good"? Yes, Hester had slept with a man and had his baby, while she was married, however does that make her damned and an "evil" person as the people believed? Chillingworth is a doctor and considered a wise man and a scholar, but revenge and hatred is his core meaning in life. Everyone in town claims to be better than Hester and good people, but they shun her and curse her. They claim to be good, christen people, but are they really?


Hester and Pearl were the only characters I actually liked in the entire book. Everyone else is selfish and hypocritical! They all shun Hester and force her to wear that letter upon her dress, but does she hate them? Does she out her fellow sinner and ex-lover? No, she takes the "crime" upon herself and doesn't want to ruin her ex-lovers high esteem amongst the people. Whilst her ex-lover is selfish and remains hidden. Every character, besides for Hester and her child, are horrible people in my opinion. Yes, Hester made a mistake, but she is still a good person. However, Hester isn't innocent of selfishness, she remains in town to let her child grow into a world of hatred and being an outsider. If I had been Hester I would have taken Pearl and ran. Maybe to the Native or back to England or to another settlement. I don't know, but Hester didn't want to be bothered. I don't know.


I could go on and on about this book. I can't wait to discuss this book in my class on Wednesday. ^.^ I really liked this book and I think that any avid reader should read this someday. It certainly is a classic and one of my favorites now.  However, I must eliminate a star because of the introduction...so this book will be getting 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Hester and Pearl

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Everyone else in town 

  

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<3CR