“Great things are not done by impulse, but a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh
(IMAGES TAKEN FROM GOODREADS and Google)
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Each book out of five diamonds.
AP Score: 40.15
(# of pages ÷ approx. days in semester)
January 2020
Don quixote
My summary:
A Spanish noble is driven mad by his chivalry novels, and goes out, convinced that he is a knight errant in pursuit of adventures.
My Rating (9/10)
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My commentary:
This book is part of my heritage, and as I recently found out, a prevalent folk tale in Spain. I first heard about it when I was around eight, when I saw a news article in my grandparents’ house detailing the segment of the story when he fights the windmills. I couldn’t understand it, as it was in Spanish, but the images and explanation that my grandmother gave me captured my imagination and settled in my mind as a little whisper that haunted me throughout my childhood. Now, I finally found the story, and am thoroughly enjoying the odd, comedic nature of it.
Pages: 706
Pages per day: 3
november 2019
The great gatsby
My summary:
A very rich man named Jay Gatsby lives in a lavish mansion, hosting nightly parties that draw crowds from all over. His goal with all this is to attract the attention of the woman he loves — Daisy Buchanan.
My Rating (9/10)
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My commentary:
This novel is incredibly detailed, yet not as dry as some other stories I have read. It is a relatively short tale, yet one that sparkles with life, and the characters are strikingly real in their actions and descriptions.
Pages: 200
Pages per day: 10
The crucible
My summary:
In the town of Salem, a woman is sent to trial after being accused of practicing witchcraft. She is viciously and savagely persecuted by the people of the town, who are driven mad by their hysteria.
My Rating 8/10)
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My commentary:
Overall, this is an interesting look at the witch trials in Salem, as well as a brilliant thematic examination of their hysteria surrounding it.
Pages: 143
Pages per day: 5
October 2019
the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy
My summary:
Arthur Dent is picked up by an alien spaceship along with his best friend — who is actually an alien — Ford Prefect. Seconds after, the earth is destroyed, and Arthur and Ford are left to wander the galaxy, picked up and dragged along by any whom they encounter.
My Rating (9/10)
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My commentary:
This book is ingrained in my childhood, as my family listened to the audio book in my dad’s car when I was around eight or nine. Looking at it again now, I still get the same joy that I did when I encountered it originally, and the curious humor and more mature jokes now make sense to me — more so than they did before. Overall, it is an enjoyable read, but nothing thought-provoking or meaningful — apart from its satirical look at society.
Pages: 193
Pages per day: 10
September 2019
Frankenstein
My summary:
A scientist, driven by the loss of his mother, creates a monster out of mangled human body parts. His creation soon turns against him, slaughtering his friends and family and leading him on a chase that ends in his death.
My Rating (9/10)
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My commentary:
I never had an interest in Frankenstein before it was a mandatory read for AP English; after completing it, I developed a new understanding of its complexity and artistic beauty. The surprise character deaths evoked a legitimate shock in me—something that is often hard to do with writing. Overall, I enjoyed it, and even gained some inspiration.
Pages: 288
Pages per day: 10
The Picture of Dorian Gray
My summary:
A handsome young man, after seeing his painting, wishes that all wrongdoing and sin that he commits would be placed upon his portrait instead of himself. He then indulges in a life of destructive behavior, now untouchable, until his portrait withers into an abhorring nightmare.
My Rating (8/10)
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My commentary:
I have not yet finished it, yet it has captured my interest. The writing style of Oscar Wilde is fascinating, very detailed, yet not enough to be monotonous.
Pages: 272
Pages per day: 5
The subtle art of not giving a f*ck
My summary:
Famed blogger Mark Manson writes his take on how to live a good life. It seems counter-intuitive, yet it is more real that one may think.
My Rating (9/10)
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My commentary:
This book makes me laugh every time I read it. The stories used to convey the life lessons are imaginative, crude, and surprisingly true. I am a fan of sarcastic humor, and this book is full of it. Usually, I am not interested in the Self-help genre, but this book is an exception for me; it is one of the most entertaining things I have read for a long time.
Pages: 224
Pages per day: 15
may 2019
the iliad – homer
My summary:
A legendary play by Homer detailing the final year of the Greek siege of Troy. The gods and the humans are enveloped in brutal combat, conspiring, poisoning, and killing each other for power.
My Rating (8/10)
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My commentary:
Though I have not finished this story, I have been reading little excerpts from it in English class. I find it relatively intriguing, though the sometimes odd translations from Greek to English are often quite vague or nondescript. The story at some points is often confusing, and there are many characters whose names I find myself forgetting, though as I have never read The Odyssey, my comprehension of this piece is rather lacking. Overall, if I committed to reading this entire thing, as well as its predecessor, I might find more enjoyment in it.
Pages: 683
Pages per day: 5
april 2019
to kill a mockingbird – Harper lee
My summary:
In a small town of Alabama, the two children of Atticus Finch, a well-known lawyer, live out their childhood with their friends, all while the town is rocked by a criminal case and a string of rumors and suspicion that hold a gravity the children can not possibly understand.
My Rating (9/10)
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My commentary:
Now yes, this is a novel study for English class, but my reading has been a little lackluster recently, mostly due to my urgency regarding the publishing of my novel and the writing of my novella. This story, however, is a fascinating one: one much more fascinating than I might have suspected before starting. Many metaphors were quite complex and deeper in meaning than outwardly visible. So far, it is quite enjoyable, with enough mystery to keep me interested.
Pages: 324
Pages per day: 10
march 2019
macbeth – william shakespeare
My summary:
Macbeth, the general of the Scottish king Duncan’s army, has a chance meeting with three witches who prophesize that he will become the new monarch. He and his wife then plot to murder Duncan so that Macbeth will be crowned king of Scotland, sending the kingdom into disarray.
My Rating (9/10)
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My commentary:
This play is certainly darker than Hamlet, filled with examples of genuine insanity and violence. It is also paced faster, and the scenes seem shorter than they are in the other Shakespeare plays I have read. Overall, however, it was enjoyable, and I found the story fascinating. Reading it was slightly more difficult, I found, than Hamlet. Whether that was because of the succinctness of it, I do not know, but I did manage to follow along.
Pages: 349
Pages per day: 15
February 2019
A Clash of Kings – George R.R. Martin
My summary:
It is the continuation of A Game of Thrones. After the execution of Ned Stark, lord of the north, the tensions between the Houses Stark and Lannister grow increasingly taught, all while the Baratheon lords, Greyjoy king, and other rulers of various lands vie for the Iron Throne of Westeros.
My Rating: (9/10)
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My commentary:
The novel is complex: something I like to see when I am reading. Martin’s writing is descriptive and rich, and his character development far surpasses that of other authors I have seen. It is certainly not a book for idle readers, as it takes quite an attention span to remain invested and interested, following the story through the entire duration. If you invest the brain power required to comprehend its magnitude, you will certainly find enjoyment in it.
Pages: 969
Pages per day: 20
Hamlet – William Shakespeare
My Summary:
Hamlet, prince of Denmark, is returned from his teachings to mourn the death of his father, but after a strange meeting with a ghost bearing his father’s countenance, he plans to seek revenge on his uncle, who poisoned the king in pursuit of the throne.
My Rating: (8/10)
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My commentary:
I have always been fond of Shakespeare, more so now that I have read my first play of his. Hamlet is an incredibly well written, well thought out stage play that deals with many issues of corrupt governance, ending in one of my favourite ways: a tragedy. Though many lines I could not completely understand due to the archaic form of english, I found the overall story fascinating, filled with intrigue and wonderful character development.
Pages: 289
Pages per day: 20
