Showing posts with label classic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classic. Show all posts

Monday, September 12, 2011

Guest Review: Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones

"Chapter 6, In Which Howl Expresses Himself with Green Slime": This was one of the most interesting chapter titles that I ran across while lying in bed deeply engrossed in the novel Howl's Moving Castle. Earlier that night, my sister had slapped a book in front of me and said, "Read this." Having nothing else to do, I decided to give it a try. This book is now one of my favorites ever, and Dianna Wynne Jones is one of my favorite authors. Moving Castle is written so that it draws you in and keeps you reading. Some books do this through action, but Howl's Moving Castle does it through insane characters, plot twists, and humor. In no other book have I encountered an old lady who is actually a young lady living in the same house as an evil wizard who actually isn’t evil and, well, I had probably stop there. Overall, "Howl's Moving Castle Was" was a delightfully fantastic read that has earned a place in my heart.~Ethan Reeves


Pros:
*Engaging writing style
*Madcap plot
*Humor
*Unforgettable characters

Cons:
*Occasional mild swearing
*Ending feels slightly rushed (but you don't really care, because...oh, just read it!)


Editor's Note: Howl's Moving Castle is one of three books that form a loose trilogy.  The other books are Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways.  Jones has written many, many other books though, and they come highly recommended.  Howl's Moving Castle was made into a (very different but also quite wonderful) movie by Hayao Miyazaki.

Review written by Ethan Reeves, with supplementary material and editing by Renee Reeves

Monday, March 21, 2011

Reading List: What Rin is Reading

Sorry I haven't posted in a while.  I tried to make it better with the Teenage Liberation Handbook review, and Kat posted a wonderful music review soon after.  But I thought I'd update you about my reading habits, in case you were interested (or just bored).  If and when I post reviews, I'll edit this and link to the articles for you.

Non-Fiction:

Do Hard Things by Alex and Bret Harris (*****/5)
How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World by Jordan Christie (****/5)
The Bible by God (it makes me happy every time I get to type, "by God" like that.  Any way, veryone should read it, although you might not want to take it on Genesis straight to Revelation your first time. *****/5)
The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel (*****/5)
Mere Christianity by C S Lewis (*****/5)


Fiction:

The Flavia de Luce books by Alan Bradly
*The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (****/5 stars)
*The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag (****/5)

The Sword in the Stone by T H White (not yet finished)
The War of the Worlds by H G Wells (****/5)
The Secret Sharer & Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (not yet finished)