Dec 1 A book with a character who is a scholar or student (curious)
Dark Matter
Author: Black Crouch
Genre: low fantasy
Number of pages: 401
First published: 2016
Setting: Chicago
Rating: 3 stars
First sentence: I love Thursday night.
One sentence comment: Excessively lengthy,
yet offers few surprises, the plot unfolds predictably, with little deviation
from the expected course.
Despite its popularity, the book is quite
disappointing. Firstly, the narrative spends an excessive 150 pages building
tension around the protagonist's mysterious circumstances, only to reveal a
resolution involving object superposition, a concept already established as the
book's core premise. This drawn-out suspense tests the reader's patience.
Secondly, the narrative then shifts to another 150-page adventure through
multiple universes via various doors before the protagonist finds his original
world, a trope reminiscent of young adult novels. Lastly and most infuriating, the
text is filled with numerous one-word or one-sentence paragraphs. The excessive
use of these patterns weaken the literary quality of the text. Extended
dialogue and full paragraphs allow for more nuanced expressions and subtle
humor. One-word or one-sentence paragraphs often lack depth and can feel
redundant.
While the book may have its shortcomings,
it does possess some positive attributes. Its straightforward language and
simple structure make it an accessible read, particularly for action-oriented and
thrill-seeking readers to be motivated and captivated. This accessibility
allows readers to engage with the story without feeling overwhelmed by complex
sentence structures or dense vocabulary.
Dec 2 a book you’ve been curious to read
for a least a year
Royal Blood (A Royal Spyness Mystery #4)
Author: Rhys Bowen
Genre: historical mystery
Number of pages: 305
First published: 2010
Setting: London, Romania
Rating: 4 stars
First sentence: November in London is
utterly bloody.
One sentence comment: The title and the
content cleverly reference Dracula legend.
There were so many hilarious moments in the
books that had me laughing out loud. I was cracking up when I read a snooty
lady kept nagging the main character, ‘if you let servants go around looking
like oversized flowerpots you will be a laughingstock.’
Dec 3 a book that contains a
curiosity/mystery/problem to be solved
The Daughter of Time
Author: Josephine Tey
Genre: historical fiction
Number of pages: 255
First published: 1951
Setting: England
Rating: 3 stars
First sentence: Grant lay on his high white
cot and stared at the ceiling.
One sentence comment: It’s about a bored
man studying a boring case.
I found myself quite dissatisfied with this
book. Firstly, I struggled to connect with the protagonist. His demeanor
throughout the narrative struck me as arrogant and dismissive, making it
difficult to sympathize or root for him. This lack of relatability
significantly hindered my enjoyment of the story.
Secondly, I found the plot to be
exceedingly predictable. The core of the narrative could have been summarized
succinctly, yet it was unnecessarily drawn out across hundreds of pages. This
excessive length felt like a significant padding of the story, leaving me
feeling frustrated and disappointed.