Book reviews: The Outsiders | En olustig början | Dream On

Title: The Outsiders
Author: S.E. Hinton
Original title: The Outsiders
Genre: Classic, YA
Series: --
Publisher: Puffin
Format: Hardback
Pages: 218
Finished: 01/01/2019
Summary: No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he's got things figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop. And he knows that he can count on his friends - true friends who would do anything for him, like Johnny and Two-Bit. And when it comes to the beating up on "greasers" like him and his friends - he knows that he can count on them for trouble. But one night someone takes things too far, and Ponyboy's world is turned upside down...

My thoughts: This will be a short review, because I really liked this book. I read this for my exam project in school about the development of core messages and sub-genres of young adult literature in school and private since the 70's. To be honest, I wasn't stoked to read this. Sure, I wanted to read it sometime, but at the time that I picked it up I just felt that the genre wasn't what I needed at the time. I was, however, pleasantly surprised. “The Outsiders” offers likeable characters, a good narrative, an exciting plot, and some wisdom, as well as insight to the underclass youth of the 60’s USA. It’s a quick and easy read, and I do highly recommend it, seeing as it’s both a classic and a good book.

Rating: 4,5/5

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Title: En olustig början (An Uneasy Beginning)
Author: Lemony Snicket
Original title: The Bad Beginning
Genre: Middlegrade
Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events #1
Publisher: Richters
Format: Hardback
Pages: 170
Finished: 05/01/2019
Summary: Dear Reader,
I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.
In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.
It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

My thoughts: This is the first book in the Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, which Netflix series adaption I watched before reading this novel. As many other middlegrade books, it’s short and easy to get through quickly, and of course needs something extra to stand out in the sea that is middlegrade literature. This is offered by a witty and odd narrative, and a continued sense of unease through the whole book. The breaking of the fourth wall (by the narrator addressing the reading in person) also adds to the special character of this series. Although I’ve already seen the series, I’m looking forward to reading more of these books this upcoming year. The reason for the low-ish grade is because it didn't blow me away.

Rating: 3,5/5

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Title: Dream On
Author: Kerstin Gier
Original title: Das zweite Buch der Träume
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Series: The Silver Trilogy #2
Publisher: Square Fish
Format: Paperback
Pages: 317
Finished: 07/01/2019
Summary: Spoiler alert! Things seem to be going well for Liv Silver: she's adjusting to her new home (and her new family) in London; she has a burgeoning romance with Henry Harper, one of the cutest boys in school; and the girl who's been turning her dreams into nightmares, Anabel, is now locked up. But serenity doesn't last for long. It seems that Liv's troubles are far from over--in fact, suddenly they're piling up. School gossip blogger Secrecy knows all of Liv's most intimate secrets, Henry might be hiding something from her, and at night Liv senses a dark presence following her through the corridors of the dream world. Does someone have a score to settle with Liv?

My thoughts: It’s not been too many years (I think 2015?) since I read “Dream a Little Dream”; the first novel of the Silver trilogy. Kerstin Gier, a German author, has been one of my favourite writers since I first read her Ruby Red trilogy several years ago. What makes her writing and her books special is to a large extent her humour. The way she portrays her female protagonists as clumsy, witty, and goofy makes them stand out from every other bland YA main character out there. We follow Liv in this trilogy; a teenage girl who makes mistakes, has prejudices, and very much differs from the other characters in the book. Because, as it should be, the characters in Gier’s novels don’t blend together. Another thing Gier is good at is building worlds and plots that seem majestic and could be very serious and maybe even scary, but she makes them sort of fun and dainty, if that makes any sense. We’re kind of talking the opposite of The Lord of the Rings on the seriousness scale, but it’s still very entertaining. Imagine a contemporary young adult novel with a twist of time travel or dream travel. That’s what Gier’s books are like. Reading one of them is like drinking a mug of hot coacoa with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon. I like it!
Spoiler content: (mark to see the white text) I’ve gathered from the Goodreads reviews that many people would’ve wanted Liv to end up with Grayson, even after reading this second book. I just frankly don’t agree with that, especially since the brotherly and sisterly bond between Liv and Grayson strengthens. I think Henry is a much more interesting partner choice for Liv, even if Grayson is a nice character.
Link to my review of the first book in the series.

Rating: 4,5/5

Book reviews: The Master and Margarita | Stoner | City of Heavenly Fire

Title: The Master and Margarita
Author: Mikhail Bulgakov
Original title: Мастер и Маргарита
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Everyman's Library
Format: Hardback
Pages: 446
Finished: 29/11/2018
Summary: When the devil arrives in 1930's Moscow, consorting with a retinue of odd associates—including a talking black cat, an assassin, and a beautiful naked witch—his antics wreak havoc among the literary elite of the world capital of atheism. Meanwhile, the Master, author of an unpublished novel about Jesus and Pontius Pilate, languishes in despair in a pyschiatric hospital, while his devoted lover, Margarita, decides to sell her soul to save him.

My thoughts: A big thanks to PewDiePie, aka Felix Kjellberg, for recommending this novel in one of his videos. I picked it up a day or so after his review and swallowed it up during the two following weeks. So what is “The Master and Margarita”? And why had I never heard of it before?
Well, “The Master and Margarita” was first created in the late 1920’s. Its author, Mikhail Bulgakov, war born in 1891 in then Russian Kiev. He later moved to Moscow, where he worked as an author and playwright, and eventually married a woman. He participated as a medical doctor in World War I, during which he was injured and resolved to a year long morphine addiction upon the war’s end. Bulgakov first started writing “The Master and Margarita” in 1928, but burned the manuscript in 1930, simply because he could not imagine a future for such satiric work in the Russian 30’s. However, he obviously changed his mind, and spent the next decade rewriting the novel several times. The last version was never fully completed by Mikhail, as he passed away in 1940. So… what happened to the book? Well, it remained hidden in the shadows until 1966, when his widow decided to publish it. Alas, what was released to the public was a censored version with about 12% of the original content removed. However, the manuscript made its way to France, where an uncensored version was released in 1967. Today, the uncensored “The Master and Margarita” can be found translated to multiple languages.

This novel gives us a peek at the life of Mikhail Bulgakov himself. Much of it takes place at or near Patriarch’s Ponds, near which Bulgakov lived in an apartment. Today, there’s a monument in the part, erected to the honor of this Russian author. We also see traces of Bulgakov’s personal history in that of the Master; one of the main characters of the book.

So what did I think? Well, I wouldn’t have written all this (twice, thanks to bloggers fucking stinky arse) if I hadn’t adored this books. It’s quirky, unique to a ridiculous extent, satiric, historically educational, funny, and sometimes sad. I had a few issues, resulting in a slightly lower than 5/5 grade. One problem was the racism and sexism. Yes, I know, it was written in the 30’s; that was the norm back then. However, it can ruin a really good book. Luckily, I was mostly able to look past it. Another thing was simply practical; there were a lot of characters and a lot of Russian names thrown around. Once I had most of them memorized, those characters stopped appearing until the last few chapters, at which point I’d forgotten them all again. I guess my poor memory is at fault. Nevertheless, it lowered the reading experience slightly. Other than that, I really fell in love with some of the characters, like Woland, Koroviev, Ivan Nikolayich, and Behemoth. The writing style was pleasant and the story interesting. All in all, a classic that I wholeheartedly recommend!

Rating: 4/5

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Title: Stoner
Author: John Williams
Original title: Stoner
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
Finished: 16/12/2018
Summary: William Stoner is born at the end of the nineteenth century into a dirt-poor Missouri farming family. Sent to the state university to study agronomy, he instead falls in love with English literature and embraces a scholar’s life, so different from the hardscrabble existence he has known. And yet as the years pass, Stoner encounters a succession of disappointments: marriage into a “proper” family estranges him from his parents; his career is stymied; his wife and daughter turn coldly away from him; a transforming experience of new love ends under threat of scandal. Driven ever deeper within himself, Stoner rediscovers the stoic silence of his forebears and confronts an essential solitude.

My thoughts: Also at the recommendation of Pewds, for which I am muchos gratefulos. “Stoner” is in many ways different from “The Master and Margarita”, yet also very good. I loved “Stoner” so much. The connection I felt to William Stoner was a rare one, and as I got deeper and deeper into his story, I understood that I had come to care for this unextraordinary, everyday character much more than I’d anticipated. John Williams did an amazing job with this novel; its simple yet beautiful language, its lovable and spiteful characters, its atmosphere and simplicity. Perhaps it is just that which made this novel great; the way in which it’s small and plain. Stoner’s life is one which many have lived, yet not at all. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t bawl my eyes out for the last 15 pages, to the extent that I could barely read the text. I think I recommend this book more than “The Master and Margarita”. This is great in a different way. Not extravagant or magical. It’s just so true in what it is.

Rating: 5/5

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Title: City of Heavenly Fire
Author: Cassandra Clare
Original title: City of Heavenly Fire
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Series: The Mortal Instruments #6
Publisher: McElderry Books
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 725
Finished: 01/01/2019
Summary: SPOILER ALERT Darkness has descended on the Shadowhunter world. Chaos and destruction overwhelm the Nephilim as Clary, Jace, Simon, and their friends band together to fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell. Nothing in this world can defeat Sebastian—but if they journey to the realm of demons, they just might have a chance…

My thoughts: Small Spoiler Alert The Mortal Instruments… So I’m finally done? I guess I am. The last time I finished a novel from this series was in summer of 2013, which was when I plowed through the first 5 books of TMI and the TID trilogy. I’ve had this book, “City of Heavenly Fire” in my possession since its release in 2014, and I’ve started reading it at least twice. It wasn’t until mid December (last month) that I decided the time had come. I had to finish the series.

It’s not really strange that I never finished it. 2014 was my last good reading year, and books over 500 pages were not attractive at that point. Moreover, it had been a year since I last read a book about Shadowhunters; I might have distanced myself from the hype. The rest of the years since have just been a long line of reading dips for me, so no, it’s not at all strange that I never got to complete the journey. Now, however, I have.

It took me about 500 pages to get into this book. No kidding. I had the whole plot of the series, the characters, the motivations, all fresh in my mind, as if I’d read the whole series just last week. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was… it was not as good as I remembered Cassandra Clare being. Then, back in 2014, I found that with every book I read by Clare, she just got better and better, all the way to “Clockwork Princess”, the best book I’ve read with Clare’s name on it. “City of Heavenly Fire” was released after the TID trilogy, so I expected a lot from it. What I found was that Clare seemed to have lost grip of the characters I used to love. What I remembered to be personalities built on actions, ways of speaking, little things that made the characters who they are, turned into blatant, indiscreet comments on the characters. Instead of showing that a person is reckless, the character would outright say “I’m doing this reckless thing because one of my three character traits is recklessness”. It would also be commented on a lot in between dialogues (so in the thoughts of narrators throughout the book, which shifts), so characters would think stuff along the lines of “ah, yes, I am watching this other character doing a silly thing, and I recall in my memory all the other times this character has done silly things to support the silly actions of this silly character”. Writing like this is fine when it doesn’t happen like two or three times per page.

Another thing was the exposition, which was sometimes clumsily done. I might be nitpicking, but this really bothered me at some points. Sometimes when a new scene was introduced, we would have part of it described outside of dialogue, maybe in a string of thoughts from the narrative or simply in a description of the scene. However, Clare sometimes opts to reveal new scenes through dialogue, and… it’s not always done very smoothly. A conversation in a new scene could look a bit like this:

A: “Oh what a bummer that we can’t go outside this house. B, remind me of why we can’t go outside?”

B: “Hm, maybe it’s because we’ve been trapped by an evil outer force who has all the windows and doors locked and guarded?”

A: “Right, I’d totally momentarily forgotten this important plot point so that we could weave some exposition into this dialogue!”

Idk if I conveyed it in an understandable way here, but that’s something I noticed happened a fair amount of times.

Nevertheless! “City of Heavenly Fire” has its good parts as well. For one, it really picked itself up the last 200 pages or so, and although I felt like the “final battle” was kinda anticlimactic, I just wanted to swallow up those last 200 pages at once! I couldn’t, though, because I had to finish it in 2019 in order to be able to count it to my 2019 reading goal lol. Admittedly, before those last 200 pages, I was starting to feel like I’d be done with the Shadowhunter universe after this behemoth, but now I’m not so sure. I also have to appreciate how easy Clare’s writing and plot is to get into. The quick jumping between narratives and scenes keeps the storyline quick and relatively interesting. The book is definitely bigger than it had to be (I feel like a fair share could’ve been left out without any greater loss), but I didn’t feel like I’d read a 700+ pages book once I’d finished it.

All in all, it was an entertaining read and I’m so glad to have finally finished the series. Believe it or not, it’s a big step for me. This last book didn’t have a great impact on me, but it was still worth the read. I don’t think this’ll be the last I read by Cassandra Clare (might take awhile for me to pick up the “The Dark Artifices” trilogy tho, cause them books be damned pricy).

Rating: 3,25/5

2018 Wrap Up & Ranking

2018 is almost over, so I thought I would make an overall review of this year in books. I read 10 books this year, which I am not at all ashamed of. It hasn't been a magnificent reading year for me, but I feel like most of the books I read were sort of essential, if that makes sense? I say this because most of the books I read were classics, modern and old, and it feels good to have read them. 9 out of the 10 books were in English, and 7 were classics. Since there are only 10 in total, I thought it would be neat to rank them from 1-10, best to worst, and motivate the ranking. Why am I doing this? Because I like lists and I like books and I want to talk more about the books I read!!!! Yes!!!
Let's gooooo!

10

"Beloved" by Toni Morrison

I'm almost surprised to put this in last place. To be completely honest, I'd almost forgotten I read "Beloved" this year. However, there are good reasons for it being in 10th place. The characters acted unreasonably, the story was way too hard to follow, the plot had little intrigue, and the language was more confusing than pretty. The fact that I barely recollect reading this also means it had little impact on me as a reader. Sorry, Morrison, your modern classic was not for me.

9

"Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe" by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

The book I first instinctively put in last place before remembering that "Beloved" existed in my life. This is a novel I had such high expectations for; expectations that I'd carried for years. When I finally picked it up early in 2018, those expectations were drowned. Drowned in what? Extensively long sentences, plastic language, a flat plot, and poorly constructed dialogues.

8

"Scarlet" by Marissa Meyer

The second book in "The Lunar Chronicles"! Oh, what high hopes I had after loving "Cinder". Truly, this book was good... well, maybe 70% of it was. The new characters and perspectives that were introduced in this novel almost completely ruined it for me. And what a disappointment! "Cinder" was such a lovely book, and what "Scarlet" offered was a relationship development that was so badly done, I can't even summarise it here without ranting for ages. Nope, huge miss there, Meyer.

7

"Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt

Another novel I had high expectations for. This wasn't a bad book; it simply wasn't what I wanted, expected, or needed at the moment. It's a sort of cute children's story, but certainly not the emotional and philosophical ride I'd braced myself for.

6

"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I don't have a lot to say about this except that I enjoyed it. The characters, the plot, and the language were all nice. That's pretty much it. Nice.

5

"Dr Jekyll och Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson

My perception of this classic was without a doubt boosted by the fact that I wrote a psychoanalysis on it for a class.  By exploring the relationship between the novel and its author, I got a whole different picture of it than I would've if I'd simply just read the novel. It was dramatic, fun, and exciting to read, even if this Swedish translation seemed crudely simple in its language.

4

"A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess

Yet another book that I read for a class. What I liked about "A Clockwork Orange" was not so much the plot and the characters, alas those were satisfactory, but the peculiar language. I'm speaking of course of "nadsat", a made up slang language created by the author specifically for this book. Remarkable! What a fun experience. And a book with a lot of history to it, as well.

3

"The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov

Such a strange novel... and for it to originate from such a time and place as the 1930's Moscow makes it even more mind-boggling. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed this Russian classic, with all its odd sides. The characters were simply charming, and the plot no less than entertaining. Who wouldn't want to read about the Devil having his way in Moscow?

2

"A Darker Shade of Magic" by V.E. Schwab

Schwab strikes again, this time with an utterly dashing cover and wonderful world building. In this novel, I had the pleasure of embarking on an extraordinary journey with some rather lovable characters. I look forward to continuing this series, maybe next year?

1

"Stoner" by John Williams

Stoner... oh, Stoner! It sounds strange to be written like this, but whoever has taken their time to read this book will understand my love for it. What a gripping way to tell the story of a simple man's life. There's not much else I can say, but it's position on this list should speak for itself. Please, read it.

Thus concludes my 2018 wrap up and ranking. I'd say I recommend everyone to read the books in places 1-5 at least, and I must say that despite "Scarlet", "The Lunar Chronicles" is a good series and deserves to be read as well. I hope your 2018 in books was a good year. Good luck in 2019! <3

2019 Reading Goals

2019 is fast approaching, and with it the new year brings a burning question: will Maja pick herself up and get out of her several years long reading slump? That's a good question! Truth is, we can't know until 2019 comes to an end, and that's approximately 365 days away. However, what could help me get the motivation I need to leave the slump is a set of goals for the upcoming years. Let's see what I have in mind!

Read 30 Books
This is a big goal for me. I've not managed to read over 20 books, much less 30, since 2014. I would be a big triumph for me. What I'd need to do to accomplish this is read a lot of fast paced YA novels, not many books over 400 pages, and read about 30 pages every day, and finish a book every 12 days. If I keep that up the whole year, I can do it!

Continue & Complete Series
I have a lot of series at home that I've started reading, but not finished. Examples are "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs, which I've started but not finished. I don't necessarily hope to completely finish many series, but I'd like to continue a fair few, for example "The Silver Trilogy" by Kerstin Gier, "The Reckoners" by Brandon Sanderson, "The Parasol Protectorate" by Gail Carriger, "Magisterium" by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, etc... My goal is to finish 5 or more series this year.

New Series
Another goal is to delve into new universes and new series. This, too, is a group of books that I have plenty of; namely first books in series. I'm talking "Shadow of Bone" by Leigh Bardugo, "The Immortal Rules" by Julie Kagawa, "Rebel Belle" by Rachel Hawkins, "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas, and more. My goal is to start 5 or more series this year.

Finish Books I Started
There are some books that I once started reading, got about halfway or even further, and then for some reason just never finished them. The ones I'm immediately thinking about are "City of Heavenly Fire" by Cassandra Clare, "Gone" by Michael Grant, "The Evolution of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin, "Emma" by Jane Austen, and "Witch Week" by Diana Wynne Jones. Some of those I'd probably have to reread from the start, so I'm most hopeful about finishing those that I still have relatively fresh in my mind. I have no number for this goal.

Read Books That I Already Own
Something I for some reason have had problems doing for several years, but it shouldn't be so hard considering how many books I've collected over the years. I own several complete unread series. If I feel the urgent need to buy more books, I have no doubt I'll let myself do that. However, I friendly remind myself that I have little space left in my room, and that my money is best spent on few hardcovers rather than many paperbacks.

Other Languages
I want to read books that weren't originally written in English or Swedish. The literary market is definitely dominated by English, and it being the original language most of the times, so I rarely end up reading something that wasn't originally in English. I'd like to read a few more books that have been translated from any language that isn't Swedish or English. Be that, Finnish, Russian, Japanese, Afrikaans, or any other language out there. I have a few novels at home that fit this description, so I'll set the goal to 5 books in this category.

Summary:
Read 30 books in total
Finish 5 series
Begin 5 series
Read 5 books that weren't originally written in Swedish or English
Finish unfinished books
Read books already owned

All in all, I'll try to make 2019 the year of the YA series. Also, hope nobody reads this, cause I don't really wants any expectations on me for next year, because that would probably make me more prone to failure... hehe.

Hey, me! I believe in you! You're the best hermit and you've got a cool library to explore! Right in your bedroom! Woop! And YOU! You, who are not Majazz. You'll do great in 2019. Whatever your goals are, you can definitely achieve them! I am doing a big belief in you!

Murrly Chrysmös and Haph Nuw Jar!

Covers in the World: Shades of Magic

English covers 1
Omggggg I'd marry these covers. For real, romance is failing me and these covers will make me happier than any douche on Tinder could.

English covers 2
Pow, smack, these covers hit you like a truck on a highway. Sharp, classy, stylish. Not as nice as the hardcover versions, but they hold up.

English covers 3

Special editions? Definitely necessary. While the white ones are prettier, these come with cool illustrations and mayhaps an autograph? Cool!

English covers 4

Audio books edition! Not too bad, but nothing compared to the others.


English covers 5
Was it necessary to have two versions of special editions? No. No, it wasn't. Stop milking it.

German covers
Meh, they're ok. I don't like the ugly stickers and they could've been more unlike each other.

French covers
Wow! Cool! These illustrated covers are badass and creative. They stand out from the rest of all these versions for sure!


Bulgarian covers
*gasps* have my children, dear Bulgarian covers <3 <3 <3


Russian covers
Pretty cool but idk if they fit the series? Feel too Halloweeny.


Persian covers 1
Nah you could've done better..


Persian covers 2
Interesting colour choices but yeah you can still do better.


Persian covers 3
Is this better? Idk, feels too much like middle grade.


Serbian covers
Nice! But not the nicest in the group.

Book reviews: Tuck Everlasting | A Clockwork Orange | The Great Gatsby

Title: Tuck Everlasting
Author: Natalie Babbitt
Original title: Tuck Everlasting
Genre: Fantasy, Middle grade
Series: --
Publisher: Square Fish
Format: Paperback
Pages: 139
Finished: 07/05/2018
Summary: Doomed to—or blessed with—eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less a blessing that it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.

My thoughts: For many years, I've wanted to pick this book up. After finding it in a second hand shop, I finally got around to reading it. The reason I wanted to read it was partly because the plot was supposed to deal with the ethical issue around immortality/eternal life, but also because when I first discovered that this book existed, I was very into plots about time travel (eternal life is kind of like travelling in time but at a normal pace idk?) and immortality overall. What I expected was something sort of magical, emotional and nostalgic, sort of like a softer version of the Narnia Chronicles (which I admittedly have yet to read). That's not what I got. I think my expectations were too high for this middle grade fantasy novel to have a decent chance. The characters were okay, but I didn't love them. The plot was exciting, but not special. The ethical issue was not brought up in an interesting way or from a new perspective. Most of the novel was spent building a relationship between Winnie and the Tuck family, and I almost think the novel would've been better off if they'd skipped the whole fantasy part and just made a book about a little isolated girl finding friends and solace with a kind family in the woods, and make some emotional plot around that with themes like family, belonging, love, growing up, finding oneself etc.
All in all, not a bad book, but it could've been better.

Rating: 3/5

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Title: A Clockwork Orange
Author: Anthony Burgess
Original title: A Clockwork Orange
Genre: Dystopia
Series: --
Publisher: Penguin Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 139
Finished: 21/05/2018
Summary: Fifteen-year-old Alex and his three friends start an evening's mayhem by hitting an old man, tearing up his books and stripping him of money and clothes. Or rather Alex and his three droogs tolchock an old veck, razrez his books, pull off his outer platties and take a malenky bit of cutter. For Alex's confessions are written in 'nadsat' - the teenage argot of a not-too-distant future. Because of his delinquent excesses, Alex is jailed and made subject to 'Ludovico's Technique,' a chilling experiment in Reclamation Treatment...

My thoughts: Read this for a work about censorship for literature class together with Karin and Emmy. "A Clockwork Orange" was such an interesting book to read, especially for this project, which motivated us to look up the story behind the novel and the impact it's actually had on people since its release in the 60's, as well as the movie release in the 70's. The plot takes a dive into a future scenario where the western world has been heavily influenced by Soviet and the Russian language (aka Soviet won the Cold War), and where the crime rate is through the roof and a treatment must be designed to make criminals be forcefully lawful. We follow a young man by the name Alex who is a young crook who rapes people and breaks into homes just for fun. He uses Russian influenced slang words and is loyal to no one but himself (maybe possibly his gang too). He is such an interesting character to be following in this dystopian universe that Burgess has created. The novel brings up some ethical issues and has the reader questions who they should be rooting for. The language used, though utterly confusing in the beginning, becomes natural with time, despite the fact that I'd never encountered all those made up words before. The plot is interesting and strange, Alex is a foul but intriguing protagonist, the language is fun, and the story behind the whole thing is fascinating. I admittedly had some issues with the book, but all in all I'll remember it as riveting and deliciously thought provoking. 

Rating: 3,5/5

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Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Original title: The Great Gatsby
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: The Polyglot's Choice Series
Format: Paperback
Pages: 378
Finished: 08/07/2018
Summary: Jay Gatsby is the man who has everything. But one thing will always be out of his reach. Everybody who is anybody is seen at his glittering parties. Day and night his Long Island mansion buzzes with bright young things drinking, dancing, and debating his mysterious character. For Gatsby---young, handsome, and fabulously rich---always seems alone in the crowd, watching and waiting, though no one knows what for. Beneath the shimmering surface of his life he is hiding a secret: a silent longing that can never be fulfilled. And soon this destructive obsession will force his world to unravel.

My thoughts: The cover of my own dear edition, which was published for The Polyglot Club in 1950 and is one out of 4000 copies, is nowhere to be found as far as Google and Goodreads are concerned. It is an edition that I thoroughly enjoyed, seeing as it translated certain words and phrases into Swedish and offered guidance in how to pronounce many of the words. Very clever and fun.
What did I think about "The Great Gatsby"? Well, this review shall be short, because this is one of those books which I did enjoy, but don't have a lot to say about. I liked the characters, the plot was good and had a bit of mystery to it, the language was nice etc.

Rating: 3/5

Book reviews: Dr Jekyll och Mr Hyde | A Darker Shade of Magic | Beloved

Title: Dr Jekyll och Mr Hyde (Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde)
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Original title: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Genre: Classic
Series: --
Publisher: Bra Böcker
Format: Hardback
Pages: 95
Finished: 18/03/2018
Summary: In this harrowing tale of good and evil, the mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll develops a potion that unleashes his secret, inner persona—the loathsome, twisted Mr. Hyde.

My thoughts: So I decided to read the Swedish translation of "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" for my novel analysis in literature class. I originally had my eyes set on a collection of shorter works by Oscar Wilde, but changed my mind about halfway through that novel. Instead, I pulled out my leather bound edition of this classic, that I had bought just a week or so before in a second hand shop. After finishing this short novel/short story (depending on who you ask) I decided to do a literary psychoanalysis of Robert Louis Stevenson's work. I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to delve into the story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, even though I sadly wasn't allowed to do it with a copy in its original language. My teacher strictly forbid analyses of anything that wasn't in Swedish. Nevertheless, I drew countless connections between Stevenson's life and the novel, as well as carefully researched the circumstances under which it was written. What my discovery was might not be important to you, but it truly was interesting to me, to realise that the characters and relationship between Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll might very well be based off the effects of cocaine; the drug under which influence Stevenson was when he authored the classic. Stevenson was also inspired by historical figure; one by the name of William Brodie, who lived a devilish double life, and the other named Louis Vivet, one of the first ever mental patients to be diagnosed with multiple personality disorder.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. The characters acted in that peculiarly dramatic way that seems typical for 19th century literature. People seem to have flung themselves on a lot of furniture back then. I am saddened, however, by the fact that I did not read this in its original language, since I felt that the wording in my edition was heavily simplified by the translator. But all in all, it was a quick and enjoyable read, and certainly a fun analysis to write!

Rating: 3,5/5

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Title: A Darker Shade of Magic
Author: V.E. Schwab
Original title: A Darker Shade of Magic
Genre: Fantasy, Adult
Series: Shades of Magic #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Format: Hardback
Pages: 400
Finished: 26/03/2018
Summary: Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. 
Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

My thoughts: I had this book on my shelf almost since the day it came out. It took me a few years to read it, though. Why? Well, first of all, I think I sometimes get intimidated from expecting a lot from a single book. I guess I'm scared of being let down in case it doesn't live up to those expectations. Secondly, I was in a reading slump that lasted for years. Thirdly, this is a very white edition and I barely dare to touch it in case I accidentally smudge it. So, there were a few things keeping me from picking this book up. Intimidation, laziness, and an impractical, yet beautiful, cover. When I finally picked it up, it was to read it along with some friends. This time, Emilia, Karin, and Emmy joined in on the reading, and I decided to read it out loud to Camilla, mostly over phone.
To give a quick review, as I usually do with books that I liked, I found that V.E. Schwab continued to deliver in her beautiful yet flowing writing style and magnificently detailed world building. The concept of the world isn't brand new, but it's certainly taken to a very interesting level and done incredibly well. The characters, likewise, were easy to get to know and equally easy to distinguish from each other in personality. What I will complain about was the plot, which was really good, don't get me wrong, but which seemed to lead to a somewhat anticlimactic finale that made me feel a bit nonplussed. Alas, I shall forgive it, seeing as this is merely the first novel in a trilogy, and as with many other fantasy series, the first book is mainly for world building and giving a steady ground for the plot. I'm therefore looking forward to pick up the next book, eventually.

Rating: 4/5

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Title: Beloved
Author: Toni Morrison
Original title: Beloved
Genre: Historical
Series: --
Publisher: Vintage
Format: Paperback
Pages: 324
Finished: 25/04/2018
Summary: It is the mid-1800s. At Sweet Home in Kentuckhy, an era is ending as slavery comes under attack from the abolitionists. The worlds of Halle and Paul D. are to be destroyed in a cataclysm of torment and agony. The world of Sethe, however, is to turn from one of love to one of violence and death - the death of Sethe's baby daughter Beloved, whose name is the single word on the tombstone, who died at her mother's hands, and who will return to claim retribution.

My thoughts: I read this book for English class this spring. My teacher's intent was for us to delve deeper into the subject of African-American history through the means of literature. My group, consisting partly of Matilda and Agnes, settled for this novel after not being quick enough to dive for "Gone Girl", which was the book everyone in class wanted. So although this was not my first hand pick, I was still excited to read it, just for the fun of reading something as a group project.
"Beloved" was first published in 1987 and became a movie in 1998, starring Oprah Winfrey as Sethe, one of the main female characters. All in all, there are five protagonists with varying amounts of time in the spotlight. There's Sethe, the former slave who fled together with her children, pregnant and in less than mint condition, so to say, having lost track of her husband in the process of escaping. Denver, who never had to experience life as a slave, was born while her mother was on the run and grew up in a relatively safe home with her siblings, mother, and grandmother, Baby Suggs. Baby Suggs is deceased when the story takes off, but we still get to follow her partly in the novel and see things that happened in the past from her point of view. She's the mother of Sethe's husband and Denver's father, and was bought out of slavery from that very one son of hers. A man who also used to be a slave is Paul D, one of several Pauls that lived on the same farm as Sethe and Baby Suggs. He manages to fin Sethe again after all these years, having also escaped slavery at last. Lastly, there's Beloved, the child which was slain by her own mother. Now she's coming back to face Sethe again, once and for all.
My overall opinion of the novel is mixed, to say the least, so I will divide it into sections, starting with the characters. I found that while each character was its own, they were all confusing. Sometimes I had a hard time understanding their decisions, thoughts, and the reason behind their actions, and sometimes when I thought I finally got the hang of a character, they did a 180 turn in their behaviour. Perhaps this was due to the peculiar layout of the story and unusual writing style. Due to sudden jumping between perspectives, tense and points on the timeline, I had a hard time keeping up with the novel at times. At first I had no idea what the plot-line even was about, and it wasn't made better by sudden inserts of bizarre and befuddling scenes. The writing style is also the kind that starts a sentence off in one way and ends it in a way that you'd NEVER anticipate. Sometimes I found it poetic, sometimes I found it beyond puzzling.
So my final opinion is that it definitely was an interesting read, but perhaps not something that I'd look at reading again. My motivation to keep reading it mostly surfaced from a desire to know what weird scenes and wordings would come up next. My rating is therefore low, but I will not look back at this novel with too strong of a dislike. Rather, I will look back at it with a wrinkled forehead and a strange inability to remember what the main point of the plot even was.

Rating: 2/5