My view on the book Mockingjay

Hey guys. It’s Julio, sorry for the 2 month delay but I’m back and I have a new post for you. It’s on the final book of the hunger games Mockingjay by Suzane Collins. To be honest I was kind of disappointed, I thought it was going to have some suspense but it was just plain violence and death.  In 2010 I read the book for the first time, when I finished the book I thought to myself,” There’s got to be something good I’m just not seeing.” Second time I read it, I thought “What the f***. Words can't begin to express my disappointment, the first day it came out and I was preparing myself for a truly epic novel, one worthy of its predecessors. I loved The Hunger Games; it was fast-paced, thrilling, suspenseful. Catching Fire wasn't as good but it was still enjoyable (I was majorly impressed by the game arena). I wasn't let down by Catching Fire though; I figured it was just a transition novel, build-up to what would undoubtedly be a mindblowing, epic conclusion in Mockingjay. “

            Maybe I set my expectations too high. I do think Collins is a good writer; she definitely knows how to write and tell a story. But I feel like she lost her way in this book. Or maybe the only thing that made this series so great was the Hunger Games, and now that it's absent, there's nothing to drive the story.

            The love triangle wasn't well played out. First of all, I'm getting a bit tired of reading about love triangles -- especially in novels where there's a much greater plot present. But I'll admit, I was on Team Gale throughout the series, because he was strong and resilient and resourceful and caring. There was this attractive manly quality about him and he was so in sync with Katniss, and hot to boot. But towards the end of this novel, I didn't give a flying f*** about Katniss's love life and who she ended up with, because everything seemed like such a hopeless, depressing mess that there was no point. I also hated how she kept flip-flopping and toying with both Gale and Peeta (I've been bothered by this since CF). She should make up her mind about who she wants instead of leading them both on! Her fickleness is pretty inconsiderate to these two guys whom she supposedly cares about. And if she can't decide (I can see why, they both have great qualities), then she should give herself some space/time to decide, and in the meantime, don't go kissing or showing romantic affection to either one! 

            She ended up with Peeta, which would have been fine if it had been executed properly. But even in this aspect of her life, she didn't get to CHOOSE, which is basically the story of her life. She just ended up with Peeta because he was the only one who stuck around. At the end, I found myself wanting her to end up alone, of her OWN choice. Heck, instead of spiraling into bleak depression and continuing life as a puppet, I would have rather seen her die for a noble cause and for doing the right thing. That would have been a more satisfactory ending, and that's saying something because I normally LOATHE it when characters die.

 I didn't like that we didn't get to experience the action close-up. As the war unraveled, I felt like Katniss was always on the sidelines, only called in when other people commanded her to. We didn't get to see Katniss kicking butt against her enemies, we got to hear from other characters about events that occurred, or watch them on the TV. It is so mindnumbingly dull to be watching a character watching something, instead of experiencing the action with the character. Everything she did was for show, for a propo or campaign or whatever. It was all so .. fake. Here they are in the middle of a war, people are dying left and right, and all they care about is filming and getting good shots and angles and putting on a pretty face! It felt so staged and it was boring and infuriating to read. The only real action is towards the end when she and her team are going on the assassin mission to kill Snow, and even THAT was originally only for a propo (that went astray). 

            The last third of the book (the assassin mission) was gorey and bloody, which I didn't mind. It's war after all. But many characters' deaths were so rushed and pointless. Prim's death didn't have the impact that I'm sure Collins was aiming for; I didn't feel sad when she died, as she's barely in the story as it is, so I didn't get to know her well enough and connect with her beforehand. She was absent for at least 100 pages before her death came out of nowhere, for God's sake, so her death felt like any stranger's death. (Although it seems her death kind of defeated the point of sparing her from the Hunger Games.) 

That's another thing that bothered me: throughout the whole book, she had no control over ANYTHING, not even her own life and actions. She was a empty, lifeless pawn, a zombie if you will, who didn't do anything that wasn't directed or commanded by other people. In this novel, I was expecting her to STEP UP, embrace her role as Mockingjay, use her power/influence to get involved in the rebellion, take control of her life, and make a difference in the outcome of her world. I was expecting to see her grow and change and I was excited for her metamorphosis. Instead, we get this weak girl who's shirking all responsibilities, addled on drugs half the time, and lashing out at people the other half. Not only did she not improve herself from the first book (she was kickass in the first book btw), she got WORSE, an empty shadow of her former self. At the beginning, I could understand her confusion, her pain, her reluctance to be the Mockingjay. It'd be weird if she DIDN'T feel this way, if she didn't have that time of indecision and unwillingness. But after, I expected her to be strong and work through it, to face her fears and obstacles and choose to do the right thing, to really fight for justice. The best things in life never come easy; anybody who's done anything has had to overcome obstacles to accomplish their goals. When she decided: "I must be the Mockingjay", my heart soared (cheesy but it did!) and I was rooting for her 100%. When I heard her inspirational words during the propos, the fire behind them, my heart soared because I thought Katniss was back. But as I kept reading, I realized .. even though she verbally accepted her role, her mind still wasn't in it and she wasn't in control of herself. She didn't grow and become stronger, that's what pisses me off.

  

In conclusion the hunger games series went down the toilet. I pray that they don't make a movie from this.

Welcome to the city of thieves

         The book I'm reading  is called The City Of Thieves  by David Benioff. 


           CITY OF THIEVES is a fantastic story; set in 1942 during the Nazis’ brutal siege of Leningrad. It’s a coming of age story filled with adventure, suspense, friendship, romance and tragedy all washed down with (surprisingly) a historically accurate picture of Leningrad during the blockade. 

      I should point out that despite the events of the time this is also a surprisingly funny read as our two main characters; Kolya the romantic optimist and Lev with his random internal observations both have an interesting way of looking at life around them during the absurdities of war. 

      The story begins with a powerful opening chapter; a writer asks his grandfather to tell him about his experiences during the war. All the narrator knows-and he doesn’t remember anyone telling him its just one of those family folklores that he always has. Is that his grandfather, "the knife fighter" killed two Germans before he was eighteen and is missing a finger. That I already know but, Lev begins to tell his story to his grandson. Talking openly for the first time about his childhood, coming to America and sex. Mostly though he talks about a two week period in 1942 when he met his best friend, the woman that would become his wife and killed two Germans. I actually referred back to this chapter several times during the course of the book and again.

      Its January 1942 Leningrad is under marshal law, surrounded by the German army and what’s left of its inhabitants are starving. Our hero 17 year old Lev Beniov has just been arrested for looting and placed in a cell with a handsome friendly deserter named Kolya Vlasov. Both of their crimes are grounds for execution and as our heroes get to know each other that’s what they expect come morning. However in a twist of fate they are given a chance to save their own lives, a secret mission for a powerful soviet colonel. All they have to do is find a dozen eggs for his daughter’s wedding cake. 

      A dozen eggs in a city cut off from supplies, a city resorting to cannibalism and eating glue from book spines to survive. It is of course a ludicrous and impossible task one which takes our new friends far into German occupied territory, through the bitter cold of winter and countless adventures and atrocities. The outcome didn’t really surprise me but I haven't stopped thinking about it either. 

       Here’s a quote from the book. “One moment I thought I had a few minutes left to live; the next a sniper was flirting with me. Was she flirting with me? The days had become a confusion of catastrophes; what seemed impossible in the afternoon was blunt fact by the evening. German corpses fell from the sky; cannibals sold sausage links made from ground human in the Haymarket; apartments blocs collapsed to the ground; dogs became bombs; frozen soldiers became sign posts. I had no food in my belly, no fat on my bones and no energy to reflect on this parade of atrocities. I just kept moving, hoping to find another half slice of bread for myself and a dozen eggs for the colonel’s daughter.”

 Surprisingly this was supposed to be an accurate war story.

The seven laws of life

This book “the seven spiritual laws of life” by Deepak Chopra is a very good book. This is a guide on how to live your life in peace with just a little amount of stress.

I've been reading this book for a few weeks. It's somewhat more complex and requires time to unravel and let the concepts sink in. It's definitely readable,

I have just had to read one chapter at a time and let the "laws" sink in one at a time before exploring the next. It shifts the thinking about the universe and our place in it. Rather than approach us as "stardust" or inconsequential, it challenges the individual to see that we are the center of OUR universe and we have to deliberately create what surrounds us and what is inside of us...it's a chicken/egg kind of thing that takes some philosophical thought to digest. Very fun reading! Pushes the envelope on spirituality.

                                        

What really helped me about this book was Deepak's "universal meditation" thing at the end where he asks everyone to focus on a specific spiritual law on a specific day. So for about a year, I did this. Sunday, being conscious of the Law of Pure Potentiality, for instance. This practice helped me to be more centered and aware. I just thought that this was a good book and I wanted to share my opinion.

         

          

The FNG of CHERUB

This week I read CHERUB mission 1: the recruit by Robert MuchaMore. It’s the thing that keeps me begging for more like, what happens next, why would he do that?

This book is about a child named James Adams whose mother has just died. When his little sister got sent to live with her father, Uncle Ron, James had to move to the Nebraska House. James meets a boy named Kyle. But a while after James came to the Nebraska House; they sent him and Kyle to Cherub. It turned out that Kyle was already a part of Cherub. Cherub is a organization in the UK that takes kids and turns them into agents. They send them on top secret missions that M15 or the police don't know about.

 There are different shirt colors for your rank at Cherub. Orange is guest, Red is before training, Blue is for training, Grey is for completing training, Navy is for doing a good job on missions and Black is for doing an excellent job on many missions. After James completed his 100 day training, he got sent on a mission with his swimming teacher, Amy to go into a place called Fort Harmony and find out about some terrorist related activities. After they nailed all of them except for one, James and Amy went back to Cherub. When they got back, James got his Navy Shirt and Kyle got his after. Kyle was jealous that James got his Navy Shirt before him. 

               

                        In Cherub, Robert Muchanmore writes as a James the latest Cherub recruit. He's a bit of a troublemaker, but he’s also very brilliant. And CHERUB needs him. But before he can start in the field, he must survive one hundred grueling days of basic training, where even some of the toughest recruits don't make it to the end. Throughout the book James is faced with lots of family problems. Although he has lots of family problems i think that helps him to push harder during his basic training. While James was attending school his mom died and his sister was taken into his stepfathers care. James stepfather is not really fit to be a father and James knows it but he can’t do anything about it. Robert Muchamore does a great job taking James from being the son of an alcoholic and a trouble maker to some one how is now a much respected member of a very elite club. So when you put it like this, he’s like a teenage James Bond, except he doesn’t kill anyone.

With a side of random

The book I’m reading is called Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. I have to say, it’s a good book but it’s no hunger games. To be honest, you eventually drift off and fall asleep from your book. That is what I get from some scenes in the book. Besides that, I’m okay with this book.

Cold Mountain is the story of Inman, a wounded and soul-sick Confederate soldier who, like his literary fellow-traveler Odysseus, has quit the field of battle only to find the way home littered with impediments and prowled by adversaries. Inman's Penelope is Ada, a headstrong belle who has forsaken her place in Charleston society in order to accompany her father -- a tubercular southern gentleman turned missionary -- to a new home in the healthy mountain air of North Carolina. Frazier divides the narrative between Inman's homeward progress and Ada's struggle to make it on her own after her father dies, establishing an underlying tension that is at once subtle and irresistible. 

Inman is critically wounded in the fighting outside Petersburg and, after a rough triage; he is "classed among the dying and put on a cot to do so." When his body stubbornly refuses to comply, he is evacuated further south to a hospital where he may succumb at his leisure. But against all odds, Inman's terrible injury insists upon healing itself. During the long months of convalescence he struggles to shed the hated, insulating numbness put on against the carnage he has seen -- Malvern Hill, Sharpsburg, Petersburg, Fredericksburg -- and probes his psychic wounds for the shrapnel of his former self. He finds instead a refuge in the "topography of home in his head" and the Cherokee folk tales of his childhood friend Swimmer: 

"As Inman sat brooding and pining for his lost self, one of Swimmer's creekside stories rushed into his memory with great urgency and attractiveness. Swimmer claimed that above the blue vault of heaven there was a forest inhabited by a celestial race. Men could not go there to stay and live, but in that high land the dead spirit could be reborn. This is all I know so far, I still haven’t finished the whole book, but I look forward to the end.

Fish

Fish: Add a touch of nature to your page with these hungry little fish. Watch them as they follow your mouse hoping you will feed them by clicking the surface of the water.

The story that they carried

          This week I’m reading The things that they carried. By Tim O’Brien, Due to my packed schedule, particularly towards the end of the school year; it has been a considerably long time since I've had the opportunity to so thoroughly drink in a book like this. The past week or so I've spent reading and reading (and reading, and reading) The Things They Carried, living in its pages, watching every word, hearing every phrase in my head, exploring, searching for meaning and truth and lies in every corner... 

I'm breathless as I'm typing this, actually. I just have so much to say about this book. I'm sure I could fill pages upon pages, examining every drop of ink in this brilliant text. I'll spare you, of course. 

I'll do you all a favor and give you with a quote from my point of view on O'Brien's masterpiece! 

I'm breathless as I'm typing this, actually. I just have so much to say about this book. I'm sure I could fill pages upon pages, examining every drop of ink in this brilliant text. I'll spare you, of course. 

I'll do you all a favor and give you with a quote from my point of view on O'Brien's masterpiece! 

"The only way to represent the self is to delicately smash that self into pieces, spread those pieces around, and create something new from the remnants of what previously existed. Some tremendous work, an engrossing web of stories and ideas and truth and lies, The Things They Carried and all characters and events in it were created by a Tim O’Brien who took the intricate ceramic vase of his own life and broke it into dozens of small and large segments, and, with fiction and lies, constructed and restructed his own experiences in order that they convey the real truth, beyond the 'truth' of what really happened and what did not... O’Brien put the fragments together to form a unified, fictional, honest story which I wish to mentor."So cool!!

Response to Eli's post

Eli’s post on the book The mysterious benedict society and the perilous journey by Trenton Lee Stewart was pretty interesting. I’ve read the book in 6^th grade and forgot all about the characters and their details. But when I was scrolling down the blog posts I saw Eli’s post about the book and it instantly rung a bell. In the blog post each character was specifically described. It made me feel like seeing an old friend that you haven’t seen or heard from in two years. It also gave me an idea of how the characters would look like in real life. My memory was also refreshed by the way he summarized the book and does he think how the character feels, but he also explains why the character would feel that way.

 to see the blog post for yourselves visit: http://blackmarketaj.blogspot.com/2011/12/lol-i-did-this-one-in-purple.html

Nope, not letting go

This is part 2 of my blog on The knife of never letting go by Patrick Ness and I have got to say, this is the first book I feel truly addicted to throughout this short period of 8^th grade. Now I have read up to 219 pages of this book.

          One thing I have noticed is Todd’s changes throughout the story.

          From a regular kid in his village to discovering things he’s never seen before, Todd is the only character in the book that interests me the most. He lives in a town with no women, a quiet town, and every political figure there has a secret. And Todd then starts to unveil a secret so dark, that to his hometown, he’s become public enemy#1. In my perspective, at the beginning Todd was another teen trying to live his life, in the middle he’s kind of scared, scared that if he dies, no one will know the town’s horrible secret. And through out the rest of the book he becomes noble and willing to sacrifice.

I just hope I’ll be satisfied with the ending. 
For more on character developments in the knife of never letting go visit http://blogaddressurlz.blogspot.com/2011/12/character-developments-in-knife-of.html

Should I let go of the knife?

                      I just started to read the book The knife of never letting go by Patrick Ness and I've just read the first 30 pages and so far, so good. For now I’m pretty hooked with the book, it’s like every character in the town knows this big secret and yet keeps it away from the rest of the world. I’m curious to know. I still have the same questions from last week.

    Is there justice being served in the text?

Who blocks justice, what is their motivation?

    Is there justice being served in the text?

            I wish to know if there was justice being served in the text by now, however, a conflict is yet to be resolved. I just hope justice will be served later on throughout the book.

Who blocks justice, what is their motivation?

            I think mayor Prentiss and some politicians in Todd’s hometown are the antagonists in this book. Because they’re hiding something that they think no one else can find out, must be really bad. I wonder if someone finds out, Prentiss’ career will be decimated. If I keep reading, Todd & I will find the truth.

       

     That is if I don’t quit while I’m ahead. It’s books like these that have a crappy ending, I hope this one doesn’t follow up.

Bullies & Aspergers syndrome

My book Perfect targets by: Rebeckah Heinrichs explains how kids with AS (Asperger Syndrome) are being affected by the bullying in their schools and more than we think. There are dozens of stories of kids who have or have bullied a kid with Asperger’s explaining how the problem starts, what’s the outcome, and what is a possible solution and can it be used for similar conflicts?  But there are few questions that stick to my mind when I read this book.

            Is there justice being served in the text?

I don’t know if justice is being served in the text, since it’s already been done but this could prevent this from happening in the future and justice could be served to the victims of this bullying (spiritually of course)

Who blocks justice, what is their motivation?

Obviously it’s the bullies that block justice for the kids with AS either for fun or for revenge because on some cases kids with AS blurt out some hurtful and angry words, next minute they don’t even remember saying it.  The bully finds it fake and retaliates  by pummeling or mocking the child with AS and it actually makes them even more depressed than they are.

Having trouble surviving school?

                If you’ve been having trouble trying to survive in school, like I have, then have no fear, Jon & Jayne Doe’s guide to getting through school (mostly intact) This book informs me how to survive the wild jungle called school. Not only does it tell you how to avoid this situation, but it also gives you tips for a “what if this happens” problem and how their experience at school could help you if you have a related problem like “How to write an essay and keep it organized and neat.”

 If you have a test and you’re completely stressed, there are tips on how to calm yourself down or ways to make a study guide and some strategies that can make you committed to studying for example: If you have a test/project that’s due in about 3 days, don’t panic! You have to plan your time, for a test you should start studying during your spare time and when the day of the test comes just relax and pretend you’re only writing answers on a piece of paper, you won’t get arrested if you answer a question. And do not save anything for the last minute! It’ll just haunt you. I made this tip so that I can improve on my tests and projects. But I try and keep the tips related to the advice Jon and Jayne Doe are giving me. Now I try and follow these tips and I hope they prove successful.

My point is that if you’re having trouble surviving in school, then you should read this series and it could help you to become a better student and maybe even a better person.

Miracles can happen

Who brings or represents Justice? Who we might typically assume?

          In my book Miracle at Monty middle school, by Mary. A. Monroe, I think Mr. Martin brings justice to Melvin and the other kids with academic problems. I believe Mr. Martin brings justice because Mr. Martin has inspired these kids to be confident in themselves and he also gave the students the help and tutoring they need.

In the beginning of the book, Melvin did not have anyone to help him, he pretty much fails a lot classes. Even the middle school tries to hide him and the 11 other students, in room 122 at the far end of the school, for a D.O.P (Drop Out Prevention) class. So I guess Mr. Martin practically brings the justice through out the story.

          I have just started this book but I can already tell who’s bringing the peace and justice and I know who’s going to block it. If I keep reading this book eventually I can find something in the story that I can relate to...

There's a boy in the girl's bathroom! (post)

Whose perspective is missing? 

    Personally in There's a boy in the girls bathroom  by Louis Sachar   I think  Jeff's perspective isn't really being heard. I think this because, sure he gets to talk a lot but I don't really hear much about his story, what he's experiencing with his own eyes. I would love to know more about his story in first person. And I would love to know more about the character changes from both sides (Bradley and Jeff) then the story would be way more Juicy and Interesting. The kind that would make me want more and more!

     

However I do appreciate how the author makes the character change between Bradley and Jeff. For instance Bradley went from bully to gentle and caring, and Jeff went from Gentle and nice to being a popular bully. The next time I write a realistic fiction story I want to be sure I use the old characteristic switch.

Praise the godless one!!

           In the book I’m reading Godless by Pete Hautman, It tells the story of a kid named Jason Bock who’s been saying that he’s 100% agnostic-going-on-atheist on Christianity. So instead he tries to create his own new and completely original religion.

Chutengodians, but this god doesn’t worship Jehovah nor Christ, but a water tower, you’re probably thinking “a water tower, a Water Tower??!!” I know it sounds silly, but I think that it’s a good idea. I think this because Jason could finally start something fresh, to follow his own way of life (religiously), and maybe inspiring some people in the process.

            I don’t really think I could relate to this book religiously; however anybody who questioned his/her religion could put themselves in Jason’s shoes. I think I could relate with his curiosity and imagination. For instance, when Jason had no religion to turn to, I guess he thought to himself “Well life and water are so precious, and since the water tower supports those needs, why not make a religion worshipping the water tower?” Jason tries to plan everything for his new religion ads, preaching and even trying to write their own bible.

            All and all, I have not read the end yet and Jason Bock may not have inspired a lot of people into the Chutendogians, but he’s inspired me in imagination, curiosity, and creativity so far.

Blog post #3: Scorpions & Siblings

When you ever hear the word scorpion, you probably think “poisonous bug or, deadly arachnid, but in my book Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers. It tells the story about a kid named Jamal who lived a hard life,there's no father in his life, his brother Randy is in jail for killing a store clerk, and his mom has to work every day to support the family. So technically He's the man of the house. 

Jamal also has a sister named "Sassy", like most kids she's defiant and annoying but she is kind and caring. But she's the one who always drives Jamal crazy. They fight over everything, what to eat , who watches TV, and on Jamal for telling her younger sister wants to do.

 I know what Jamal goes through with little kids, I don't have a younger brother/sister, however I do have a nephew and a niece. They're always so defiant, literally rebelling against brushing their teeth, sleeping at 10:00 AM, and eating healthy foods. It's moments like that when Sassy from Scorpions glues into my mind and then I think "wow this so looks like Jamal's situation!" I love my kids but they are pain in the butts sometimes (worth it!!!)"Jamal, what would you do in situations like mine?"

Bridge to Terabithia post # 2 (elaborated)

          Rereading question: Why do you think Jess threw away all of his paints and papers away? Have you ever had that feeling? 


           My opinion on why he threw all of his paints away is because, for him, it was hard to cope with the fact that Leslie is dead, his friend, his guidance! Gone, forever. Jess who was in a fit of rage, threw all the art supplies that Leslie gave him. (poor guy)


            After his state of anger, he felt lost again, and he's all alone again. That's where the bonding with his dad really begins. Jess started to worry how will he survive without
her, but Jack tried to encourages him with this quote:

"Jack Aarons: She brought you something special when she came here, didn't she? That's what you hold onto. That's how you keep her alive.
         
         And after Jack calms Jess down, Jess will later come to peace and accept that Leslie is gone, plus a few of his demons have finally come to rest, Knowing as long as he's still breathing Leslie lives on. 


           I've been upset a couple of times in my life, but never in Jess' level of rage. I wish I could understand his experience, but I can't. I admit I've been pushed to rage, but I manage it with self control throughout my life.

Bridge to Terabithia post # 2

Who is Jess and why is he important?
       
         Jess is the main character of Bridge to Terabithia. he's had a hard time in this story, his father was gone for a while so Jess had had to be the man of the house, he also had his family as the first antagonists, next his story continues as school with a bully named Gary Fulcher. He always picks on Jess, they're like old enemies. The beginning of the story was miserable for Jess, until a girl named Leslie came into his life, she was practically the only friend that Jess had. And from that their relationship started to grow, until Leslie's tragic death, at that moment Jess showed out his true feelings for her. Love and denial of the fact that Leslie is dead.

1'st day of blogging

Hey, everyone this the creator of the convoy of comments, Julio Herrera, here to say that this is the 1'st time I've ever blogged so anyone reading this post, please link up as fast as you can. I will write my comments on any book/current event/etc. And I would love it if some people would reply to them.

Sincerely
Julio Herrera

Bridge to Terabithia post

         Bridge to Terabithia is a terrific classic and had a terrific movie. I felt like I could actually see the entire story with my own eyes. And when Leslie came into Jess' life, their relationship kept building and building especially when they played in the woods and entered like a world of imagination and named it Terabithia. I'm almost finished with the book. There are not really a lot of action in this book. However, Jess does deal with modern day problems like being bullied by other kids in school, family problems, and of course...

There is loss, NO SPOILERS!!!  I like reading this book like a thousand times!