Bookworm Reviews
By Quinn Hutchison, Mya Shell, Em Brewer, and Ben Huff
Review of The Memory of Light
By Quinn Hutchison
The Memory of Light, Written by Francisco X. Stork is a very insightful realistic fiction, young adult novel. The Memory of Light focuses on the internal struggles of Vicky Cruz after she attempts suicide, and how she begins to understand her depression. The character of Vicky is based on the thoughts and feelings of the author while he suffered from depression in his past. In the beginning of this book, Vicky decides to take her life and attempts suicide, but wakes up in the Lakeview Hospital Mental Disorders ward after being found just in time. Vicky meets Mona, Gabriel, and E.M, who each have their own illnesses such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and anger issues. WIth the help of Dr. Desai and her new friends, Vicky must learn how to live with depression, while along the way decide that life is worth living. Francisco X. Stork is able to put the sometimes difficult to explain feelings, and complicated thought processes that go through a person’s mind under many different curcumstances, into words. I think this is a very important book and a great read. I would recommend it for anyone who wants to know more about mental illness, for someone who struggles with it themselves so they may be able to put feelings into words, or someone who wants to understand one example of why someone would want to take their life.
Review of Dear John
By Mya Shell
Dear John, written by Nicholas Sparks is a realistic love story that captures the hardships of distance in a relationship. The main character is John Tyree and the reader follows him through multiple years in his life. The reader first meets John when he is 21 and they follow him until he is 28 years old. They also learn about John’s earlier years as a rebel and his childhood revolved around the search for coins with his autistic father. The story is set mainly in Wilmington, North Carolina but switches to Germany and Iraq while John is overseas on military duty. John is in the army and is home on one of his 2 week leaves when he meets Savannah, a girl that would change his life. John and Savannah fall in love instantly and fight to make their relationship last while John is shipped out on duty. You follow these characters through the years while looking through John’s eyes. The relationships in this book take twists and turns that will, no doubt, make you shed a tear. This story is one of distance, coming of age and of love and lose. Any romance literature lovers should definitely pick up this book and maybe some tissues too.
Review of The Help
By Em Brewer
The Help was the debut novel of budding author Kathryn Stockett, published in 2009. The book is set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960’s, following the story of three different women that become connected through a project so dangerous and controversial it has to be done in secret. Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan is the daughter of a cotton plantation owner who aspires to be a writer. The book begins with her returning from college with a degree instead of a husband, much to her mother’s dismay. Aibileen Clark is a black maid in a white household, raising her employer’s toddler named Mae Mobley. Her friend, Minny Jackson, is another maid who has been fired from nineteen different jobs for mouthing off to her employers. Though the three women are completely different, they band together (although somewhat reluctantly) in order to achieve the same goal: To see things change. With plenty of humor, heartbreak, and intrigue, The Help will have you riled up for the cause in no time.
Review of The Gunslinger
By Ben Huff
The Gunslinger was written by American novelist Stephen King. It is a New York Times #1 bestseller, along with the rest of the series. This science fiction story follows the tale of the last gunslinger, Roland Deschain, as he journeys across the desert in pursuit of the mysterious magician known as the Man in Black. Roland confronts a mad preacher, has an interesting quarrel with a demon, and eventually befriends a young boy named Jake. This book is a must read by all high schoolers and adults who love action, violence, love, science-fiction, and of course an all around love for Stephen King. Pick up this book and follow Roland and Jake through their journey to find the Man in Black and most importantly, his soul.