Books 16-20: Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Completed March 29th

I didn't make notes as I read this series, so this reaction/review thing is straight from memory. Also, it says something that I didn't make quote-notes on these books. The writing was straight-forward and efficient, but no elegant prose or inspiring quotations were found here. The series is written for a younger audience (I found half of the books in the children's section of the library with the other half being YA...disorganization, anyone?), but I enjoyed it just fine.

At first, Percy's lack of common sense annoyed the piss out of me. I think even I had more common sense at 12, and he's a demigod (half god, half human)! The kid seemed incapable of drawing conclusions no matter how much evidence was slapping him in the face. Typical scenario: weird crap happens, weird crap, weird crap, and Percy concludes that weird crap isn't really happening. Okay, now repeat that at least 15 times. That was really my only major gripe I think, besides the reiteration of scenes to remind the reader what happened in the previous book. I got it, thanks.

This series is rooted in Greek mythology and there are a lot of characters. We meet all of the Olympian gods, most of the Titans, plus a hundred or so minor gods/demigods/monsters.

Side note: We had a game night at Ashley's recently and reading this series helped me answer a ton of questions about Greek mythology. It delves (at least briefly) into many myths, with enough visual description to lock them into my brain.

I don't like giving too much away if I can help it. Basically this series is about a 12 year old half-god coming of age, while also coming to terms with the fact that Greek myths are reality, his father is Poseidon, monsters are trying to kill him daily, there is a summer camp for demigods to learn how to stay alive, and there is a prophecy involving him that might just determine the fate of humanity. No big deal. So yeah, it's okay...not my favorite series, but not my least favorite either *coughHisDarkMaterialscough*

Ratings:

The Lightning Thief 7/10

The Sea of Monsters 6/10

The Titan's Curse 7/10

The Battle of th Labyrinth 8/10

The Last Olympian 6/10

Percy Jackson

I'm currently reading book 20, which I should finish tonight. 16-20 are the Percy Jackson novels, and I'll be reviewing them as a whole series...something I planned on doing with the His Dark Materials, but didn't like them enough to read them all at once.

Anyway, just a quick update since I haven't posted in a while.

Book 15 - Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes

Completed March 5th


How do I even begin to describe this book?

Well, first of all, it's not a novel. It's a play. And it's my favorite play. Ever. Angels is separated into 2 parts (Millennium Approaches and Perestroika) and if you were to sit through a performance of the entire thing, you'd be in the theater for 7 hours. It's kind of a beast.

The play is set during the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and deals particularly with its effect on the gay community. But you don’t have to be a gay man with AIDS living in 1985 to relate to it. This play reaches out on a very basic human level. It’s about dealing with loss, love, sickness, regret, politics, betrayal, sex, religion, death, confusion, hate…it’s about facing yourself and trying to cope with what you find there. What does it mean to know that you are dying? How do you deal with yourself when you betray the person you love? How does it feel to be hated and alone at the end of you life? Could you give up your own happiness in order to live the life people expect of you? Do you have to change your values in order to be accepting of humanity?

There are also some paranormal aspects to this play. It's not called Angels in America for nothing. Millennium Approaches sets up the coming of the angel, with part of Perestroika taking place in heaven. Also, it doesn't hurt to have some knowledge of the culture and politics in 1980s New York when reading, though it's not necessary. Roy Cohn (a closeted lawyer famous during the McCarthy era and for his influence in the Rosenberg trial) is a main character here. I had only vague knowledge of him before reading this play and I wish I had known a bit more, though from the very first words out of Cohn's mouth we are able to see what kind of person he is.

If I could set the curriculum for a literature class, Angels in America would be top priority. I think it’s an important play and that everyone should grab a copy and just read the hell out of it.

Favorite passages:

• I usually say, "Fuck the truth," but mostly, the truth fucks you. (Prior Walter)
• The failure to measure up hits people very hard. From such a strong desire to be good, they feel very far from goodness when they fail. (Joe Pitt)
• Don't be afraid; people are so afraid; don't be afraid to live in the raw wind, naked, alone. (Roy Cohn)
• I just wondered what a thing it would be...if overnight everything you owe anything to, justice, or love, had really gone away. Free. It would be...heartless terror. Yes. Terrible, and...Very great. To shed your skin, every old skin, one by one and then walk away, unencumbered, into the morning. (Joe Pitt -- all of the ellipses are put there by Kushner in the text)
• And I think that what AIDS shows us is the limits of tolerance, that it's not enough to be tolerated, because when the shit hits the fan you find out how much tolerance is worth. Nothing. And underneath all that tolerance is intense, passionate hatred. (Louis Ironson)
• Well I hate America, Louis. I hate this country. It's just big ideas, and stories, and people dying, and people like you. The white cracker who wrote the national anthem knew what he was doing. He set the word "free" to a note so high nobody can reach it. That was deliberate. Nothing on earth sounds less like freedom to me. You come with me to room 1013 at the hospital, I'll show you America. Terminal, crazy, and mean. (Belize)
• Nothing's lost forever. In this world there is a kind of painful progress. Longing for what we've left behind, and dreaming ahead. At least I think that's so. (Harper Pitt)
• (The monologue on the last page also, but it gives to much away, so I won't write it here)

Rating: 10/10

Book 13: Twice Taken

Completed February 22nd


When I went to visit my parents, I forgot to bring more books with me, so I had to make due with what I had left there (mostly things I last read before high school). I was excited when I found this book because it was a favorite of mine from middle school. I remember reading the back cover and buying it at a book fair in 7th grade. It was so scandalous because there are maybe 5 cuss words scattered throughout it and I was impressed by that for some reason.

Minor spoilers in this paragraph:
The story is about a girl who sees herself on a TV program about missing persons. Her dad kidnapped her when she was younger and her mom had been searching for her. She reunites with her mom and her mom's new family, blah blah blah. I'm not really giving anything away here as all of this happens within the first chapter or so. The main story is about her reaction to her new life and adjustment.

At least I got plenty of enjoyment out of it back then because I'll probably never read it again. The writing is crap. Total crap. I know it's written for a younger audience, but I wanted to find the editor and shake him/her. I almost wish I hadn't reread it so I'd be able to remember this as one of the great American novels. Sadly, though, it's not.

Rating: 3/10

Book 12: She's Come Undone

Completed February 21st



I had mixed feelings about this book. Throughout most of it, I wanted to smack Dolores over the head with something. She obviously has glaring personality issues (coughborderlinepersonalitydisordercough) as well as being generally annoying. At the same time, if a character can get under my skin like that, I know some good writing is going on.

So, here's a brief summary: Some bad stuff happens; more bad stuff happens; still more bad things; whales die; bad stuff; more bad things; possibility of happy; bad stuff; the end.

Okay, let me get my thoughts together for a minute. I've put off writing this reaction because I really don't know what to say. It's taken me a while to process. I liked it and I didn't. The writing style was awesome. I enjoyed Lamb's use of language and description and I'm interested in reading more of his work...just not about these characters. This novel was so depressing, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I was just waiting for Dolores to make one good decision and she kept letting me down. Of course there are terrible things beyond her control that happen, but it seems like every time she's given a way out or when there could possibly be a turning point, she sabotages it. It was maddening. And there's this whole section involving quackery passed off as therapy that made me want to pull my hair out.

By the end of this book (and I mean the very end...like the last few pages) I grew to like Dolores. She had a tough ride, but ended up becoming somewhat self-aware and caring about herself.

Favorite lines:

• I didn't want to die. I didn't want to live, either.
• "Life's a shit sandwich, my ass. Life's a polka and don't you forget it!" -Roberta

Rating: 5/10