My 12th grade AP literature class just completed reading Thomas Hardy’s novel The Return of the Native, I found it to be a page turning novel that kept me wanting more, but lacked a certain depth.
Setting
Set during 1840’s England, this book takes place in a small village called Egdon Heath. “The Heath”, as it’s called by its residence, is a place of beauty, where nature reigns supreme over the inhabitance.
Plot
The story of The Return of the Native is mainly a love story between one Eustacia Vye and two of town’s inhabitants. Her prospects are Wildeve, owner of an Inn in the town, and Clym Yeobright, who returns from Paris. Clym is the “native” who "returns." The other main characters include Clym's mother, Mrs. Yeobright, and cousin Thomasin. Thomasin is set to marry Wildeve when the story first opens. Eustacia very much hates the Heath and sees Clym as her ticket out of Egdon and into a Parisian lifestyle. Clym, however, loves the Heath and loathes Paris, creating quite a nice drama between the main characters.
Good
This book certainly is exciting. I quickly was lost in the language and pleased to discover the 19th century writing style did not bog down my interest. Hardy’s elaborate use of figurative language paints a picture of 1840’s England and really sets the tone for each chapter. This book was published similarly to Dickens’s stories like A Tale of Two Cities in monthly installments (Hardy published in the magazine Belgravia), so there is a definite appeal to the reader.
Bad
This is not a spoiler, there are in reality two endings to this story. The first upset readers who envisioned a happy ending. Of course making more money from readers couldn’t hurt, so Hardy obliged and wrote a happier 6th chapter to The Return of the Native: wrapping up the character’s story in a neat little package. Unfortunately, Hardy focuses greatly on imagery and descriptions, which can deter readers who desire more action. What bothered me was that he did not really delve into the characters emotions, so it is up to the reader to discover how the characters feel. Some parts of the plot seem to be a little too convenient as well.
Recommend? Yes.
I would definitely recommend this book. It does not take too long to read and it’s easy to get lost among the pages and descriptions of Egdon Heath. Although it may seem like a soap opera at times, the novel is well written and interesting. I’d recommend buying a copy unwritten in and taking notes while underlining important passages. It helped me organize the book mentally and really understand its complexity.
Where to Buy
The Return of the Native is also avaliable free on Ibooks for now.
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I consider myself a dog lover. I grew up with Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, Old Yeller and of course 101 Dalmations and Lady & The Tramp. And, along the way, I’ve met a few that I didn’t care for, but I can’t imagine my life without a dog – or two ( currently three). But recently I watched a movie that touched me so deeply that I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. It was the story of an Akita dog named Hachi.
The Plot
As a puppy, Hachi was shipped from his native Japan to America, but was abandoned at a train station when his shipping crate fell off a baggage cart. Frightened and alone, he wandered back and forth until he was picked up by a man returning home from work. This kind man took Hachi home, but was greeted with disdain by his wife who did not want a dog. However, it soon became obvious that there was a strong bond between the man and this dog and his wife relented. It wasn’t long before Hachi learned that his new master left for work every day and took the train into the city. It also didn’t take him long to find ways to escape his fenced yard and make his way to the train station to await his masters return at the end of the day. This routine continued every day, no matter what the season or the weather. As his master emerged from the train station, Hachi would joyfully bound up to him and join him for the walk home.
The Good
What is so heart wrenching about this story is that after just a few years of companionship, his master suffered a heart attack and passed away. This, however, did not deter Hachi from his self appointed routine-he continued his daily vigil for nine years after his master died! Hachiko’s days were spent keeping vigil at the train station, anticipating the return of his master. His lonely nights were spent in a makeshift ‘nest’ under an abandoned train car. This was his life for nine years throughout all the seasons -spring, summer , fall and the cold of winter. One can only guess at the dedication of this dog, as day after day, at the sound of the train whistle, he made his way to the station and waited. Until one morning, at the sound of the whistle, he slowly walked to the station, took his place and crossing over the Rainbow Bridge, let go of his life and joined his adored master.
Reccomended? Yes.
What is so amazing about this movie is that it is based on the true story of an Akita dog in Japan named Hachiko! I highly recommend the movie to anyone who has ever loved a dog and had that love returned unconditionally. BUT, I also admonish you to be prepared with a full box of tissues because I firmly believe that anyone who watches this movie –man, woman or child – will be moved to tears ( the big, sobbing kind in my case).
This summer I had to read three books, The Tortilla Curtain, Snow Falling on Cedars, and The Sound of Waves. Of all the books, The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima was easily the most entertaining.
Setting
Set in post World War 2 Japan, the book follows a young adult, Shinji Kubo, who lives helps support his mother and brother after his father died in an accident during the War. Uta-Jima is the small island where the novel takes place and mainly the people fish for a living. Shinji works as a fisherman under the leadership of Jukichi Oyama and along the apprentice, Ryuji.
Plot
The plot heats up when the wealthiest resident, Terukichi Miyata calls back the daughter he adopted away when she is his last living child, Hatsue. Having worked as a pearl diver, she continues her profession, and gains affection from many of the island’s eligible bachelors. Consistent with literary traditions her future husband will be the heir to Terukichi’s entire estate.
Toward the End
Chance meetings lead to a love between Shinji and Hatsue; however, rumors of more than just puppy love spread to Terukichi and they are forbidden from meeting. Needless to say they find ways of communicating, Shinji is tested by Terukichi, the false rumors are fixed, and everyone lives happily ever after.
The Good
Mishima does an excellent job with the themes like love conquers all, and bravery will win out. His ocean, animal, and weather imagery are weaved well into the words to symbolize characters and their emotions. There are clear heroes and villains, thought the helpers and adversaries shift from time to time.
The Bad
Though many aspects of this book reflect a clichéd love story told time and time again. The influences of Japanese culture and whatnot seem to distract from the Disney-esk film. Yes this story has been told repeatedly; however, The Sound of Waves is still an entertaining read with plenty of material to analyze and reflect upon.
Ernest Hemingway’s literary classic, The Old Man and the Sea, tracks the endeavor of an elderly Cuban fisherman, Santiago, as he is dragged across the gulf by a huge marlin. Santiago proves to himself and the rest of his town that even the elderly can manage.
The Author and Style
The book earned Ernest Hemingway a Nobel Prize and rekindled his fiction career. Hemmingway cleverly uses an elderly but strong man rather than the stereotypical macho youngster. The writing style is energetic and inspirational. How great a beast would it take to stop a man with a mission?
The Bad
At times the book could get repetitive. Repeated thoughts of his ex-apprentice occurred and the entire story is based on a four day struggle being dragged by a fish.
The Good
This book wasn’t merely about the struggle of the man, but the fish as well. Swimming through the ocean searching for food, this marlin happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is definitely something to be said for the courage and stubbornness of the fish. Even the old man sees the two as brothers; accounting for the fact that each of them struggles to see who will outlast whom.
Overall
Anyone who has faced a major obstacle in life can relate to Santiago and the marlin’s journey. Not all endeavors end so perfectly, the hero doesn’t always save the day. Hemingway understands this and weaves that notion into the book.
Recommended?
For only about 127 pages, The Old Man and the Sea, is a staple read for anyone interested in a well written, classic, and nautical work of fiction.
This is a book I had the misfortune of reading last summer. Never before have I seen a sadder attempt to emulate The Grapes of Wrath’s theme of the dispossessed American dream. For me, not much can be said about this book that has not already been said about the Black Plague; it is both outwardly repulsive and a painful experience until the bitter end.
The ‘curtain’ rises on a truly original plot that the literary world has never seen before: a dual structure novel exhibiting the life of an impoverished illegal immigrant and his wife in parallel with an affluent couple living their fearful and selfish existence in a gated community... wait for it… whose stories collide!
Bravo, Mr. Boyle. You have actually succeeded at mercilessly beating a dead cliché with a stick until it became a novel.
One of the factors that bothered me the most about this story was the sheer annoyingness of the characters crafted by Boyle. I’m not sure which was supposed to be cheesier; the hardworking and earnest illegal alien struggling to make ends meet in a society opposed to his existence, the privileged stay at home nature columnist whose deeply unremarkable experiences cause him undue stress, or his wife, an aggressive workaholic realtor whose superficiality causes her to overlook the struggles of the less fortunate.
Boyle doesn’t do himself any favors with his ridiculous descriptions: “For Kyra, [making love] was therapeutic, a release from sorrow, tension, worry, and she plunged into it in moments of emotional distress as others might sunk themselves into alcohol or drugs --and who was Delaney to argue? She’d been especially passionate around the time her mother was hospitalized for her gallbladder operation.”
I honestly can’t tell if Boyle is making fun of one of his most important characters that he expects the reader to take seriously, or if this is a zany attempt at irony. Or, another personal favorite of mine, “The fire sat low on the horizon, like a gas burner glowing under the great black pot of the sky.” Wow.
The worst part is that the story seems to have no finishing point or direction. The conclusion is fruitless, frustrating, and smarts of the author trying too hard to be profound.
I would not recommend this book to anyone besides the CIA, who I assume would read it aloud as means of torture to extract information from political prisoners. Make the wise choice and throw your $23.99 into a fire or into stocks of Euro Disney rather than on this book.
However, I'd like to note that for all my vehement criticism, I feel like I got my money's worth with this novel: it's currently keeping my piano level.
Normally, historical fiction is about the farthest thing from my cup of tea. Call me dispassionate naysayer, but I’ve never truly appreciated the beauty of writing fictional accounts from a time far in the future. I’m more of a subscriber to the tabloid of thought that lends itself to reading fiction written in the past by an author of the time period; these works strike me as more authentic. Generally I can’t read historical fiction without picking out whisperings of the modern world that seep into the story.
So therefore I was a tad skeptical when I first picked up Pillars of the Earth; I say ‘picked up’ because not only the modern looking cover but also the weight of the hefty tome aroused misgivings. But I’ve always harbored a reticent sense of affection for medieval history, so I decided to be spontaneous and shell out the $13.99 for the book.
It. Was. Phenomenal. Follet is no Faulkner, but he does a masterful job weaving an intricate tapestry of fiction around a solid knowledge of real 12th century England. The story chronicles the construction of a cathedral in the fictional locale of Kingsbridge, England, but also includes an expansive web of sub plots that revolve around the cathedral’s construction.
Although Follet deserves a tip of the hat for historic authenticity and providing the reader a very vivid snapshot of the time period, he also does a spectacular job of character development. One criterion I always use to judge a book when I read is how believable the characters are; flat characters that sustain a purely symbolic existence (see: Lord of the Flies) are wonderful, but when casually reading, I take my characters with two sugars and believability.
By the end of the novel, I was practically convinced that some the characters were real people. If nothing else, this book is a great reminder that every human being, no matter how outwardly saintly, is subject to moral ambiguity in difficult situations.
Then there were some things that I didn’t like:
Strewn among the slew of wonderfully complex characters were the one dimensional ones; William Hamleigh, in particular, is the classic ‘evil incarnate’ that serves a singular purpose throughout the entire novel: to make the reader despise him.
Follet’s language struck me as leaving a lot to be desired, but be warned, I’m a stickler for language and this probably won’t be a problem for most readers just looking for a good read. There is also a gratuitous amount of melodrama and sex. Ye have been warned.
But ultimately, I thought this book was excellent and would recommend it in a heartbeat. It’s a 1,000 page investment, but in my opinion, it pays dividends.