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Pray the Rosary (daily).
Our Lady of Fatima, Ora pro nobis.
One who has hope lives differently. - B16

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

I Kept Waiting For It To Get Better


. . . but I'd rather have had a good kick up the arse.
I'll read just about anything (except Dan Brown - I have resisted his books since day one and still have no interest; still, I cannot say one way or the other if they are good or not). Now that I have read the first two books by Stephanie Meyer I will say she can write well enough and the story is okay. I'm pissed off that I've read over a thousand pages of "his cold hand touched me, his cold lips were cold" - duh! He's an undead. He's cold! I can't stand Bella - what a dumdum! She calls her parents by their first names, and, it's all about her. Typical of today's self-love climate.
Of course, I know she wrote these for high school girls. I tell you what. If I were a high school girl, I would feel insulted. I like to have books that go deeper than the surface, which is what modern writing isn't. I don't think Edward is romantic at all. I guess he would be handy to have around now that I'm starting to have mild hot-flashes, though.
Also, I don't care if any of my readers like the book. This is only my opinion. And, please, if you liked them, it is fine by me. I'm not calling anyone a dumdum for liking them or reading them. I love to read and I keep holding out for modern literature to grow up a bit and give me something like Jane Austin, Tolstoy, and Dickens. Even Steinbeck - love Steinbeck. I have run across my standards every now and again. If you want to read something really good, read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" or "Three Cups of Tea". Pleasant surprises . . . books I will read again. I read two books by Emily Giffin recently as well (Baby Proof and Love the One Your With). Easy to read, but written to be easily read. Reading that stuff drives me crazy. I do not want to read about the fluff - sex before marriage, after marriage how lonely and unfulfilled she is, he cheats, she cheats, they make up and live in Manhattan (what's so great about that?), and . . . on and on. Am I the only one that notices that many of these books sell like wildfire? They should be shelved with the romance paperbacks - they're all that awful. And, are all their author's living in Atlanta?
Sorry, Edward, but I'm dumpin' your bloody arse.

12 comments:

SQUELLY said...

All my girls love it! I keep telling them to read some Austen but its a lot more effort apparently :-)

Sarah - Kala said...

Exactly, why put forth effort! I like having to put effort into it. I keep telling my oldest son that when you have to work hard for something, the outcome is always ten million times better than when something comes too easy.

Suzanne said...

Amen! I'm sorry I didn't get into the first post about this because I guess homeschooling all of these years and because I actually started homeschooling in one way BECAUSE the reading material back in my first daughter's 4th grade class was going to be all about witches and such, so I did have a hard time with Harry Potter, but got over it and it won out and that's fine, but then I heard that this chick was gonna somehow be able to lay around with this guy and not ... you know...come on..there is no way that I probably could have done that at certain times in my life..I know..some would not think it, but its true and to me that was the silliest part of all.
My two older daughters here,have read some of it and I think one went to the movie. I've told them I thought they were wasting their time.
They are HUGE Pride and Prejudice ..Austen fans and they both, esp. one...said...No comparison and lost interest in this series.

A suggestion to the moms who want their daughters and maybe even their sons to read P & P at least..is to get the PBS series and entice them. The mom could also offer to have a real TEA at her home where the girls get dressed up ..just make it a girl tea...and make it fun..
Its also fun to kid around with some of the quotes from the movie and try to talk like the women in the story..watching the movie on that particular series makes it fun.
We have a friend who is a couple of years older than my girls and she was/is a HUGE Austen fan and she got my girls all excited about this authoress...so, that is my suggestion..I wish I had one for others things..hint - hint!
Anyway, Sarah, I guess sometimes we have to read these things to keep up..I hate that part..I cannot read fast enough but if you can, its best to try to see what they are putting in their minds. So...

Sarah - Kala said...

I hate it when people push books like this saying "at least they are reading" . . . . irksome! Why fill your head with useless crap?

Sarah said...

Hey Sarah, You might be interested in reading Regina Doman's thoughts on the Twilight series at http://reginadoman.blogspot.com/. She wrote the Fairy Tale Novel series, and it is excellent ... It's geared toward teens, but I enjoyed the books very much. You don't have to even worry about letting your teen read them, yet they're filled with wonderful plots and character development. Anyway ... I had a chance to meet her on Sunday at a book signing =) And I couldn't agree more, encourage the classics—quality, quality, quality—to improve the mind and not just fill it with junk! I think if teens gave P&P a chance, they'd LOVE it. How could you not???

Lisa said...

This is the best book review I've read in ages! Especially since I agree with you whole-heartedly! We started our kids out on the classics and just didn't let the pulp into their hands. By the time they've reached high school age, every one of them has sneered at the popular tripe ~ partly because the stories are so pathetic, partly because they're so poorly written. (I guess I'm raising literature snobs, huh?)

Sarah - Kala said...

Literature snobs UNITE!!!!

Sarah - Kala said...

Thanks, Sarah. I have one of Regina's books an I keep meaning to get the others. I love the one I read . . . something about a Bear. Great read! I need to get the others. Thanks for the linky. My mum sent me some cash for mum's day . . . perhaps I shall spend it wisely this time.

Christine said...

Oh...this is all good stuff here. I have a non-reader 13yr old right now. A super-reader 11yr old ...both boys but someday my little 8yr old will be zooming fast into teen material and I will need help choosing some good stuff.

Blog more about books!!! GOOD BOOKS!!!

Nancy said...

My thoughts exactly....although I will admit to reading all 4! I just needed to know what happened. In the end...they weren't all that good. I'm with you..Edward is a wimp. I think the hype connected with the books was better than the plot.
The move...dumb de dumb dumb...dumb!!!
You're good at reviewing books!!!
Thank you again for our package the other day! When I woke Nathan up this morning....the book he was reading was right next to him! I LOVE that HE LOVES to read!

Brandie said...

OMG you are totally cracking me up!! That part about Edward coming in handy because of hot flashes...I'm laughing out loud. And dropping his bloody arse. So funny.

Twilight's not for everyone. I appreciate your honesty. And I take no offense. I still love the series regardless. I respect the fact that you gave it a shot. And I don't see how they can be for young adults. When I was a teen - I didn't pick up a 600+ page book to read. I was busy doing homework and other activities. So I was shocked when I went to buy these books and they directed me to the YA section. I think it's craziness.

I love fluff books. Emily Giffin is one of my favs. But that's just my style. I've never been able to read classics. They can't keep my attention. I SO wish they could. And maybe later in life I'll be able to and appreciate it. I'd love to be able to pick one up some day. I have several on my bookshelves at home and have no desire to start them. But it's a goal I've set for myself and I'm determined to meet it at some point in my life!

Sarah - Kala said...

Brandie - you'll get there if you desire it. My sister and mother are fluff readers - I'm not judging the person, and I'm glad you know that. And, just 'cos I read the "hard stuff" (classics) does not mean I don't re-read the pages here and there 'cos I've gotten lost! Truth! I'm not bloody brill, here, but I like a challenge.

I think 'cos I fly through fluff, it's like too fast for me. You might like Cleopatra and/or King Henry VIII books by Margaret George. Not boring, enough tongue in cheek stuff, humour and history to keep you busy but not too busy. THey are THICK books, though. Those I took about a two weeks with, I think.