Classics

Oedipus the King

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Oedipus the King
Author
Sophocles
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

The play Oedipus the king is one of the most tragic play. In the end of the play the protagonist fall into tragic downfall.. However ,I like the characters role of king Oedipus.. Whenever he made decisions to end the plague in order to end his people suffering.
Another ther event I like his character is when he care of his people and considering his people like his own family.. To become an admirable leader ..one should considering his people like his own family.. Oedipus is the best example in this play. Nevertheless this play could not be much interesting in the end of the play, when they found out the true prophecy Jocasta killed herself and king Oedipus taking his eyes off.
However if I were recommended to get a book.. This book will be the best,inorder to know the identity of ourselves.

Reviewer's Name
Sara
Genres

Book Review: The Hobbit

Author
Tolkien, J. R. R.
Rating
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review

If you are looking forward to diving into the fascinating world of dwarves, wizards and elves and feel ready to fight evil wolves, man-eating trolls and a fire-breathing dragon Smaug, then The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is definitely for you. A warm children’s fantasy novel, which, however, will captivate the hearts of many adults, takes you to the atmosphere of fairy tales that you were listening to by the fireplace as a kid.
The main character, hobbit Bilbo, at first reminds us of ourselves. He, as all the hobbits are supposed to do, loves eating good food, spending time at home and making their houses cute and cozy. However, his routine crashed as a dropped pot, when a wizard Gendalf knocked at his door. Welcoming him inside, Bilbo could not even imagine that soon he would go on a true adventure all the way to the Lonely Mountain and save an ancient treasure from the claws of a furious dragon. On his way he will meet many different creatures, make friends and enemies, defeat mountain trolls, get captured by giant spiders, get into another captivity right after that, outplay Gollum in the caves and get the magical ring. But what is more important, Bilbo will turn into a brave warrior (what a shame for the entire generations of hobbits!) and a loyal companion.
The author's writing style and original universe makes it impossible to stay indifferent to the story. Kind and soft narration wraps you as an old blanket and keeps you cozy even in the coldest evenings. Younger readers, as well as their parents, will find many life lessons on the pages of The Hobbit, such as why it is important to make smart choices, appreciate your friendships and be ready to help those who are in trouble. The book is an awesome pick for both family time and independent reading.

Reviewer's Name
Oleksandra

Book Review: Medea

Author
Euripides
Rating
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review

Medea by Euripides is a play about a princess in Greek mythology. She is betrayed by her husband when he weds another woman and Medea vows to take revenge. She plans to hurt everyone who hurt her, but by doing this she puts people who did her no wrong at risk. Will she end up getting revenge and living out her days or will she join the same fate that she curses down upon? I recommend this book to anybody who is into Greek mythology or would like to get into it. This is a fast read of about 50 pages.
Jaala 12

Reviewer's Name
Jaala

Book Review: Oedipus the King

Author
Sophocles,
Rating
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review

Oedipus the King by Sophocles is a Greek play that follows the tragedy and downfall of this King. He is presented by a messenger that a disease has spread across his land and he needs to save his people. He sets out in search of this issue, but slowly comes to the realization that this something is a someone within his borders. What if this someone who needs to be eradicated is one who governs it? I would recommend this book to anybody who likes Greek mythology or the adventure genre.
Jaala 12

Reviewer's Name
Jaala

Book Review: The Awakening

Author
Chopin, Kate
Rating
3 stars = Pretty Good
Review

The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a fictional novel that questions what it is to be an independent woman in a male dominant society. Edna lives in the Creole society in New Orleans that values the idea of women being a housewife. Edna strays away from this ideal and attempts to break the boundaries of what women think and can do. Is Edna strong enough to break these barriers or will the barriers break her? I recommend this novel to anybody who loves twists and turns and what it truly means to be independent.
Jaala 12

Reviewer's Name
Jaala

Book Review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Author
Chbosky, Stephan
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

I chose this book because I had watched the movie and was curious as to how the book was in comparison. I found that both were great overall and I don't dislike one more than the other, but the book felt more mature than the movie. Overall I really did enjoy this book, the detail in the book was a great touch, as well as was relatable. Personally, I felt a connection to some of the characters having to leave for college and trying to get the best possible score on the SAT. There is only one thing I did not enjoy about this book though, which is that there is a lot of smoking. The smoking feels a bit excessive, especially when the book follows a freshman in high school, so the amount of smoking I feel like does not portray a true aspect of what that would look like in real life. I would recommend this book to an upper teenage audience since there are mature topics such as brief sexual scenes and smoking. I gave this book 4 stars since I felt like it was very well written and an enjoyable book to read; the deduction of one star was due to the portrayal of smoking. This is honestly a great read that I personally love, I would definitely recommend it!

Reviewer's Name
Ashley

Charlotte's Web

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Charlotte's Web
Author
White, E.B.
Rating
1 star = Yuck!
Review

This is the most depressing and downbeat novel I've ever read. I bought it recently for my young niece - and she was absolutely terrified of it. It constantly dwells on death and change - and it petrified my young niece. I wouldn't recommend this novel to any parents buying books for their kids - it will only upset and terrify them.

Reviewer's Name
Scot
Genres

Book Review: The Things They Carried

Author
O'Brien, Tim
Rating
2 stars = Meh
Review

The Things They Carried is an interesting narrative about a group of soldiers as they navigate the horrors of the Vietnam War. Each chapter is fairly short and tends to have a lot of action or interesting commentary, so it was pretty engaging. What I didn't love, though, was the author's combination of realism and fiction. He used his own name as the main character, but experienced fake scenarios with people who never existed. It was sometimes frustrating, not knowing what was real or not. O'Brien was a soldier in the war, but he said that fictional war stories are a way for him to convey important messages of courage without reliving the trauma of his actual experiences. This is a unique genre, so it's worth a try if you like realistic fiction.
Grade 12

Reviewer's Name
Maggie

Book Review: And Then There Were None

Author
Christie, Agatha
Rating
5 stars = Bohemian Rhapsody Awesome!
Review

Ten strangers are mysteriously summoned to an isolated island... where murder awaits. Agatha Christie crafted an intricate web of betrayal and suspense, a must-read for any avid bookworm. This read was completely unpredictable - everyone was a suspect until the final, jaw-dropping reveal. The setup, the characters, and the gripping plot made this the best murder mystery I have read in years. With its trademark twists and a chilling ending, no one should miss out on the masterpiece of And Then There Were None.
Grade 11

Reviewer's Name
Isabella

Book Review: The Red Badge of Courage

Author
Crane, Stephen
Rating
4 stars = Really Good
Review

This book was a fascinating piece of literature. The author described war in more of a psychological format, as in the effect of war upon the mind, then a physical format. It reminded me of Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers in its attention to the mind of a soldier. Many Civil War veterans would get a shock meeting Mr. Crane because they thought he had been in the Civil War when he hadn't. It was interesting how Crane referred to the main character, Henry Fleming, as "the youth". He uses similar naming for the other characters, like "the tall soldier," and "the friend." I enjoyed the book, and I'm impressed at how Crane, according to actual soldiers, so acutely described war on a minute-to-minute basis, when at the time of writing, he hadn't ever been in battle. This book almost felt like an experiment of Crane's, like he was just exploring new ideas. The result was international fame and a famous landmark of American fiction.

Reviewer Grade: 9

Reviewer's Name
Logan