Heartfelt Bonds and Timeless Struggles: A ‘Little Women’ Review
“Little Women” follows the lives and loves of the March sisters, four wonderfully beloved characters with unique personalities and endearing adventures. We follow the girls as they experience life within their own world, each growing slowly into mature women. The lessons learnt about adapting to the needs of others, and their realisation of the value in that, is truly a wonderful thing to experience. There are moments of selfishness, as that is part of the human condition.
Discovering the Universe: A Journey Through 'Aristotle and Dante'
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” is a mesmerising journey through the intricacies of friendship, identity, and the different types of love we experience as teenagers. Benjamin Alire Sáenz carefully constructed a narrative that slowly unfolds like the unhurried passage of time during the long summers of the 80s and 90s. The story revolves around the young protagonists, Aristotle Mendoza and Dante Quintana.
Drama Without Depth: 'Speech Team’ Fell Short
Speech Team follows the stories of five individuals; Tip, Nat, Jennifer, Anthony, and Pete. Pete being the catalyst of the story, with his suicide serving as the drive of the narrative. The story starts with the revelation of a social media post that leads to the reunification of the characters as they scramble together the information to reunite and identify the cause of their individual and eventual shared grief.
56: Life According to Bob Ong
Life according to Ong.
Ang librong pangmatanda para sa mga bata.
Ang official manual ng kabataang Pilipino.
Mga kuwentong awkward para sa henerasyong awkward.
(Pumili ng subtitle at burahin ng black marker ang tatlong sobra para masaya.)
Muling Pagdiskubre ng Panulaang Filipino: Isang Pagninilay sa “Hindi Bagay” ni Jerry B. Gracio
Hindi pa ako nakapagbabasa ng akdang tula na Filipino (o kung nakapagbasa man ako’y hindi ito buong libro halintulad nito). Maaari na nakalimutan ko na lamang ang mga dati ko ng nabasa, pero wala, wala talaga akong maalala bukod dito.
A Refreshing Return: Embracing The Near Witch
As I dove into this book, I could see Schwab’s unique style shining through. There’s a distinct presence of her voice in the writing; however, I noticed she felt a bit more juvenile here compared to her newer works. Given that this book is aimed at a younger audience, I can completely understand that choice. The story follows Lexi, a girl who was raised by her father to embrace the versatility of being human rather than focus solely on the fragility of being a woman in her time.
Finding Resilience: My Journey with Maya Angelou’s And Still I Rise
Angelou’s collection is undeniably bold, fearlessly confronting adversities and transforming them into rightfully claimed victories. Her work eloquently speaks to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of prejudice and discrimination, evoking a profound sense of recognition within me, despite not being the immediate target audience. Her careful exploration of societal biases serves as both an inspiration and a reminder of the resilience inherent within us all. She taught me that you can win without being worse than the enemy.
Struggles and Connections: Engaging with Ariel
Sylvia Plath did a spectacular job in expressing herself within the pages of Ariel. Her writing showcases an incredible depth and capacity that draws the reader in. What I gained from reading this collection is a profound sense of her vulnerability, the way she laid herself bare for everyone to see.
A Compelling Yet Flawed Journey: The Midnight Library
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is captivating in its exploration of the very human desire for improvement, while showing that often the only reason we don’t, is because we don’t want to. Haig’s writing style is accessible and subtly evocative, making the book an easy yet engrossing read. It should take most readers the time between breakfast and lunch to work through it. The simplicity of the narrative coupled with the almost desperate pursuit for poignancy somehow works for a book that deals with themes of loss, regret, and ultimately human failure. There is a hint of hope, but even that can’t make up for the desperate failure the protagonist insists on being.