Sarah A

• Rated 5 stars

“True to its name, Madeleine is Sleeping is like a short, feverish sleep interrupted again and again by half-waking dreams and delirium. Each burst of prose is a revelation, a work of art in itself. This is the story of a young girl's sexual awakening and will prove a strange exploration of your own mind. ”

Sarah A wrote this review Friday, December 10, 2010. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“I was first compelled to read this book because of the blurbs from Holly Black, Nancy Farmer, and Donna Jo Napoli, three writer's whose haunting prose I've read and loved. I started the book in the store and was almost immediately engaged. Being an impoverished college student, I had to endure the long wait until Christmas 2007 to read the book cover to cover. I was obsessd with this book and recommended it to all of my friends (none of whom actually read it--losers). The point of view changes were seamless and each character was so compelling that I never skipped ahead. I cannot wait for the sequel!! ”

Sarah A wrote this review Tuesday, June 9, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 2 stars

“I guess for full disclosure, I should add all 1-50 of these books, but for my vanity and my dignity, I'll only add #1 and #50. These were books I read religiously as a 13 year old girl. The 2 stars I gave them reflects my consideration of the literary value versus the amount of sheer joy I got from reading them.”

Sarah A wrote this review Monday, December 1, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 2 stars

“I guess for full disclosure, I should add all 1-50 of these books, but for my vanity and my dignity, I'll only add #1 and #50. These were books I read religiously as a 13 year old girl. The 2 stars I gave them reflects my consideration of the literary value versus the amount of sheer joy I got from reading them.”

Sarah A wrote this review Monday, December 1, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This is by far my favorite of the HP books. By this time, the characters and plots are maturing. At the end, I wanted more, which is what you feel at the end of all HP books, but more so here. In fact, as soon as I finished it, I started it again. Not sure why, but as I reread it, I always skip the first chapter. Weird.”

Sarah A wrote this review Saturday, November 22, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“I loved reading this book. People often comment on its length, as a young adult book, but it didn't bother me at all. The more, the better!
I enjoyed the tone of the book: simple, whimsical and sometimes brooding, like any classic fairytale. I loved all of the characters, including the crazy mother and somewhat simple neighbors. The book is writen from rotating points of view including Rose, Father, Neddy, Bear and, later, the Fairy Queen. Each character was distinct and enjoyable. Each voice was easily recognizable and I never tired of any of the narrators. It was a very entertaining read, if not too terribly intellectual. I would recommend it to any young adult and to an adult who wants a break from Tolstoy.

P.S. I LOVE the cover art!!!!”

Sarah A wrote this review Friday, December 10, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

2 of 3 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“When I first read this book, I was about twelve, and I can't say I understood it or enjoyed it very much. However, I knew that as I become more and more interested in dystopian literature--and my brain was no longer under the influence of so much glitter and lisa frank--that there was a good chance that I would enjoy it if I reread it. Well, enjoy is a huge understatement. This book is astounding. It's very brooding, which was interpreted as "boring" to my twelve-year old self. This is now one of my very favorite books. Needless to say, it's extremely well-written, political and thought-provoking, to say the least. Plus, it's a book about loving books!! What could be better? ”

Sarah A wrote this review Friday, December 10, 2010. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink )

3 of 3 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“First of all, I absolutely adored this book. It is a beautiful story. It has been one of my favorites since I first read it.
It is a story about motherhood, life as a daughter of strong women. It is about the beauty and importance of storytelling and tradition. But, most of all, it is about being a woman. About the sisterhood and animosity between women. The relationships are realistic: intimate to the point of becoming claustrophobic; trusting and close, then enmeshed. The pride and horror at realizing you've become your mother. The competition and support between sisters. Then, the struggle of being a woman within yourself. The strength, the weakness, the dependence, the wander-lust that we all feel.
It is an epic story of Dinah's whole life and everything that made her who she was. I believe that every woman can find herself in the book, more than once. I recommend this to EVERY woman. It is important--even necessary for any and every woman to appreciate herself, each other, and womanhood itself. ”

Sarah A wrote this review Wednesday, November 12, 2008. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“This is one of my favorite books. It has been since it was first read to my third grade class and still is as I reread it today. I read it every couple of years and always get something new and something more.

I would absolutely recommend this book to any person over the age of about 9. This is definitely Lois Lowry's greatest achievement--no big secret. It's the most well-received, highly praised, awarded, and popular of her books. In my opinion, it is also the most well-written, subtle, dense, emotional and meaningful of her works.

I have become intensely attached to all of the characters, and the subtleties written into them is astounding and unfolds as you read and reread the book. As a reader and a political person, I understand, sympathize and identify with both sides of the argument in the book, though I ultimately side with the protagonist, as I'm sure we all do.

Lowry creates a vivid world of which she and we know nothing. She has imagined and made clear every detail of this world and it is clear how it connects to our own. One of my favorite things about this book is that it is essentially a science fiction/fantasy novel. The central aspects of the novel are fantastical: for example, the transferring of memory through touch and the alterations in the physical world through mental choice. However, it took me years to realize this because of the intense realism in the tone of the story. It is full of ordinary people and activities and then a burst of magic, but always written about in the same tone. Genius.

Obviously, I can't say enough wonderful things about this book and I believe that every person would benefit from its enjoyment.

**SPOILER**

Also, I thought I'd mention that, in therms of the ending, I always loved it and--even as an eight year old--thought that Jonas and Gabriel died in the end. Then, of course, my opinion was blown to pieces when I read both of the sequels (neither of which can compare to the original). However, I like the feeling of the book better if Jonas and Gabe sacrifice themselves for the betterment of the Community and the world. ”

Sarah A wrote this review Friday, December 10, 2010. ( reply | permalink )