These Things Hidden

9/10 stars.

This book. OH MY GOD.

Here is another case of why I need to just buy books if I feel as though I want to read them. I must've looked at this book five different times before choosing to buy it. I'm so glad that I did decide to buy it. I've read her first novel, The Weight of Silence and enjoyed it quite a lot. This book was something completely new. It is a mystery, and one that turns and twists many times, so unexpectedly. I was reading it in the car while my dad and I were going to do driving lessons, and when we arrived I was so close to the ending and I did not want to put it down! Sadly, I had to. I finished it on the way home though.

These Things Hidden tells the story of a 21-year old named Allison who was convicted for a crime that the reader is unaware of at the beginning. The story is told from four points of view, and while I do not always like this style of writing, Gudenkauf did a good job of blending together the different perspectives, and all of the perspectives were extremely important in order to have the story be able to play out in the way that it did.

At times this book had be holding my breath, and at times I wanted to scream "NO!". I was entranced by the different characters, and I like how Gudenkauf has some of the characters talk in first person, whereas with others they are talked about in third person. I believe that this shifting is effective based on how they play into the story. The two sisters speak in first person, whereas the other two women are spoken of in the third person.

Well worth the read if you need a new and interesting mystery. Though this is not for those extremely faint of heart, as it does cover some disturbing topics.

I would also like to comment on the cover. I love this cover so much, and if you read the book you can see how symbolic the cover is as well.

Never Let Me Go

10/10 stars

I would have to say that Never Let Me Go is honestly one of the books that I adore most. There is nothing that I can critique about this book. Nothing. The story is woven together in such a beautiful way, and for reasons I cannot post here [spoilers], this book made me cry. The three main characters: Cathy H, Ruth, and Tommy are such unique individuals, and I truly feel as though I went through their lives with them. 

This book can best be categorized as Science Fiction, though that does not quite fit it. It does not take place in the far future, rather, it takes place in an alternate past. Never Let Me Go is a book that truly surprises the reader at many different places. It is anything but a simple tale, though it does have classic themes of love, loss, and friendship. 

The reader gets to see Cathy, Ruth, and Tommy grow up, from their early school-days at Hailsham to their adult lives. Though this book is "Sci-Fi" to some degree, it is very easy to imagine events like this happening, to the point where one takes extra time paying attention to people on the street, wondering exactly what their story is, wondering who they really are.

 

This is the movie's trailer.

(On a side note, I've also seen the movie and I must say, it was quite wonderful, I was so happy as to how well they kept with the book, and in my opinion the actors were chosen BRILLIANTLY).

So Shelly

9/10 stars!


So Shelly by Ty Roth is a fascinating work of literature. It takes authors John Keats, Lord Byron, and Mary Shelley and turns them into modern teenagers. This is not an easy task, however Roth turns their respective lives right into the lives of teens today. For anyone interested in the lives of these famous authors, So Shelly is a good read. For anyone who wants a clever romance, So Shelly is just that. Even if one has not read any of the works by these authors, he or she will still be able to enjoy So Shelly, for it stands on its own.

This book is out now,  and it is certainly worth the read! I for one do not always enjoy books aimed at teenagers now, as I tend to go through most all of them within two hours, however, So Shelly took me by surprise. I enjoyed it to the extent that, while writing this review, the thoughts going through my head are "Okay, I need to find a biography on these three authors/ read more of their stuff." and "I want to write a book that transplants historical figures into modern times."

This is the type of book that continuously holds your interest, until the very last page.

I read this book back in December. (Yes, I'm aware that I have been dead awful with writing reviews. I would promise to write more, but I don't know if I can. I will try my hardest to get at LEAST three reviews done a month. Goodness knows I read enough for that!)