No 7

BOOK REVIEW
A review of a book is literary criticism, and it mainly consists of three

things: A summary, analysis and evaluation of the book. These are the
keys to constructing a prefect book evaluation and review.
1. Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight:
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of the books that

followers of my blog voted as a must-read for our Children's Book August
2018 Readathon. Come check it out and join the next few weeks!
This picture book was such a delight. I hadn't remembered reading it

when I was a child, but it might have been read to me... either way, it was
like a whole new experience! It's always so difficult to convince a child to
fall asleep at night. I don't have kids, but I do have a 5-month-old puppy
who whines for 5 minutes every night when he goes in his cage/crate
(hopefully he'll be fully housebroken soon so he can roam around when he
wants). I can only imagine! I babysat a lot as a teenager and I have tons of
younger cousins, nieces, and nephews, so I've been through it before, too.
This was a believable experience, and it really helps show kids how to
relax and just let go when it's time to sleep.
The bunny's are adorable. The rhymes are exquisite. I found it pretty
fun, but possibly a little dated given many of those things aren't normal
routines anymore. But the lessons to take from it are still powerful. Loved
it! I want to sample some more books by this fine author and her
illustrators.
2. Dark Witch, Nora Roberts:
I hesitate to describe this book as a 'romance' novel simply because

the book spent little time actually exploring the romance between Iona and
Boyle. Sure, there IS a romance in this novel. Sprinkled throughout the
book are a few scenes where Iona and Boyle meet, chat, wink at each, flirt
some more, sleep together, have a misunderstanding, make up, and then
profess their undying love. Very formulaic stuff, and all woven around the
more important parts of this book.
The meat of this book is far more focused on the story of the Dark
witch and her magically-gifted descendants living in Ireland. Despite being
weak on the romance, I really enjoyed it. I think the book is probably
better for it, because the romance itself was pretty lacklustre stuff.
I absolutely plan to stick with this series as I enjoyed the world

building, loved the Ireland setting, and was intrigued by all of the
secondary characters. However, if you read Nora Roberts strictly for the
romance scenes, this one might disappoint. But if you enjoy a solid
background story with some dark magic and prophesies, you might enjoy it
as much as I did.
I listened to this one on audio, and felt the narration was excellent.
3. Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One:
Video-game players embrace the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world;

screenwriter Cline’s first novel is old wine in new bottles. The real world,
in 2045, is the usual dystopian horror story. So who can blame Wade, our
narrator, if he spends most of his time in a virtual world? The 18-year-old,
orphaned at 11, has no friends in his vertical trailer park in Oklahoma City,
while the OASIS has captivating bells and whistles, and it’s free. Its
creator, the legendary billionaire James Halliday, left a curious will. He
had devised an elaborate online game, a hunt for a hidden Easter egg. The
finder would inherit his estate. Old-fashioned riddles lead to three keys and
three gates. Wade, or rather his avatar Parzival, is the first gunter (egg-
hunter) to win the Copper Key, first of three.
Halliday was obsessed with the pop culture of the 1980s, primarily
the arcade games, so the novel is as much retro as futurist. Parzival’s great
strength is that he has absorbed all Halliday’s obsessions; he knows by
heart three essential movies, crossing the line from geek to freak. His most
formidable competitors are the Sixers, contract gunters working for the evil
conglomerate IOI, whose goal is to acquire the OASIS. Cline’s narrative is
straightforward but loaded with exposition. The latter tries to recruit
Parzival; when he fails, he issues and executes a death threat. Wade’s
trailer is demolished, his relatives killed; luckily Wade was not at home.
Parzival threads his way between more ’80s games and movies to gain the
other keys; it’s clever but not exciting. Even a romance with another avatar
and the ultimate “epic throwdown” fail to stir the blood. Too much
puzzle-solving, not enough suspense.
4. Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Goodreads:
Look, I'm not a happy crier. I might cry at songs about leaving and
missing someone; I might cry at books where things don't work out; I've just
never really understood why people get all choked up over happy,
inspirational things. But Michelle Obama's kindness and empathy changed
that. This book had me in tears for all the right reasons. This is not really a
book about politics, though political experiences obviously do come into it.
It's a shame that some will dismiss this book because of a difference in
political opinion, when it is really about a woman's life. About growing up
poor and black on the South Side of Chicago; about getting married and
struggling to maintain that marriage; about motherhood; about being thrown
into an amazing and terrifying position.
I hate words like "inspirational" because they've become so overdone

and cheesy, but I just have to say it-- Michelle Obama is an inspiration. I had
the privilege of seeing her speak at The Forum in Inglewood, and she is one
of the warmest, funniest, smartest, down-to-earth people I have ever seen in
this world and yes, I know we present what we want the world to see, but I
truly do think it's genuine. I think she is someone who really cares about
people - especially kids - and wants to give them better lives and
opportunities.
She's obviously intelligent, but she also doesn't gussy up her words. She
talks straight, with an openness and honesty rarely seen. She's been one of the
most powerful women in the world, she's been a graduate of Princeton and
Harvard Law School, she's had her own successful career, and yet she has
remained throughout that same girl - Michelle Robinson - from a working
class family in Chicago. I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't benefit
from reading this book.

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BOOK REVIEW

A review of a book is literary criticism, and it mainly consists of three

1. Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight:

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown is one of the books that

This picture book was such a delight. I hadn't remembered reading it

2. Dark Witch, Nora Roberts:

I hesitate to describe this book as a 'romance' novel simply because

I absolutely plan to stick with this series as I enjoyed the world

Video-game players embrace the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world;

4. Michelle Obama’s Becoming on Goodreads:

I hate words like "inspirational" because they've become so overdone

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