Gyo

I've always been a huge bookworm.  However, when I was 18 I spent a year just reading comic books.  When I was 19 I missed normal books and I never really went back.  Still, for some reason, I read Ito's fantastic Uzumaki.  I wanted to explore even more of his books.  While Uzumaki is a much better read, Gyo is a good effort. It's about sea creatures like fish and sharks having legs and destroying Japan.  They also have a horrible stench.  I guess I have too much of a vivid imagination because I could imagine the stench far too well.  It kind of me nauseated.  Maybe I should give comic books a chance again.    

The Neverending Story

I love the movie The Neverending Story.  When I was in the third grade I went up to a teacher and asked if there was an attic or a basement at the school.  She told me, "Beth this isn't The Neverending Story."  I walked away sad.  This was my third or fourth time reading the book which I also highly recommended.  It's sad that the second part of the book was never done justice.  The sequel wasn't that good.  Bastian basically turns into a jerk.  The Childlike Empress gives him unlimited wishes.  He uses it on things such as good looks.  The problem is that with each wish he loses his memory.  He eventually becomes a boy who can't even remember his name.  Nevertheless, he is able to redeem himself.  I don't know why Momo (another book by Michael Ende) isn't on Kindle.  I'll have to wait for the book I purchased.  It's hard not having a library opened during the Coronavirus.

The Rats

This was an ok horror book.  My friend introduced me to him and I've never heard of Herbert but apparently, he is a best-selling horror writer worldwide.  But then I don't really know what's going on in the horror genre nowadays except for Stephen King.  I read half the book in two days.  It was kind of experimental in that every chapter had a different character and their confrontation with the murderous rats.  Then the book just focused on one character the schoolteacher.  I didn't think that he was the most interesting character and was disappointed.  It was an all right book but I haven't heard good things about Herbert's other books.  This will probably be my only read from the author.  

The Wanting Seed

This book would definitely not be written today.  It's not politically correct at all. It is about an overpopulated world.  Tristram's wife Beatrice-Joanna is having an affair with his brother Derek.  Homosexuality is encouraged in this world and Derek lies about his orientation to get ahead.  The worst always seems to happen to Tristram and soon enough he is tricked into signing himself to the army.  The book also explores cannibalism.  Yes, it touches sensitive topics but I felt more comfortable with reading this than A Clockwork Orange. Burgess was not afraid to push the envelope.

Voyage in the Dark

I decided to give one of Jean Rhys' early works a try.  This reminded me of a Precode.  It's about a chorus girl and her love affair with an older man.  There are also taboo topics like abortion discussed.  I wished that more was talked about Francine.  It's probably because I love Wide Sargasso Sea so much and wanted even more.  It was a good work though and it shows the potential that would later lead to her masterpiece.

The Amber Spyglass

SPOILERS:

I have mixed feelings about this book.  I'm still recommending it though because it is the final installment of the His Dark Materials trilogy.  There were good things about it.  I liked the subplot of Mary Malone, dust, and the mulefa.  I just didn't buy the romance between Will and Lyra.  They felt romantic feelings all of a sudden for each other in two pages.  Where did that come from? The series started out well.  The Golden Compass may have had an agenda too but at least there was enough action to overlook this.  The first book was just so imaginative and had ideas.  There was too much hate in this one. 

The Picture of Dorian Gray

This is Oscar Wilde's masterpiece.  This was also my third time reading it.  I always read something I didn't see before. It's the story of a handsome man who sells his soul to look forever young.  However, his life of sin is reflected on a painting that Dorian soon hides away in the attic.  Dorian's emotions range at the painting from indifference to horror to remorse (more like hypocrisy though).  Dorian's sins start with leading a girl to suicide to more serious ones like murder.  Dorian's friend Lord Henry has tons of quotes in the book.  (Most of them are women-hating.)   Dorian is poison leading most people who end up on his path to trouble.  I wish that Oscar Wilde wrote more novels for this is a witty but cautionary tale.