One can often judge a novel by how well it adheres itself to your memory after you complete it. For some, this allows the novel to transcend its source material and become part of greater meaning and movement in society. I have absolutely no doubt that George Orwell is the epitome of this statement, for a number of reasons. As a prolific reader, you will often read novels that have no real messages or morals at their crux, or read novels that have potential but never rise to their ultimate delivery. However, it is very rare in a reader’s life that you pick up a book that hits both of the aforementioned targets, and still has more impact and power to slap you across the face with. Undoubtedly, 1984 is the most thought-provoking novel I have ever completed, but it also manages to provoke feelings on top of it. While reading this novel, I came to the ultimate realisation that SO many of today’s popular young adult and adult novels (i.e., The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Handmaid’s Tale) all probably stemmed from the crucial ideology that Orwell initially was able to explore in one of his last novels. Any author can simply write a novel without as much depth and understanding, but when your novel manages to inspire and lay the foundations for a completely new genre, you KNOW you’ve written something that will stand the test of time. 1984 goes to show that, while a novel might not have beautiful, flowery writing, a perfect composition of literary devices, or deep and meaningful characters, it is the message it presents and the ideologies it conveys that truly result in a near-perfect novel.

This book left me with a lot of questions, but not the sorts of questions which I will regret never having answers to. I felt that Orwell did a splendid job of tying up the novel and closing in on his political commentary which aligned with popular beliefs from his time. Books like this should not end with cliffhangers, especially if they seem as though they will never warrant a sequel. Overall, I think Orwell did well in tying up all of the novel’s loose ends, but while simultaneously giving readers a chance to let their imaginations wonder about the future of Winston, Julia and the rest of the closely-governed society.

I only have one criticism for the novel as a whole, and that was the twenty-page saga of O’Brien’s book which readers are given about 200 pages in. I will not go into explicit detail about its meanings for the story as a whole, but I felt that it could’ve been omitted completely from the novel, and the plot itself would have no specific shortcomings in terms of concrete explanation. I found this part of the novel to be boring and bland and definitely felt that it stretched on for far too long. However, I am quite happy to ignore this minor issue based on the unwavering power of the rest of the novel.

RATING: 9.4

CONSENSUS: Balancing the way between stellar writing and an unparalleled premise, 1984 cements itself as one of the greatest novels of our generation, while also adding enough thought-provoking elements of the story to leave readers wondering for days on end.

The post Book Review – 1984 by George Orwell appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.

I can’t review this novel without speaking about the narrator. When reading novels, I often prefer first-person over third-person, because I feel as though it gives a greater insight into the central character. When opening this book, and learning quickly that Liesel was not the narrator, I was taken aback, unsure as to how connected I would feel to the protagonist’s rise and fall in Nazi Germany without being able to hear it from her directly. However, after about thirty pages, I realised that having Death as the narrator only increased my appreciation for the novel ten times over. Never in my reading life have I read a novel that is narrated by a character not actually centred in the plot, and I have to say that this was an ultimately pleasant surprise. Death gave the novel a sincere insight into the impact that war has upon society, allowing readers a glimpse into the horrors that war can tear apart men, women and children. One of the hallmarks of an excellent novel is how it makes a reader ponder a certain topic, and I can certainly say that not only did Zusak comment on the inadequate divergence between social classes and demographics, but also was able to give voice to something that–in our lives–will never be given a chance to speak, much like the oppressed individuals who were silenced under Adolf Hitler’s reign.

Altogether, this was one of the most wholesome and impactful novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Hitting all the right notes on a novel is something all authors hope for, and rarely does an author hit every single stride on their first attempt. This novel was moving right until its very end and certainly kept me up past my bedtime mulling over its themes and messages.

RATING: 9.5

The post Book Review – The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.

This novel is my favourite of the series to date. Not only did we see spectacular breakthroughs in character development, but we also were given a diverting sense of mystery for the entire duration of the novel. This novel kept me constantly on my toes, and I managed to finish the novel in just under three hours. One of the hallmarks of a good mystery novel is having a wide range of possible subjects for the specific crime–which was, in this case, murder–but then completely shocking the audience when the true criminal is eventually revealed. I actually had to put the book down for a few moments just to process what was going on in the story, only to ravenously hang onto the last few pages.

Another fascinating element of this book was how all the characters continued to evolve. When the novel began with The Iron Trial, all of the characters were naive, innocent and careless, but with this novel, the growth of all of the characters was evident in every page. The maturity of the characters was, I suppose, inevitable because of the new challenges they were facing, but I was positively surprised by how the characters had different ways of responding to certain things in wake of their earlier experiences that had shaped them.

All in all, I have nothing bad to say about this book–the characters are great, the story was equally entertaining and poignant, and I can’t wait for more.

Ratings:

Characters: 9/10
Writing: 8/10
Plot: 10/10
OVERALL RATING: 9.5

The post Book Review – The Bronze Key appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.

I did not think that it was humanly possible for me to enjoy this series any more after finishing The Bronze Key a few days ago. However, this middle-grade novel series continues to both enthral and shock me with its revelations, twists and turns. Each of the novels has had a major focal point–whether it be magical training (book 1) or the identity of a malicious spy (book 3). This novel focused more on a prison-break element, with our three main protagonists trying their very best to escape from the clutches of their enemies. This book was orchestrated extremely well, adding in a combination of suspense that kept me on my toes throughout.

I often criticise teenage relationships in young adult/children’s books, especially when they seem to be arbitrary and contribute little to the plot (most notably in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which masked its meagre plot with an unneeded dose of teenage hormones). However, the evolution of Tamara and Callum’s relationship was much more believable because of how the said relationship worked into the story. By adding a romantic flair to the novel, Callum was given something to tie himself over to the side of benevolence in the face of imminent danger and devious acts. I applaud Clare and Black for their writing of these scenes, as I felt that their relationship was properly executed over the course of the four novels. The love triangle between Aaron, Callum and Tamara is not a trope that I am unacquainted with, but–somehow–it worked well for the novel’s plot as a whole.

I also loved the turmoil that Callum seemed to be facing throughout the course of the novel. Too often in similar novels are we presented with characters who seem to have it all. Callum certainly does not have all of these classic traits, and this is able to personalise the rapport that is shared between readers and characters. Callum’s struggles ultimately were able to ground the novel in a much more real sense, something that very few novels have ever been able to fully achieve successfully.
All in all, I couldn’t be happier with this novel. Epic battle scenes met with the heartfelt relationship between characters cements The Silver Mask as a glimmering gem in the middle-grade fantasy crown.

RATINGS
Writing: 8/10
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10!
Overall: 9.25/10

The post Book Review – The Silver Mask by Cassandra Clare appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.

This was an extremely bittersweet novel for me for a few reasons: I was sad to see the series come to an end, but also felt the novel hitting the same positive notes that the previous two had set. This novel, rightly so, lacked a lot of the playful and innocent fun that the first two novels seemed to have, and I felt as though without this added humour and heart, the series finale lost its footing quite a bit. However, this did not stop me from hanging on to each chapter as it came, but I feel as though the novel went in a direction that was not owing to the pace and structure set by the former four books.

As well as this, I lost all respect for Alex Strike in this novel. I had a very tenuous relationship with this good-turned-bad facade delivered by Alex, and this novel only painted him in a worse light. In this book, Alex almost seemed like an idiot, and a lot more dislikeable than any novel’s villain should be. Throughout the novels, we have been lead to believe that no-one should be overlooked for the role of villain–we have gone from Alastair to Rufus, from Anastasia to Call himself, but Alex has, by far, been my least favourite of all. Without a solid villain, any battle between good and evil will completely fall flat. I’m sorry to say this, but Magisterium certainly lacked depth in response to its weak villainous delivery. The ending was also rather rushed, and–at only 239 pages–there was no reason to hurry with the delivery. I understand that there may have been some time constraints or other problems affecting the course of the novel, but in order to have a proper send-off for a series’s final book, ending it well is CRUCIAL. The Golden Tower fell flat in this regard, too.

Even though this part of the series may have fallen a little flat in its resolutions, I have no problem with saying that I truly enjoyed reading it. I loved Callum, I was intrigued by the magical interworking systems, and I thought that the dialogue was a perfect blend of humorous and enthralling. The Golden Tower certainly does not round out the series perfectly, but the stellar performances from The Silver Mask and The Bronze Key leaves a positive place in middle-grade magical fiction.

RATINGS
Characters: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
Writing: 8/10
Overall: 8/10

The post Book Review – The Golden Tower by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.

I read A Map of Days while travelling on a school bus to a school camp. I had caught wind of news that Ransom Riggs had planned to release the fifth book later this year (entitled ‘A Conference of the Birds’) and realised that I still had not completed this novel, and chose to revisit its 480 pages over the school break. The novel was nothing short of spectacular, and the cliffhanger at the end of the novel made my jaw drop to the floor. After book three (Library of Souls) had wrapped up, I had come to the conclusion that this book was Rigg’s swan song, and A Map of Days was certainly worth the three-year wait. The road trip that Jacob and his peculiars embark on matched mine in a similar way as I trekked up a mountain for Year 10 Ski Camp. I then ended up finishing the novel at 12 o’clock that night and lay awake for a long time after to let my mind wander about the novel’s future. The writing of A Map of Days was reminiscent of the first three novels, but being able to explore the American peculiar world–which is rife with the prominent 1960s air of prejudice and racism–was the cherry on top of this horror-flavoured dessert. Another great part about A Map of Days was its inclusion of colour within its photos. At first, I thought that this might take away from the novel’s charm, but it only seemed to add to the mood that this novel induced within me. For a long time, I was unable to find a series that truly shook me to the core after reading it, but A Map of Days has certainly but the Peculiar series up in the higher ranks. Altogether, the novel is fantastic. Readers may find its page number and font size a little bit of a struggle, but the solid story, fantastic characters and memorable anecdotes continue to impress and enthral me.

RATINGS
Writing: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Plot: 8/10

OVERALL: 9/10

The post Book Review – A Map of Days by Ransom Riggs appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.

To preface, I will say that I did not enjoy this novel. I feel as though I, as an adolescent reader, have completely moved past the demographic that this novel was intended for. The characters in the novel were few, and there was rarely any development, which is a necessary component of all storytelling, no matter what your intended reading audience actually is.

Artemis is a thoroughly dislikable protagonist–he can be mean, hedonistic and rarely displays any virtues that other protagonists from children’s books seem to have. I understand that no hero is perfect, but by failing to discuss or reveal why this is, the titular character of this novel falls completely flat on his face. I also felt no attachment to any of the other characters in the novel, as I felt they were too shallow and not developed enough over the 277 pages.

Another problem that I had with the novel was its inclusion of fairy characters. The problem I had with this was that the fairy world–which lives under ours–was too different from the real world to be believable. It made no sense that there were fairies and other magical creatures in a seemingly normal story, and while novel such as Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments is able to develop an interesting and intriguing contrast between these two worlds, Colfer fails once again.

Overall, this novel was a weak start to the story. I expected adventure, jokes and heart, but I was sorely disappointed. This novel, in my opinion, is better suited for children in primary school, and readers who are older and more prolific in their literary skills will find Eoin Colfer’s novel a bore.

RATING:
Plot: 5/10
Characters: 3.5/10
Writing: 6/10
OVERALL: 5.5/10

The post Book Review – Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.

Readers who frequent this blog are sure to know that I adore dragons, and though I cannot bring myself to watch Game of Thrones–despite my parents’ love for it–I will seldom turn down an opportunity to see these fantasy creatures worked into a novel. Couple that with the traditions and colloquialisms of ancient China, and I am sold before even opening the book due to my strange–albeit unwavering–interest in ancient cultures around the world. Dragonkeeper is a spectacular novel and has everything that I look for in good storytelling: a solid plot, a mixture of dialogue and description, and also a considerable number of twists and turns that are sure to keep readers’ pangs of hunger sated. Ping displays the characteristics of a strong female character, and the friendship she shares with the dragon is very interesting.

I really don’t have many bad comments in response to this book, but I did find that the last 30-40 pages did lag a bit. There were a few parts of the novel that I feel could be omitted, just because they didn’t seem very necessary, but the villain in the novel is as ruthless as can be, and I hope that his character arc is explored more in novels to come. Honestly, though, I felt all the things a reader should feel when reading a novel–excitement, apprehension and an unshakable sense of wonder that lasts for hours after the book has been slipped back onto the bookshelf. Without giving too much away, the ending of Dragonkeeper is truly spectacular and certainly cements Wilkinson as a children’s author for the ages. This novel ticks all the boxes, and I can’t wait to explore more.

RATINGS:

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 7.5/10
Writing: 8/10
OVERALL: 9.75/10

The post Book Review – Dragonkeeper by Carole Wilkinson appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.

Having read the first five Skulduggery Pleasant books, I was drawn back to this particular book in the series in my attempt to re-read some of the series before the release of the twelfth book ‘Bedlam’ during 2019, and I can without a doubt say that this was a comforting, hilarious and action-packed re-read. Skulduggery and Valkyrie have an incredibly laugh-out-loud dialogue and friendship with one another, but one of the things that really stood out to me during this re-read was the fierce dichotomy between this and the violent side of the novel. One moment, Skulduggery could be delivering a humorous, wise-cracking anecdote, and next moment, a character’s limbs are completely torn off. There is a significant increase in the violence levels in this book in comparison to the first novel in this series, and definitely takes a step in a darker direction, a direction that is only pursued in later books.

I also found myself intrigued by new characters we were introduced to in Playing With Fire, my two favourites being Springheeled Jack–who is quite evidently created with the idea of London’s Jack the Ripper in mind–and Varien Scapegrace–who is quite evidently a complete laughingstock of the whole novel. We were able to develop the characters a lot more in this novel, too–we were given a backstory to China Sorrows and learned more about the Faceless Ones, who come into play in the third book. I was glad that these characters were given more information, as that is what I feel sequels should do aside from bringing in paychecks.

All in all, I feel as though I could talk for five hours about this novel. It was a complete success, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Skulduggery is hilarious, Valkyrie is completely strong in both a physical and mental sense, and the perfect combination of humour, heart and horror cements Playing With Fire as my favourite Skulduggery Pleasant novel to date.

RATINGS:

Plot: 9.5/10
Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
OVERALL: 1000/10

The post Book Review – Skulduggery Pleasant Book 2, Playing with Fire by Derek Landy appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.

As a book-lover, I seldom find a novel that keeps me thinking about it constantly. Again, but Better is everything and more for my acquired reading palette, and I can surely say that I devoured this 374-page novel in less than a day. I read late into the night, much to my homework’s disappointment, and I sat in awe of the ending for quite some time after reading the final line on the last page. For those who are unaware, Christine Riccio–Again, but Better’s author–is a YouTuber whose channel has amassed 400,000 subscribers. Christine, under the account ‘PolandBananasBooks’ exhibits a flamboyant demeanour and shares her love of all things bookish on her channel. Again, but Better, according to Riccio, is loosely based upon her own life, and I couldn’t help but notice the way that Shane reflects the Christine I have been watching for many years. Even without this backstory, Again, but Better serves everything a reader might want–hilarity, heart and a character who exhibits the quirky and introverted qualities that many heroes of popular novels seem to lack. Her funny one-liners, which are met with charming characters and a powerful punchy plot, create a seamless novel that leaves readers speechless. I cannot say enough good things about Riccio’s debut novel and know that it will forever sit upon my favourites shelf by my bed. I do not know how Riccio was instantly able to build a rapport between her characters and her readers, but I will forever be in awe of such a polished, refined and mesmerising first novel.

RATINGS:

Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
OVERALL: 10/10

The post Book Review – Again, but Better by Christine Riccio appeared first on Squishy Minnie Bookstore.