What a lovely story! I am always interested in the way Dickens depicts so masterly the big difference between the living conditions of the rich and thWhat a lovely story! I am always interested in the way Dickens depicts so masterly the big difference between the living conditions of the rich and the poor! It reminds me that I should be more compassionate with people around me!...more
This masterpiece was written over 600 years ago but I am positive that if you decide to pick it up you will find the stories most interesting! My favoThis masterpiece was written over 600 years ago but I am positive that if you decide to pick it up you will find the stories most interesting! My favourite tale was The Pardoner's Tale. I always enjoy a story in which greedy, vicious people get what they deserve.
I had tried reading Chaucer at university but Middle English was an obstacle I was not able to overcome. So this time I played safely and opted for this one in modern English .. And I enjoyed it so much!...more
Several chapters were a bit dull but what displeased me and challenged me the most was the colloquial writing styNothing like Tom Sawyer... 2,5 stars.
Several chapters were a bit dull but what displeased me and challenged me the most was the colloquial writing style. All these apostrophes confused me a lot. I had to reread most of the chapters because in my effort to understand some of the words, I missed the gist and completely lost track of the events. To be honest, I read Tom Sawyer in Greek and I finished the book within a few hours so maybe I should have read this one in Greek as well. I enjoyed mostly the fisrt and the final chapters. I completely lost interest after chapter 10. It felt as I was reading the same thing over and over again. Huck sails down the Mississippi, gets off the raft, hides raft, meets people, lies about his true identity, hell breaks loose, escapes, resumes his journey.
However, once again Mark Twain depicts the fundamental themes of slavery and racial-social racism in a very skilfull way. There were moments where I laughed with the way Twain through Huck's own innocent funny comments criticizes a deeply problematic society.
Anyway, I guess I liked Tom Sawyer too much and I expected something more from this one. For the reasons mentioned above I also believe this is an unfair comparison. I will probably read it again in Greek just to be sure!...more
I hated this book... I quit around page 250. Am I a horrible person? Am I the only one who couldn't get through with it? And I just found out Kafka paI hated this book... I quit around page 250. Am I a horrible person? Am I the only one who couldn't get through with it? And I just found out Kafka passed away before completing it.. Oh I shouldn't have read it... ...more
Amazing... How could he have written something like this all these years ago?? I loved this book! I think everyone should read it. It's well worth it!Amazing... How could he have written something like this all these years ago?? I loved this book! I think everyone should read it. It's well worth it!...more
I loved this book! So much better than the film adaptation! It's nothing like I've ever read, brilliant and spine-tingling! I'm not really sure it's fI loved this book! So much better than the film adaptation! It's nothing like I've ever read, brilliant and spine-tingling! I'm not really sure it's for everyone but I've read it twice so far and I intend to come back to it soon!...more
Beautifully written. It had me guessing till the end..
I should read Agatha Christie more often. 10 people arrive on an island after receiving invitatiBeautifully written. It had me guessing till the end..
I should read Agatha Christie more often. 10 people arrive on an island after receiving invitations by a mysterious Mr. Owen, their host. Later that very same evening they discover that their dark past has come back to haunt them. "At first there were ten... and then there were none"
With constantly changing viewpoints and a dark, eerie, almost menacing background this novel simply cannot disappoint you. The spine chilling and fast-paced plot had me reading non-stop and by the time I read the words "Mr. Owen is one of us" I was biting my lips so hard that I had to put the book down for a few minutes to calm down.
The only reason I didn't give this book a 5 is because I was never given the chance to solve the mystery. I used post its, I kept notes I kept deducing only to find out that there was no way I could have guessed. In fact, as the author warns us on the very first page, it is impossible to know for sure who the killer is unless you read the epilogue-final chapter which explains everything. Much as I would like to forgive Christie for taking my chance to play detective away, I couldn't...so 4 stars it is....more
Amazing! This was one of the few times I felt so close to a book hero.. There's definitey a spot in mAnne Frank- The diary of a young girl! (SPOILERS)
Amazing! This was one of the few times I felt so close to a book hero.. There's definitey a spot in my top-50 for this one!
I always get sentimental when I read about all these sinister things Nazis did to inmates at concentration camps, but this was something completely different. There are no scenes describing the tortures those people suffered. In this book we a get a taste of the life of those who were the fortunate ones and they were clever enough to go into hiding and continue their lives, seemingly safe until the end of the war. Yet, page after page, entry after entry we become aware of the fear, the terror those people experienced even when they managed to evade the enemy. I could almost hear my hear pounding every time I read about the bangs and noises they heard thinking they had eventually been caught. I clenched my teeth whenever Anne described the nightmarish hours they spent silent in the dark listening to bombs destroying the last drops of hope they had left.
So this book doesn't describe the Nazi atrocities. What you actually gain is a deep insight into a young girl's psyche through the pages of a poorly-written (albeit fascinating) diary, which was kept while Anne and her family remained hidden in a house for 2 years, in their effort to escape Nazis. After reading the first 20 entries the reader immediately begins to realize that Anne has an extraordinary personality. During her first year in the annex, we see her struggling with the adults, as she is constantly being criticized for her insolent behavior. She experiences extreme loneliness and a desperate need for love and affection. I was pleased to find that she remained remarkably forthright throughout the whole narrative. As her story unfolds we see a child growing, gradually becoming a woman, which was another pleasant surprise. Towards the end of the book her entries become more lucid, more introspective and full of self-criticism which shows that Anne has changed, she is more mature and far more self-aware. Unfortunately, this is where you begin to realize the end is close.
Addressing fellow readers: I understand and agree with most of your comments. Yes, Anne was too young, too frivolous, her writing was deeply flawed, but please remember that this is a child we are talking about. A child who spent the most fruitful stage of her life confined to the walls of a house in order to survive. A child who had to relinquish her dreams of freedom, of feeling the sun on her skin, of completing her studies, of becoming a journalist...in order to stay ALIVE. This was not a novel written for recreational reasons. It was a person's diary...Their private thoughts. Enjoy it because sadly we were not given the chance to read any more of her stories. I just wish she had been given the chances we are given. She would have become an excellent writer.
Her optimism taught me a life lesson and I think this is the main reason why this book will stay forever in my heart. An excellent read!...more
I had to read this one as a university student and to be honest I couldn't finish it. The plot sounded exciting but I was disappointed to find that thI had to read this one as a university student and to be honest I couldn't finish it. The plot sounded exciting but I was disappointed to find that the narration was boring from the very first pages. Several years later I picked it up again and guess what? Still boring. I managed to complete it this time, but honestly what did I miss? I just feel awful when I read a book everyone loves and I am not able to feel the magic... This book was the reason I avoided Jane Eyre for many years. Thank God I read it a couple of years ago and I loved it! Anyway, being a fan of classic romance I just couldn't bring myself to give it a single star. I've read far worse books that this one. So, it was ok....more
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