The Scorch Trials: A Trial Testing My Patience But Worth It In The End - Savindi

Warning: The Scorch Trials is the second book in The Maze Runner series, so this blog post will definitely contain spoilers about The Maze Runner, which is the first book in the series. This blog post may contain minor spoilers about The Scorch Trials as well. 

    The Scorch Trials by James Dashner is the sequel to The Maze Runner. Last we saw the Gladers in The Maze Runner, they had finally escaped the maze, thinking they had finally found a safe place to escape to. However, in The Scorch Trials, the Gladers find out that they had escaped only to discover that they are part of a test filled with trials. Now, they are going to be thrown into another trial, hence the name, The Scorch Trials. With twists and turns, betrayals and alliances, and many mysteries, The Scorch Trials really proves to be an amazing and thrilling read.

    Like The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials never lets you rest. If you think you figured out the mysteries in the story, you will most likely be proven wrong. As the events unfold, facts turn into lies, and what seemed to be lies turn into facts. Situations are often turned upside down in crazy and unexpected ways. For example, throughout the book, characters who the protagonist, Thomas, thought he could trust suddenly turn against Thomas. It's hard to tell whether these characters are Thomas's allies or foes, and this huge uncertainty creates a very exciting and thrilling experience for the reader. Each event reveals something about either the characters or the plot, and most of the time, these events are incredibly surprising. 

    Not only do Thomas's relationships with other characters create a mysterious ambiance, but the plot twists and turns like a rollercoaster. You never know what is going to come next, which adds to the excitement of reading the book. It's thrilling to always be on your toes, wondering what is going to happen next. The unpredictable plot stimulates many different emotions such as excitement, anger, shock, sorrow, and many other emotions. Reading the book truly is an emotional roller-coaster.  

    My only complaint about the book is that in the middle, the plot tends to progress quite slowly. It really tested my patience because I am the kind of person who likes to read fast-paced books. However, this slow progress can be justified. (Minor spoiler alert.) During this part of the story, Thomas was separated from the Gladers, forcing him to tread onward with one other character, Brenda. The slow pacing of this part matches how slow the journey felt to Thomas. This part also creates some suspense, making you wonder more and more about what will happen next. Will they find the Gladers again? Will they find a way out of this treacherous trial? Will they survive? 

    In addition, the ending makes reading this slow-paced part of the book worth it. The suspense finally leads to the exhilarating climax and ending that leaves you hanging upside down and wanting to read the next book. It brings up many questions to the reader that will only be explained in the next and final installment of the series. It brings up problems that the reader will surely want to know how they are resolved in the next book. The ending is jam-packed with action, much like the battle scenes against the monsters called Grievers in The Maze Runner. The author writes these action-packed scenes in such great detail that it makes it easy to visualize what is going on. This makes reading the story like watching a movie.   

    Overall, I think The Scorch Trials and The Maze Runner series itself are amazing books. If you have already read The Maze Runner and liked it, but you didn't feel motivated to pick up The Scorch Trials, then I highly recommend you pick it up. The book truly breaks the commonly known stereotype that sequels are usually worse than the original. The Scorch Trials lives up to the expectations set by The Maze Runner. If you love books that provide an emotional rollercoaster, have action-packed scenes that make reading the book like watching a movie, and leave you wanting to learn more, then The Maze Runner series is the perfect series for you.   

Bones: Spooky but Memorable

    Doll Bones sounds like the name of a horror story, but in reality, it's more of a story about coming to realize where you belong in life. Written by Holly Black in 2014, the story follows the adventures of Zach, Alice, and Poppy, who play fantasy adventure games together. The ruler of their fantasy lands is always "The Queen," a doll locked away in Poppy's house made of bone china, and she plays a key part in this tale.

    The three friends play their adventure games almost every day after school, and while they all love playing it, Zach is pressured by society to stop playing it because he is a boy. Zach continues to play while doing other things, like basketball, to appease the other students as well as his own father. Sadly, that isn't enough for his dad. Zach's father takes all of the figures Zach uses for the game and throws them away, never to be seen again. Zach feels as if his heart broke, but doesn't want to tell Alice and Poppy because he thinks it will be too hard to tell them, so instead he stays silent. The friends start to grow farther apart until one night Poppy is awoken by a mysterious girl that reveals herself to be the spirit of a girl named Eleanor, the real girl that was made into the doll none other than "The Queen."

    Poppy instantly goes to her friends about this, but Alice isn't sure what to think and Zach is still trying to distance himself. Poppy puts up enough of an argument and the two start to believe her. Poppy convinces them they need to leave town and head to East Liverpool, Ohio, to bury the doll and free her spirit, and they head out that night. The children make their way through the state, with the doll and the characters around them getting ever more creepy.

    Doll Bones is all about not having to be what people try to make you be. Throughout the story we see Zach fight between two different realities, one where he gets to play with his friends and the other where he is forced to be the man his father wants him to be. Even the other characters go through a bit of change. In the end Alice isn't so nervous about her dominating grandmother, and Poppy is willing to break her mother's rules in order to save Eleanor. 

    I really enjoyed Doll Bones, and it helped me realize that you can shape the world you want to live in, and become who you want to be. I would recommend this book to any people that feel like society is pressuring them to do something they don't want to be, as well as anyone who likes creepy stories. I hope you check out Doll Bones, as I'm sure you will enjoy it.

"Beautiful and Cruel"

    "The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros is a coming of age novel through the eyes of a young writer in a Latino neighborhood. Esperanza is a Mexican American middle school girl with dreams of becoming a writer. The story begins with Esperanza and her family moving into their first "real" house. Esperanza's expectations are high from dreams her parents shared with her of a white house, with three washrooms, real stairs, and a big front yard. However, their house on mango street is not like that. The house was small, with crumbling bricks, tiny windows and only one washroom. Esperanza refuses to believe this will be a permanent settlement and longs for when she can move out and buy a house of her own. 

    The disappointment Esperanza endures while moving happens many other times throughout the story. "In the movies there is always one with red lips who is beautiful and cruel. She is the one who drives the men crazy and laughs them all away. Her power is her own. She will not give it away". This is a powerful quote from Esperanza after observing the women around her and in films. She starts to understand the one of the only powers women have over men was sexuality. She longs to be like the fierce women she sees in movies and to be "beautiful and cruel". She wants to be admired by men but not taken advantaged of like many of the women she sees around her. However, she is sexually assaulted by an old man and her hope of being "beautiful and cruel" diminishes.  

    She is once again let down when previous ideas she has about what her life will be like do not come true. Esperanza realizes how hard it is for a woman to be "beautiful and cruel" in a male-dominated society. She does not understand why one of her friends, Sally, lets boys bully her as a way of flirting. Sally's keys are stolen by a group of boys who only give them back to her after she kisses all of them. Sally blatantly ignores the injustice of the situation and says it is "just a kiss". This infuriates Esperanza and just further shows her the sexism that so many women endure but choose to ignore to please men.  

    Esperanza's soon realizes she does not want her future to be determined by a man like so many of the other women in her neighborhood. The following passage is one of my favorite quotes in this book "My mother says when I get older my dusty hair will settle and my blouse will learn to stay clean, but I have decided not to grow up tame like the other who lay their necks on the threshold waiting for the ball and chain." I particularly like this passage from Esperanza because it is when she first realizes that her future and identity do not depend on a husband. She realizes that although many other girls do, she did not need constant praise from men to feel successful in life. I also like how she mentions that she will not change herself, or her ambitions 

    I highly recommend this book. It is a short but powerful book. Esperanza's journey throughout the book is very inspirational and rewarding as a reader. The book highlights some of the key issues in male-dominated societies and how different women's response to these issues can be. It also shows how films and media ignore these issues meaning young girls do not learn about these issues until they see them firsthand. Because of its lack of portrayal there is little to no discussion about things like assault and difficulties women face in a male-dominated society. 

Countdown to Disaster

    The House with a Clock in its Walls is a novel with a whimsical story to tell. Witten in 1973 by John Bellairs the story is about a young boy named Lewis Barnavelt who moves in with his uncle Jonathan Bernavelt. They then discover there is a "ticking" time bomb embedded in the walls of the house in the form of a giant clock. Their mission is to stop the clock and save the world. This story features fantastical yet realistic characters and places that intrigue you and keep you wanting to know more.  

    Something that really interested me about the book is the way the author mixes fantastical characters and occurrences in a "real world" setting. The story takes place in New Zebedee, Michigan. This town obviously is not a real place but, John Bellairs was inspired by a place named Marshall, which is an actual town in Michigan. Bellairs does a wonderful job of seamlessly combining two genres as he makes the setting outside of Jonathan's house a fictional yet realistic town and environment, but once you enter the house you immediately enter a world of wonder and magic. 

    Lewis Barnavelt really transforms throughout the story. In the beginning, he is a fat, shy boy who is skeptical of his uncle and his uncle'ss peculiar neighbor Mrs. Zimmerman. As time goes on Lewis becomes accustomed to his uncle's antics and behavior. Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman are both wizards and have mastered the art of "laidback magic." Lewis becomes eager to learn his uncle's trade. When Lewis finds out about the clock that is set to destroy the world, a desire to find the clock and be a hero strikes Lewis. Overall, throughout the book, Lewis' transformation from an unpopular, unable to swim, bad at sports, and obsessed with the dustiest history imaginable kid to a hero really makes this book all the more interesting.

All in all, The House with a Clock in its Walls is a wonderful and whimsical story for readers of all ages. The plot, the characters, and the setting will have you wanting to keep reading for hours on end. It provides the perfect balance and mixture between fantasy and historical fiction. Jonathan's magic and attitude, Lewis' antics, and Mrs. Zimmerman's peculiar behavior certainly make The House with a Clock in its Walls a true literary masterpiece and I hope you will enjoy reading it.

 

Small Spaces are Hidden Treasures

    Small Spaces, a novel by Catherine Arden, tells the story of a girl named Olivia, Ollie for short. The story creates a world where things are not as they seem, and where shadows are abundant. The book throws elements of surprise at the reader throughout the story, and builds suspense with the ever ticking watch that counts down the time until sunset. Combining horror and mystery makes the book hard to put down, and it leaves the reader wondering what happens next.

Ollie isn't exactly an average girl; her mother died the year before and she lives with her dad in a house painted with a variety of colors, known as "The Egg." She's just trying to get through seventh grade when she finds a woman crying by the side of a river, about to throw a book in. Before she knows it, Ollie snatches the book out of the woman's hands and runs away with it, with the words of the woman still in her head, "Avoid large places at night. Keep to small." As she reads the book, she learns the story of the Websters, a farm family that lived in a place called Smoke Hollow. 

The story of Smoke Hollow is this; a girl named Beth grew up with her friends Caleb and Jonathan at Smoke Hollow. As they grew, the two boys competed for the love of Beth. One day Jonathan asked for her hand in marriage, and Beth said yes. Caleb was so angry at Jonathan he left Smoke Hollow and ran into the woods. He did not return. Days later, on a rainy evening, mist began to rise in the fields, the same mist that gives Smoky Hollow its name. Jonathan, in grief, left the house and cried to the rain "Please, I'm sorry, I just want him back. I'll do anything." At that a figure walked out of the mist and told Jonathan he could bring his brother back... at a price.

Ollie does not think much of the story until she visits Smoke Hollow itself and learns more of the story. Later that day, as she is heading home from Smoke Hollow with her classmates, a mist descends upon them and the countdown to sunset begins. Joined by two students, she sets out into the woods and ultimately into another world, one where scarecrows lurk in the shadows and night is a treacherous place to be.

In Small Spaces I learned about the values of teamwork, that not only does it make things more efficient, it can provide safety to team members, with the ultimate message being stick together and stay focused, and one can succeed. The story of Ollie and her fellow students is a creepy, interesting tale sure to hook you. I highly recommend reading Small Spaces, as it keeps you on the edge of your seat and is hard to put down, to say the least. Also- avoid large places at night.

This book is grrrrrrreat! -Tony the Tiger

    The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald shares the exciting stories of a group of upper classes individuals in the Roaring 20s. The book challenges our way of thinking about the "American Dream" and makes you debate whether the characters are good, bad, or somewhere inbetween. In addition, the book contains many vivid descriptions and scenes of romance, suspense, and comedy. 

    The part of this book I found the most interesting was the complexity of the characters, especially Jay Gatsby. Throughout the book I questioned whether Gatsby was great as the title suggests or a criminal. For context, Mr. Jay Gatsby is Nick Carraway, the narrator's neighbor. Gatsby is very wealthy and lives in a giant mansion in West Egg, he is known for his many spectacular parties but not much is known about his past. Eventually he reveals his complicated past to Nick. Nick learns that Jay Gatsby was born "James Gatz" a poor farmer. One day he saves the life of a wealthy man named Dan Cody. Cody hires Gatz and Gatz learns all about the lives of the upper class and aspires to live in a similar manner. He has one problem, he has no money. Right before leaving to fight in World War I Gatz/Gatsby falls madly in love with Daisy, a girl born into a very wealthy family. When Gatsby returns to the US he finds out Daisy has married but he is determined to win her back. 

    With only this knowledge I assumed Gatsby was in fact great man. He is an example of the American Dream that anyone from any background can become successful and wealthy. However, what Nick learns later makes me questions my original judgement of Gatsby. Nick learns Gatsby makes his money through a illegal business with Meyer Wolfshiem involving gambling and bootlegging. With his new money Gatsby buys a mansion across the bay from Daisy and her husbands and throws extravagant parties in hopes to meet her again. 

    After learning about how Gatsby earned his money my immediate response was to think that he was no longer a great man. But after thinking more about his motives I sparked a debate with myself about Gatsby's morality. Is Gatsby's shady business justified if he is doing it to win back his true love Daisy? Is it shallow or smart for him to want Daisy to see how much money he has? Is Gatsby trying to win Daisy back because he still loves her or is it just to validate his success in life. These are some of many questions I considered. 

    I highly recommend this book for all readers especially those who enjoy deep thinking. The author's detailed description paint lifelike imagery and you feel as if you know exactly where you are and everything about the people around you.   

Arcady's Goal: The Boy With a Dream

 Arcady's Goal is a story about a young boy living in an orphanage in Communist Russia, who dreams of making a better life for himself by pursuing his life-long wish of becoming a professional soccer player. Written by Eugene Yelchin and published in 2014, Arcady's Goal is a story that never gets old. It is full of excitement, fear, anger, and an incredible desire for a better life. Something that really stands out about this book is the character development and the connections between characters

 Arcady is a 12-year-old boy whose parents were considered "enemies of the people" which basically means that they did not stand with Communism. This led to Arcady losing his parents and being put in an orphanage. Here he develops an undying love for the sport of soccer. Meanwhile, far from the orphanage is a man named Ivan Ivanych. Ivan also lost a very important person to him due to Communism. 

Ivan comes to the orphanage and watches Arcady play. Arcady describes that the field is "a yard with a fence on all sides, the stakes of the fence are sharpened to knifepoints. The barbed wire above the stakes keeps us from climbing" (Yelchin 1). Arcady is the most gifted player out of all of the boys at the orphanage and Ivan is quick to realize that, and decides to adopt Arcady.    

Arcady goes through great change when he moves in with Ivan. At first, Arcady is a bad-mouthed, dirty boy who has not been truly loved in years. As he spends more time with Ivan, he becomes more well-mannered and begins to exude cleanliness as he begins to realize that he now has an adult in his life who actually cares for and loves him. Arcady tells Ivan that his dream is to become a professional soccer player and play on an actual team. Ivan and Arcady grow closer than ever when trying to fulfill Arcady's desire. They go through both disappointing and exciting times and these make the bond they have even stronger. Ivan really becomes an actual father to Arcady and turns his life around completely. Both main characters go through an immense amount of change which makes this such a compelling book. 

The reason you should read this book is not only because it is an amazing story of hardship and triumph, but because it also presents a strong message about how incredibly important family is and how even when you are in a seemingly dark time, there can always be a light at the end of the tunnel.