The Skycraper Book Project. #26

The twenty-sixth book is 

Across the Universe by Beth Revis.

 

Blurb:  

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder. 

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

 

Date started: 5th may '13

 Date finished: 10th may '13

 Rating out of five?: 4 stars

Why not five?:The first part of the book starts off with (and this doesn't count as a spoiler) Amy and her parents being frozen. The detail is really vivid and realistic. Seriously, I was left gagging over the toilet because I could feel tubes being shoved down MY throat. The whole experience was not pleasant, but it would have been terrible without it. I'm confused about whether or not I like that chapter, but I'm going to say, yes, that it was good. Next, there's the whole concept of the season. When it was first mentioned, to be honest, I laughed. It was a little bit ridiculous. Never, ever could I have imagined the amount of detail the book would go into about it. The only explanation I can think of that would make this seem understandable in my head is that the DETAILED descriptions help set the scene on how the ship is being run. With unfair and discriminating laws. Also, Amy pines for her 'Daddy' a lot, thinking he is going ti be unfrozen early, as she was. never once does this girl think of her mother. The poor woman. The last reason I docked a star was the whole issue that is the cover. For ages I pondered over whether it was blobs of goo or some type of funky sunglasses. The only reason I discovered it was two people kissing spiderman style was that if you look closely enough you can see some of the girl's hair and her front tooth. 

Who would enjoy the book?: the whole YA/fantasy/dystopian gang. 

Was it up to the author's general standards?: Not sure, really. I'd really like to read the sequel; A million Suns, if I can get it.

Was it a quick read?: no, despite a fast paced rhythm and twisting plot, the whole thing was just like an overrated 'who-done-it' type thing. I just had to put it down every time it went on and on and on about things that it didn't need to go on about.

The Skycraper Book Project. #25

The 25th book of the The Skyscraper Book Project is The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick.

Blurb: With 284 pictures between the book's 533 pages, the book depends equally on its pictures as it does on the actual words. Selznick himself has described the book as "not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a movie, but a combination of all these things." The Caldecott Medal is for picture books, in 2008 this was first novel to receive.

The primary inspiration is the true story of turn-of-the-century French pioneer filmmaker Georges Méliès, his surviving films, and his collection of mechanical, wind-up figures called automata. Selznick decided to add automata to the storyline after reading Edison's Eve by Gaby Wood, which tells the story of Edison's attempt to create a talking wind-up doll.

Méliès actually had a set of automata, which were either sold or lost. At the end of his life Méliès was broke, even as his films were screening widely in the United States. He did work in a toy booth in a Paris railway station, hence the setting. Selznick drew Méliès's real door in the book.

Date started: 2nd May '13

Date finished: 3rd May '13

Rating out of five?: One of the easiest five out of fives I have ever given!

Why five?: Aswell as having moving and inspiring text, the book capturesones imagination   with detailed drawings. As said in the blurb, the book isequally  dependant on each of the two features. Both,  I think, live up to the expected standards. I went into the book not knowing much about it, and was really quite surprised at how well written it was, a fictional story interwoven with true fact.

Despite some of the things I didn't really like about this book, like how the plot was a bit dragged out, or how the characters seemed sort of pretentious and unrealistic, their development as people was interesting to watch, especially in Georges himself-I still had to give it five stars. 

Who would enjoy this book?: the book was written for children but it was just such a good book that a much wider audience than is targeted would appreciate it. 

Was it up to the author's general standards?: I haven't read any of this author's other books-I don't even know if there are any. Although, I don't think that if there are I would read them. 

 Was it a quick read?: yes, probably would have been more enjoyable in one sitting though, as with most books. Still, very quick and easy to read.

Another book finished! And one more to review! At the monent I'm reading 'Life of Pi' and it's taking forever!!!!!! There's just these really long periods of nothing in the book, filled with coma-indusing boring detail. Hope to finish it soon so I can move ob to something a little more upbeat.

The Skycraper Book Project. #14-24

I know I haven't been the most committed blogger lately, but I have a (small, unworthy) excuse! Exams are two weeks away and Ihave been busy procrastinating-_-

That's one thing I hate about exams- they're always on when the weather is best! Not fair!

Back to the topic we are here to discuss:
In recent days, the ones where this blog has been abandoned, I got through only 10 books. It could have been a lot more, but like I said, I had no choice but to spend tine doodling all over my study timetable. I'm sorry, okay?

So here it is:
Book #5 - Slated, by Teri Terry

Book #6 - Looking for Alaska, John Green

Book #7 - The Host, Stephanie Meyer

Book #8 - Paper Towns, John Green

Book #9 - Will Grayson, Will Grayson, John Green

Book #10 - Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card

Book #11 - Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson

Book #12 - the book thief, Markus Zusak

Book #13 - If I Stay, Gayle Forman

Book #14 - Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys

Book #15 - Wicked Lovely, Melissa Marr


Follow me on goodreads to get the next books I will be reading:)
Ellie xxx