Sunday, September 18, 2011

The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton



Reading Hammock’s Rating:
5
Category:
Fiction
Title:
The Outsiders
Author:
S.E. Hinton
Author Website:
ISBN-10:
014038572X
ISBN-13:
978-0140385724
Publication Date:
1967
Publisher:
Puffin Books
Format:
Hardcover | Paperback | Audio




Author Synopsis:

        According to Ponyboy, there are two kinds of people in the world: greasers and socs. A soc (short for "social") has money, can get away with just about anything, and has an attitude longer than a limousine. A greaser, on the other hand, always lives on the outside and needs to watch his back. Ponyboy is a greaser, and he's always been proud of it, even willing to rumble against a gang of socs for the sake of his fellow greasers--until one terrible night when his friend Johnny kills a soc. The murder gets under Ponyboy's skin, causing his world to crumble and teaching him that pain feels the same whether a soc or a greaser.

My review:

The story is told from the perspective of Ponyboy and I was able to connect with him at the beginning of the plot.  He is a member of a “Greaser” gang, which consists of the poorer people in society.  I easily became attached to Ponyboy because of Hinton’s focus on his emotions.  One could recognize that Ponyboy has a deep love for his gang of “Greasers.”  The gang’s support and love for each other helps Ponyboy and his brothers, Darrel and Sodapop, overcome the death of their parents.  nHinEven though I immediately became attached to Ponyboy, one could also feel the emotions of the other characters, even those who were less important to the story.  This is vital to capturing the reader’s attention since many novels leave out the emotions of secondary characters, especially if the story is told from the perspective of just one character.  I have also noticed that some authors tell the story from the perspective of two characters in order to convey their thoughts.  What I found most remarkable in Hinton’s writing is her ability to write this novel from the perspective of just one character, while also providing insight into how other characters are feeling. 

Hinton uses rich descriptions for introducing new characters which helped me feel closer to understanding Ponyboy’s world. Hinton vividly describes characters’ eyes as a technique to describe their personality.  For example she describes Dally’s cold personality by telling the reader about his icy blue eyes.  Through Hinton’s fresh writing style, colorful descriptions and attention to miniscule details, I became engrossed in the characters’ struggles.

This was daring story about a young boy in the midst of life threatening fights, struggles to find his place in life.  I would recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for a change of pace from their usual genre.  Even though I am a science fiction fan this was an exciting read and I would even consider reading it again.


Monday, September 5, 2011

Jumper by Steven Gould


Reading Hammock’s Rating:
3 1/2
Category:
Fiction
Fiction Genre:
Science
Title:
Jumper
Author:
Steven Gould
Author Website:
ISBN-10:
031285272X
ISBN-13:
978-0312852726
Publication Date:
August, 1992
Publisher:
Tor Books
Format:
Hardcover | Digital | Paperback | Audio







Author Synopsis:

Davy Rice has a unique genetic trait: he can teleport. To survive, Davy must learn to use and control his power. 

My review:

After watching the movie “Jumper”, based on Steven Gould’s novel, I decided to read it so that I could explore which medium better conveys the unusual plotline.  “Jumper” is a story about a seventeen year old boy named David Rice, who discovers he can “jump” away from his drunken, abusive father to seek sanctuary at the local library.  Since David can move from one place to another, to wherever he desires, he runs away from home to explore the world.  I was quickly drawn into the novel because the overall concept of being able to teleport oneself is intriguing and I was also curious to see what David would do with his power. 

David uses his teleporting ability to target “jump” sites throughout the world.  In the process, he learns that his long lost mother died in a terrorist attack.  David is determined to avenge her assassin.  He is targeted by The National Security Agency because of his unusual “jumping” activities.  They are intent on capturing him to examine his unique capability.  When David’s beloved girlfriend, Millie, is captured by the National Security Agency, he struggles to choose between revenging his mother’s killer and saving his girlfriend. 

In the novel, the author focuses on David’s internal struggles whereas in the movie, many new characters are introduced in order to create an action packed plot.  Although I somewhat enjoyed this novel, it did not reach my expectations after watching the movie.  At times, Gould’s entangled plotline confuses the reader while the movie better resembles a fast paced science fiction story. 

Gould cleverly builds his story around the concept of teleporting, or as he explains it, “jumping” from country to country and city to city, in just seconds.  Although David has a power only attainable in dreams, Gould’s casual and personal tone allows the reader to feel as though they are David, and can “jump” anywhere in the world.  Throughout the story Gould expresses David’s exhilarated feelings mixed with the turmoil of his shattered family life. 

I think that in order to enjoy this book, one has to love the genre of science fiction.   Overall, Gould had a captivating idea but did not execute it as well as he could have.