The Picture of Dorian Gray

Not that interesting. I was a little disappointed because I had heard that it was a good, even weird, book from a couple of different people. I suspect now that these people haven't read many books.

I think most everyone in our culture knows what The Picture of Dorian Gray is about and how it ends, and I can comfortably say that you aren't missing much by just having the basic idea and not ever reading the actual work. Though, if for some bizarre reason you are not familiar with the story, go read it for no other reason than that it is an icon of classic literature.

(I did have a little question about it though for anyone who has studied it: Who is Lord Henry Wotton? Does he believe what he says? Is he as careless as he alludes? The author seemed to avoid giving any real details about him other than describing him as young at the start of the book then as aged at the end of the book. The rest we learn about him is through his dialogue (which never focuses on him) and through second hand opinions of other characters.)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This book ended up being very personal to me. I considered not posting about it here because of that, but it seemed that would be against the moral of the book. So here it goes:

After running the reader through practically every taboo situation associated with high school life (this book is found in the young adult section of the library) in the first part, it settles down into a deeper look into the the life of Charlie. It is like Catcher in the Rye in that it is very touching and very personal, though I am not sure every person in the world can relate to Charlie like they can probably relate to the Catcher (I forget his name,) but that doesn't change what it meant to me. I tried to start reading the next book I have, but couldn't manage it. I walked up and down the hallway for 3 hours thinking. Then I took the bus to the mall, apparently it closes at nine and I was there at 10, so I walked around the mall instead of through it.

I don't really know. I half am glad my life wasn't like Charlie's, I half think my life was like Charlie's, and I half wish my life was like Charlie's. I know that adds up to more than one, but I figure I am just that cool.

Love always,

The Once and Future King

This is one of the tellings of King Arthur and the Round Table if you couldn't tell from the title. It is divided into 4 books (Sword in the Stone, The Queen of Air and Darkness, The Ill-Made Knight, and The Candle in the Wind) and covers the entirety of Arthur's life.

There may not be anything technically wrong with it, but it took me a long time to read and I did not enjoy it much. I suspect this is just a case of the author failing to engage the reader.

The plot is good. It is King Arthur, of course the plot is good. But, there is far too much description. For example, one chapter starts with Lancelot and Guenever sitting by a window and the entirety of the chapter goes on to tell what they didn't see (thieves being hung for stealing amounts worth as much as a shilling, which could have been done in the old days, which really wasn't so bad because a shilling in those days was worth two geese or ninety loaves of bread) and what the could have seen (maidens riding through the forest, which couldn't have happened in the old days for fear of being attacked, and was now possible because all the roads were cleared on either side a distances that exceeded the length of a bowshot.) This stuff may even seem humorous were it not for the fact that twenty continuous pages were filled with little tidbits like this which did not at all build the plot. By the end of the novel I was just skimming over this stuff.

If you are the type of reader who can find this description enjoyable, then you will probably love this book.

The Remains of the Day

Another great book. I enjoyed watching the protagonist evolve...though he didn't really I guess, just the reader's knowledge of him grows. I think the amount you enjoy this is dependent on the type of person you are more so than some of the other books I have read.


Anyway...
The obvious themes are to not let duty become too important to you and it is never too late to change...but I can't help feel there is something I am missing with this book.