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Pukekohe High School

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    Mrs_Olson

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    CallayneEru

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Mrs_Olson

4,470 pts
(3,236 pages read)

  • Ripiro Beach: A Memoir of Life After Near Death

    By Caroline Barron
    4 stars

  • Birnam Wood

    By Eleanor Catton
    5 stars

    I picked up Birnam Wood for its title; I had taught Macbeth to my scholarship English class this year, and I have been in a mood for Macbeth ever since. Initially, I looked for every connection to Shakespeare I could find in Birnam Wood. Who would be the Macbeth of the novel? Would Birnam Wood move, and conquer a despot? Or would it fall, in an age of toxic waste and drone surveillance? Quickly, however, I left my notions of what I thought the novel should be behind. Catton entrances her readers with her detailed, hyper-realistic characterisation. Through Mira, Shelley, and Tony, three of Catton's strongest characters, audiences are led to question their own morals and place in society. Shelley is initially placed as the rational representative of the reader, but Catton corrupts both our faith in her sensibility and her own perspective on her situation. The novel is larger-than-life, at times inexplicably unbelievable, and end with a bang, just like Birnam Wood's original namesake.

  • He Knew He Was Right

    By Anthony Trollope
    4 stars

    Anthony Trollope's 19th century portrait of Othello is pyschoanalytical in great, often superfluous detail. The protagonists, Mr and Mrs Trevelyan, garner sympathy, but little else. When Mr Trevelyan begins to suspect his wife of infidelity, he becomes consumed with suspicion. It eats away at him, mentally and physically, until he is no more. I was not sad to see him go, nor did I think Trollope wanted us to be. The novel really comes to life in the tableau of Exeter, through the character Miss Spalding and the family around her. Maiden aunt Miss Spalding is acerbic, resentful, and sharp around the edges. She's the most lively character in the novel. Through Spalding's Exeter, we begin to see the different personalities that Trollope wanted to highlight. Miss Spalding eventually softens, out of love for her seemingly unmarriable niece, and everything ends happily ever after (for some). My biggest critique is Trollope's disdain for editing. His intriguing novel spends so much time developing supporting characters that we often forget about the protagonists.

  • Babel

    By R. F. Kuang
    5 stars

    Babel was recommended to me by a student of mine. I was hesitant at first; I always get a little antsy when authors intentionally manipulate history for their own gain. However, once I started, I was hooked. I hardly put Babel down. I sped through the entire 546-page journey in two days. And I loved it. Babel is a novel about colonialism, violence, terror, systemic racism, and greed. But it's also a beautiful bildungsroman about friendship, camraderie, education, and trust. Babel speaks to humanity's love of beauty. Kuang's descriptions of 19th century Oxford, and of Babel tower in particular, drew me in. I felt like I was walking the streets of Oxford with her protagonist. Kuang weaves beauty into her terrible world to remind us of our continued tendacy to be lured in by gold and glory. She provides a fresh perspective on what it means to live and learn in a post-colonial world, while reminding us of how much danger we're still in.

  • Sense and Sensibility

    By Jane Austen
    5 stars

    Sense and Sensibility is a joy to read. Austen’s portrayal of sisterhood reminds readers of how varied personalities still search for commonalities. Every time I read it, I am reminded of the years I first discovered Austen's way with words. Her stories tell a timeless truth.

  • My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece

    By Annabel Pitcher
    4 stars

    This book made me sob. Full on ugly cry, snot running down my face sob. It tells a complex story through the deceptively simple perspective of a young boy. I wanted to talk about it for days!

  • Falling into Rarohenga

    By Steph Matuku
    4 stars

  • The 10PM Question

    By Kate de Goldi
    4 stars

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