The Always War

Margaret Peterson Haddix's The Always War is a quick read. This is not because of how short the book is, though this shortness is a large part of the reason. Not because there are less pages, but because the length makes the book more enjoyable. Haddix wrote the perfect amount. By keeping the book concise, she avoids adding too much fluff. The book is all plot. This constant action means that the reader is always engaged in the story. This also adds to the drama and chaos. The plot is not all that unique. The book is simply about a war that is waging on over water. There is a nice twist at the end, which I don't want to spoil should anyone feel the urge to pick up the book and read it. It is really the fast pace of the book that makes this one a winner. The plot is alright, but the constant action really makes this book interesting and worth reading.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

I don't usually read non-fiction. I don't like it very much. It tends to bore me, and I find it (generally) unengaging. I will admit, I was forced to read Quiet. It was part of a class project. I was surprised by how interesting I found it to be--at first, anyway. Susan Cain lays out extremely interesting facts about the progression of American society from a Culture of Character to a Culture of Personaliy and the tendancy of Americans to prefer extroversion. She even explains the DNA reasoning behind this. This part of the book was very, very engaging and just simply fun to read. The book later turns into a self-help book, however. This I was not interested in at all. The book's title makes it seem as if the book is going to be completely filled with the benefits of introversion, not how to become better at being an introvert. I would highly recommend the first chapter or so of Quiet. I cannot, however, say the same for the rest of the book.

And do you think that love itself

Edna St. Vincent Millay is an amazing poet who wrote many, many pieces of poetry. Of the ones I've read "And do you think that love itself" is probably my favorite. This may be because it is so different stylistically from the rest of her poetry--free verse is a large change from her usual sonnet. It might also be because I can relate to it in my own way. That may seem odd, as I am only a high schooler, after all, this poem is about a dying love. It is dying due to unfaithfulness. I was cheated on by my very first boyfriend my Freshman year. This experience makes it easy for me to relate to Millay's poem. I was certain, as most (naive) teenagers are, that he and I were going to last. The speaker of Millay's poem is married to whomever it is they are speaking to. Obviously, the speaker was sure they woud make it. But in the end, it all fell apart. This is a very frustrating, upsetting experience that is hard to express. Millay, however, expresses it well. Being able to see something similar to my own experience laid out so eloquently is awesome.

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain is an amazingly entertaining book. It is surprisingly easy to connect with the main character and narrator--a dog. It seems like it would be a difficult thing for a person to connect with a character that is not even human, but Stein's depiction of Enzo makes this incredibly easy. Enzo is simply going about his daily life, watching as time passes by him, observing as the people around him change and develop. But he wants more than this. He is satisfied with his life, yes, but he is still waiting for something more. In Enzo's case, he wants to become human. While that is not relatable for the reader, Enzo's desire for something more is something all people experience at some point or another, whether they are happy with their lives or not. People are always searching for the meaning of things, much as Enzo tends to do. Despite the heaviness of this topic of yearning, The Art of Racing in the Rain is hilarious. There is an entire, albeit short, chapter dedicated to Enzo's theory that dogs are closer to humans than gorillas. His final piece of evidence? Werewolves. Now human turns into a gorilla during a full moon, do they? This balance of humor and thought-provoking themes makes for an amazing read.