The Circle by Dave Eggers

First off, I liked the movie better than the book. It was more hopeful, mildly less creepy.

Both versions definitely inspire conversation about the roles technology play in our lives.

To me this novel is a cautionary tale. I still shudder when I think about it- much to my husband's amusement. I'll shudder, and he'll say with a smile, "Still thinking about that book?"

The Circle is about an idealistic young woman named Mae whose friend Annie helps her get a job at a wonderful technology company called The Circle located in California's Silicon Valley. The Circle is like Facebook + Google + other tech companies all rolled into one company. 

The Ideal: one online identity means a better online experience and individual accountability. 

The Con: a totalitarian regime who has access to all information and controls its use and access, and a monopoly that no one seems able to stop because the naysayers are always caught doing something illegal.

Watching the movie is creepy and thought provoking. Reading the book is very creepy and thought-provoking, and I needed to take breaks and come back to it. The book has more detail, and Mae is less like-able. She bothered me quit a bit in the book. I didn't like her or relate to her very well. In the beginning, I relate to her desire thrill over a new exciting job and to leave a job she hated. However, working at the Circle in Customer Experience using all those screens sounds absolutely awful to me. I was stressed just thinking about having to do that for endless hours each day while worrying about a rating system. The whole company has the feeling of a cult that is social acceptable in modern society by lauding individuality but giving everyone too much to do, so you can never comfortably leave campus.

Of course, my response to The Circle is influenced by my personal spiritual views. I believe in good and evil. I believe in agency. I believe that true choice leads to real growth and being watched all the time does change your behaviors- and thus limits growth- because you aren't given real choices or opportunities when you are being watched. You do what you think other people want you to do. You do what other people have taught you is wrong or right. Experience and agency allow us as individuals to learn those things for ourselves so that we aren't lost sheep.

For readers who are concerned about any sexual content: The book has a few mild sex scenes which I don't feel are needed but were used to address privacy concerns. The movie has only one mild sex scene, which it also used to help illustrate privacy concerns. None of the scenes are long or ridiculously graphic. You know what happens and the story moves on.

Overall, I think The Circle is worth a read or a watch. You have been warned . . .

Onyx Moon by Constance Roberts

Every story asks as a ‘what if?”

What if a girl has two bodies but one soul?

Onyx Moon centers on Ora, a young woman with two bodies and one soul. One body resides on Earth and one in Alethia. She is the Golden Child promised by Shadai to bring the end of the Sardion demons. Onyx Moon details Ora’s discovery of her role as the Golden Child, her growing faith in Shadai, and her gradual acceptance of her destiny amidst the conflicts of friendship, love, and the overarching war between angels and demons for the souls of humankind.

In Onyx Moon, Ms. Roberts develops a beautiful world filled with conflict and hope. I love walking the Forbidden Woods with Ora; seeing dragons, demons, angels and lightning storms; hearing the ocean waves crash on the rocks; and discovering Shadai. Though Alethia is beautiful, its real beauty comes from the beauty of the people. I love the character development balanced against Alethia’s physical beauty. People are what make our lives rich though spending time alone in nature can bring peace to the soul and help us better appreciate the people in our lives.

For me, Onyx Moon’s greatest strength resides in the characters’ internal struggles. Ms. Roberts’ characters are strong and realistic because of their internal wounds and personal choices. As much as I love the character development, I really appreciate the lessons that I found in each character’s struggle.

From Xader, what memories do I let haunt me and control my future? The past has happened, but do I let it control my future happiness or do I learn to accept my past choices and move forward to make better ones? Do I really forgive myself?

From Ora, am I honest enough? Do I trust in the right people? In regards to the Raven Cult, listen to my internal warnings. If I feel a situation is dangerous, it probably is dangerous. Leave the situation. Do I understand and accept the place I have in the world and the potential I have? Really, I make my own place in this world. Do I set aside my fears so that I can really help people? If I can’t help a friend by myself, do I get help in trying to reach the friend in trouble? It is a great blessing to believe in a higher being and to learn to trust in my creator who can guide my decisions and bring peace to my soul. I appreciate the gradualness of Ora’s character development. Her acceptance of her role as the Golden Child was little by little as she learned more about the conflict between Shadai and Izeal and made choices that brought her closer to understanding Shadai.

From Vanessa, Do I listen to my friends and really heed their concerns for themselves and me? Do I let myself be controlled by people that I admire? Do I admire things of value in other people or just their charisma? When I make friends, can I really see positive and uplifting characteristics in them or do I just refuse to see the negative? Do I make others feel bad when I feel misunderstood or do I try to understand them better? True friends help me become a better version of myself, they add to who I already am, they don’t take away from who I already am.

From Isabella, do I help the people that I can help? Do I do all I can to help? Isabella is very changed from her dark past. Have I really changed and let go of the darkness in my past, so I can be a force for good in the world? Do I let my faith work miracles (though not on the lightning storm level)?

From Cayden, people who first appear creepy aren’t necessarily creepy.

From Doeryan, What choices can I live with or die with? Are the weaknesses I have been taught really weaknesses just because they aren’t valued by those who taught me?

Besides the lessons I learn from the characters, I like the action. The physical battles are well described. I always have a clear picture in my head. If my mental picture wavers, it is because I am reading too fast. I keep wanting to see what happens next. The fights are plausible without dulling my senses (meaning that I am not overwhelmed by gore).

Mrs. Roberts thoroughly develops her ideas and the world of Alethia. I appreciate her balance of action, character development, exploration of Alethia, and the discussion of good verses evil. Knowing Onyx Moon is Ms. Roberts first book, I look forward to seeing her writing develop. Every author changes as their career continues. I know Ms. Roberts will continue to grow as an author. I love Onyx Moon, and I look forward to her future books because I know all that I love about her development of Onyx Moon, her characters, and the world of Alethia will be added upon as she continues to write this trilogy and future books.

I also look forward the lessons I will learn when I revisit Onyx Moon and walk again in the Forbidden Woods of Alethia.

James Dashner: Some Thoughts on His Writing

I've read two books series by James Dashner. I read The Maze Runner Trilogy and The Kill Order (the prequel) and The 13th Reality series. The more I read in both, the more I grew frustrated. I became disappointed by both book series. The worlds and characters he created have a lot of potential to be more developed.

*Warning: Spoiler Alert for both book series Below.*

(You can read my initial thoughts about The Maze Runner trilogy here.)

Dashner has some cool ideas. The worlds he created have a lot of potential; however, I do not like his writing style. Dashner creates a lot of tension and confusion through his pacing and characterization. The action has hardly any rests, and the few present aren't long enough. As a reader, the continuous action drained me. I had a hard time finishing both book series. I wanted to know what happened, but I also just wanted it to be over because I wasn't happy with how he wrote the stories. Concerning his characterization, I often found them inconsistent and unbelievable due to decisions they made and the way they treated other characters.


Maze Runner Trilogy and Prequel

First of all, I do not agree with Dashner's vision of a post-apocalyptic world (The Maze Runner series). Everyone is angry all the time. Even little kindnesses are portrayed in a rough way. The people are rude to each other, even the best of friends. Throughout the series, the characters were all angry and negative (though admittedly some were angrier and more negative than others). I think some people would be so negative, but not everyone.

The characters irrationality is also found in the flawed science that sprouted WICKED and the trials the kids endure. The trials that the kids undergo are meant to measure the way the kids' brains react to different stressors and what makes the immune kids immune to the disease. The trials are reflective of the way the society responded to the disease that overtook this post-apocalyptic world. It's another example of how I don't believe people would react in such a dire situation. Not everyone would react so irrationally. I thus think the science had more potential to be developed, so that the trials, when their purpose is revealed, made more sense.

Though I found the characters unbelievably angry and negative, I still enjoyed that the teens came up with their own jargon. I also liked that Thomas challenged his fellow Gladers to do more, to get outside their comfort zones. I felt like some character development happened with Thomas challenging his fellow Gladers to do more, but I didn't find all the character development throughout the books believable.

My next point of frustration with the Maze Runner Series is what I feel is a lack of consistent characterization. The premise of the characters' drive and decision-making is to find answers, but then Thomas (the main character in the trilogy) along with some of the other characters reject getting their memories back. Also, a scene at the end of The Death Cure illustrates that an obvious lie is being told by the girl Thomas has chosen to trust, and Thomas just accepts it. Apparently he's too tired to fight anymore and accepts to live with a lie. He doesn't challenge it and demand answers which he spent most of the story doing. The girl's lie is one that he doesn't even need to ask for an explanation. It's rather obvious from Thomas' question that if he chose to dwell on the thought for even a second more, he'd know the answer and that she's lying. I found Thomas's character to be the most developed until he started making decisions that weren't in keeping with his character.

To finish my thoughts on Dashner's characterization in the Maze Runner Triology, the characters sacrificed their search for truth to find peace. I agree that life can wear people down, but not to the point that they give up such a fundamental part of themselves- especially kids. Kids love answers. They want to know how and why. I don't think that people don't have to accept a lie to find peace in life. People may let go of personal frustrations and choose to forgive other people to find peace, but they don't choose to live with a lie. Especially not these kids who went through so much abuse and frustration. I think Thomas would've pulled away when he realized she was lying and ended the relationship.

Yeah, I have no angry feelings over this book series at all.

Some final thoughts about The Maze Runner Series:

The feelings of epic-ness I felt when I read The Maze Runner faded during The Scorch Trials. I was left with annoyance.  I still wanted to know what happened. I still wanted answers, so I read The Death Cure and The Kill Order. I grew more disappointed as I read. I left each book wanting more, but I found the answers given unsatisfactory. I think The Maze Runner was more developed than the other books. I was relieved to finish The Kill Order and to be done with the whole series. When reading The Kill Order, I remember finding parts of it more believable than other parts of the Maze Runner series.


The 13th Reality

With the 13th Reality series, I think he took too long to develop the story in the first book, The Journal of Curious Letters. Dashner also filled this story with lots of confusion. Crazy, bizarre things are continually happening to Reality (there are 13 known realities and the Realitants spend their time protecting the people of each reality and making sure things are working as they should). To me, Dashner did not follow a logical process to set up the world of the Realitants. Dashner spent a lot of time in book one setting up the story, but the other books are hurried, things happen too quickly to feel like they are part of a cohesive whole. Descriptions were sacrificed to move the story along more quickly. Dashner needed to better balance the speed of the story.

The majority of book one is spent trying to figure out the series of letters that are given to Atticus. The letters are to test possible recruits commitment to becoming a Realitant; however, no one comes and invites these kids to join. The children just receive weird letters. The letters took too long. I became bored waiting for the story to move past the letters and onto something more exciting.

Once Atticus and his friends prove their commitment and solve the riddles, they are winked away to join the Realitants. Once with the Realitants, they are immediately sent into a dangerous situation. No responsible adults would really send children immediately into such a dangerous situation. Plausible adult characters would train their recruits and give them smaller assignments first. Since Dashner set up his story in this manner, the adults are not trustworthy (Master George, the leader of the Realitants, especially).

At the end of the last book,  the organization does learn from some of their mistakes. They go public and start to work with governments and other organizations to better protect the Realities.

Also, I was surprised that the kids weren't introduced to more Realitants. The few Realitants that are introduced after the first book are weird and seem a little crazy. I didn't feel very confident that they were responsible for helping protect the Realities.

Also, the action has no natural rests. It's go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go , go, and go some more. Did I get enough "go" in that sentence?

Sato was the character I found most believable. He changes from an angry boy who wants revenge to a young man who is capable of leading an army. Why is he believable? Because his character growth occurs slowly and naturally. He makes conscious decisions that are well explained because his thoughts make sense and are well written. He begins to trust other people and to think about things beside his revenge.

I did enjoy how Dashner played with language. He abbreviated Quantum Physics as QP which, when heard, was "Koopy." That was quite fun and reminiscent of how J.K. Rowling plays with language in the Harry Potter book series.


Ending Thoughts

I've overall been disappointed by everything I've read by James Dashner. As I said before, he has great ideas. His stories are rather original with buckets full of potential. I think he needs to better balance the speed of his story-telling and reconsider his view of people and how people would really react in situations (meaning he should reconsider his characterization).

I recognize that maybe I need to re-read Dashner's work to really understand it. I've had that happen before. When I first read Life of Pi, I knew I missed something; however, I don't feel I missed something fundamental with The Maze Runner series or the 13th Reality series.

Though I have been overall disappointed by his books, I may still read The Eye of Minds because as I said before, Dashner has some pretty cool premises for his stories, but I may just end of disappointed again.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Reading the Novel

When I read the novel in college, for a Greek Mythology course, it disturbed me. I wanted so much to believe in the fantastical story being woven, but I couldn't quite believe. The story was set like a contemporary realistic fiction novel, but filled with almost too hard to believe elements; for example, the animals getting onto the lifeboat, the tiger not eating Pi, and the island. I wasn't sure where the novel was going. On one hand, I knew Pi would eventually make it back to land. On the other hand, those fantastical elements were a little much to swallow despite my love of fantasy. The island especially astonished me. Where was Martel going with this story?

My Copy of Life of Pi

If I remember right, my college professor warned us that the ending wouldn't be what we expected. I think I may have been rather caught up in trying to figure out where the story was going partially because of this warning. I spent a lot of my reading trying to prepare myself for an unexpected reading, and I still wasn't prepared. The theme left me unsettled: The Stories We Tell Ourselves. Throughout our class discussion, I knew I understood the theme, but I felt I was still missing something (or several things).

I was shocked. I knew there was more to the story novel and theme, yet I couldn't grasp it all. I couldn't explain why it bothered disturbed me so much- other than the feeling that I was missing its depth because I was so caught up in the obvious theme and that one sentence. I was wasn't sure what that theme meant for me. I was in shock from how the novel ended. I wanted to understand it.

Watching the Movie

Recently, several years after I read the novel that I couldn't bring myself to read again and had no desire to throw away, Ang Lee and countless other people brought the novel to life on the big screen. When I first saw the trailer, I thought about how people were either really going to love it or hate it. They'd love it because they'd be able to accept and be awed by the unexpected ending, or hate it because they would be expecting a fantastical world to be opened up to them instead of choosing which story to believe as a viewer. I admire Yann Martel giving his audience such a spectacular choice. That choice opens up our minds.

My second thought about the movie involved wanting to see it. For the first time, I wanted to see a book made into a movie (after reading the book). The trailer made it seem like they'd be true to the story, to that moment of choice. I wanted to see if they'd leave in that ending. I also wanted to see if I could learn more from the story seeing it as a movie, and I wanted to experience that gorgeous cinematography.

Sadly, I didn't see the movie until it was available to own on DVD and Blueray.

In the movie, the story is told in a pretty chronological order. I remember the novel being more reflective while he was lost at sea meaning that Pi thinks back to his life before moving while he's lost at sea. I think the story was easier to understand on the big screen since it was told in a more chronological manner. It was still reflective since the man playing adult Pi is telling his story to an author. The novel was first person compared to the big screen's third person narrative.

Watching Pi's story unfold once again, I did understand more. The movie version still left me uncomfortable in the same parts of the story. I realize now that I felt betrayed by the unexpected ending, by the fact that the magical world Pi shares may not be true real (even the scary parts like that island). I find the island symbolic of Pi's mental return to what reality will be like. He had to leave behind a part of himself in the ocean. A part of himself that helped him survive. That separation finishes occurring when Richard Parker (the adult Bengal tiger) leaves him on the beach without a goodbye.

Greater Understanding

Talking with my family about the story after viewing the film, I realized why the theme of Life of Pi is important. Remember, the theme is The Stories We Tell Ourselves. Pi presents the author listening to his story with two versions of his journey across the ocean. One story is fantastical and magical while the other story is harsh and pragmatic and very realistic.

As a reader, or film watcher, we choose which story we prefer. We also get to decide which story to believe. The story we choose reveals a lot about us as individuals, and that truth can be hard to face.

If I choose the fantastical story, then I have to face the reality that my view of the world, others, and myself may be fantastical. I may have created stories (views, opinions, etc) of myself, my life, my choices, and the world that are fantastical.

If I choose the harsh but more realistic story, I have to face a different set of shortcomings. I may be a harsh person. I may be far more cynical and cutthroat than I want to admit.

Of course, the truth of how the world is and how we really are as people is usually somewhere in between those two versions of the story, so we have to decide when we are too cynical and when we are too fantastical. By fantastical, I mean moments when we protect ourselves from reality and choose to be blind to things around us. By harsh, I mean moments when we disbelieve possible kindness and choose to be blind to  hope. Both are a kind of blindness to truth.

I also realized that some religious persons might struggle with Life of Pi because we have to face that reality that the stories of our religion may not be real; for example, I was raised to know that the story of Adam and Eve was symbolic. Adam and Eve's experience in the Garden of Eden probably didn't happen exactly as recorded in Genesis. It is a highly symbolic story meant to teach about how Satan tempts the Children of God, why the Children of God need Christ's Atonement, and humanity's decision making power (among other things). I was raised to know that the stories of my religion were meant to teach me and probably didn't happen exactly as recorded. I'm not sure everyone receives that kind of education about their own culture's stories. I imagine that realizing that your culture's stories could be false could be a world-perception shattering experience for some religious persons.

I'm grateful I learned more about myself and the story novel, Life of Pi, from watching the film. I feel so much more comfortable with the novel now that I am able to grasp some of the deeper concepts of the theme, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. I better understand myself because I can better address my flawed perceptions of reality. I also better appreciate God and the Gospel because Christ knows the truth that really exists between my human perceptions when I view a situation too fantastically or too harshly. Life of Pi has become a good example of why I love reading. When I read, I learn to think more clearly and to better understand myself, others, and the world.

Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card

Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite authors because he isn't scared of emotion, nor is he scared to take his stories to the edges of known scientific understanding and manage to explain it. In speaking about his book, he wrote that he didn't avoid time paradoxes, and he doesn't.

Pathfinder was a stunning stunning exploration of agency: the choices we humans make and why. The book follows two plots: one in a future where humans leave earth to colonize a new planet and one that explores the life of the colonists' descendants. Card explores the ramifications of choices while playing with time paradoxes.

The story is a stunning visual of the ramifications of human character and the decisions we humans make and why. Rigg is a young man with an amazing ability to sense other living thing's paths: where they walked, stood, ate, died. Following his father's death, Rigg sets out to fulfill his father's last requests. Along the way, he makes friends and discovers that his world isn't what it first appears. Rigg and his friends must play the rules of a game set by imperfect people in roles of power.

I came away from the story remembering that there is a difference between right and wrong, intelligent life can justify many things by saying "for the good of the country (the people)," and the power of human ingenuity and integrity. Humility and integrity temper people in power. It people in power only have ambition, many horrible things can befall the people whom they are meant to protect.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Apparently I had two posts written about this book.


Post One:

Epic.

Written by James Dashner, I felt epic whenever I sat down to read. So many questions. You are asking questions right along with the main character, Thomas, who has lost his memory and wakes up in an elevator called The Box. At first, I was yelling (in my head) at the characters, "Just answer the stupid questions! No wonder he doesn't trust you!"

Thomas is trying to figure out where he is and why he is there. And no one gives him straight answers. They have their own jargon, and the reader is enthralled trying to understand what the characters are saying while trying to understand what is going on.

It's kids, teenagers, managing themselves and trying to find their way out of a giant maze.

The novel studies how kids act in stressful situations, how they live and survive, what order they cling to for survival, and when it's time to break the rules and do something different.

Halfway through, you know the novel is opening a dystopian world to your view. Dashner carefully builds his world. I felt a range of emotions: frustration that answers were so slow in coming even though you learn with every word, fear as you gasp at tense moments, triumph as the characters learn, mistrust, and frustration at the lack of trust between characters.


This is what I wrote after a few days of digesting the story.

Post Two:


It's a gripping tale. I left the book wanting the next one right away. I want to own the series even though I haven't read all the books. It's an epic tale. I was grateful to receive a few answers by the end of the book.  I wanted more answers sooner, but the given answers were good. The answers were a little rushed and left me wanting to know what happens next.

The characters are well developed. I look forward to seeing the adventures and trials of the characters. I am very invested emotionally because of Dashner's character development.

I felt frustrated with many of the characters at first. They wouldn't explain things to the main character and thus to me, the reader. They'd just tell Thomas, the main character, to wait. I was very frustrated along with Thomas.

For me, this book was about finding joy admist trials. It's aggravating. It was also about trusting yourself. Thomas finds himself in a new world, though he can't really remember where he's from and has to make a place for himself. The other boys, they call themselves Gladers, notice that he is different because so many strange things happen right after his arrival.

Thomas is driven to run the maze.  He feels it deep within his bones, so he pushes for it, but has to wait. He has to work to earn his place.

He learns  about himself- his character- as he makes sacrifices and pushes the other Gladers to step out of their comfort zones.

Matched Trilogy by Ally Condie

I was going to blog about each book separately, but once I started to reread Matched, I couldn't put it down. Now, I've finished the whole trilogy in about four days without a thought about blogging. No, I didn't accomplish much else over the last few days. It's a magnificent story.

It's a page turner (obviously, since I was so enthralled in the story). Ally Condie's prose is poetic and musical. It's a very psychological narrative. Matched is written from Cassia's point of view. Crossed is written from Ky's and Cassia's points of view. Reached is told from Xander's, Ky's, and Cassia's points of view. I found it very engaging as I followed each of their very personal changes. Condie leads readers to understand the characters and their choices.

The story is about the right to choose, the people we love and effect, and what we need to really live. In one of my favorite quotes in Matched, Cassia comments that the Society gives just enough to satiate people, but that it's not really living.

Cassia, Xander, and Ky live in the Society. Their data is collected and then analyzed. Choices are limited; optimal results are best.

One example of their limited choices is that citizens of the Society can choose whether to stay Single or be Matched.  Matched opens with Cassia's Matching Banquet. She is matched with Xander. Later, when she sits down to view the microcard of his information, another face is presented. Ky. And so begins Cassia's journey as she opens up and begins to look around her, to see more, and to wonder.

The story takes the reader to the Outer provinces of the Society, through the Carving, into the Rising against the Society, out of the Society, and into the heart of the Society. I liked that Condie took readers all over the world she'd created. I really liked how the reader sees the good and the bad of the Society, the Rising, and the characters. Condie did a fabulous job showing how people and society are complicated and intertwined.

When I finished reading Reached, I was satisfied. Condie didn't leave loose ends, and she led the reader to understand the decisions the characters make. The characters are believable and consistent yet not stagnant.

In Reached, I loved finally being inside Xander's head, but I was a little disappointed. I first envisioned him to be more cunning because of how much he loves using his skill in games and how well he uses and lives inside the Society (references to Matched and Crossed), but in Reached, Condie focuses on his more compassion, dependability.  I felt a little let down; however, as I ponder it more, I am grateful. It shows Xander's depth of character and keeps more with his character than I originally thought. I learned that we aren't just what we choose to share with the world, we, as individuals, are more, and we want to be seen for what we really are, for our depth.

On a fun note, the second letter of each book title is written abnormally (though very computer-like). The letters spell: ARE. I find this significant because of the themes of seeing people for their depth and feeling alive.

The final scene involves a city hall, like the place where Cassia's Matching banquet occurred (though in a different province). It is fitting. The story ends where it began, but shows how things have changed. The people are voting. Condie doesn't tell us the result of the vote, and that keeps with the themes of the books. It's about choice. The opportunity to choose no matter what you do with it. The right to choose.

To finish, I love the cover art. It's very symbolic and beautifully simple.