Book reviews from the Castilleja Middle School.
Women learning, Women reading
 By: Veronica Roth
★★★★★ Genre: Dystopia Length: 400 pages Summary: Divergent is set in a dystopian world that is divided into four factions; Erudite: the smart, Amity: the peaceful, Abnegation: the selfless, and Dauntless: the brave. The book follows sixteen-year-old Tris, as she transfers from Abnegation to Dauntless. Tris has to understand who she is, develop relationships, and face her every fear, all while trying to survive the grueling Dauntless Initiation. Review: Divergent has become one of my favorite books. The world Veronica Roth has created is absolutely brilliant. In addition, the characters and their backstories are highly developed and the relationships are extremely deep. It has the perfect balance of action and emotion. Roth leaves you questioning your own identity, and wanting more with this amazing dystopian novel. Warnings: Romance: ●●●●○ Violence: ●●●●● Language: ●○○○○ Substances: ●●○○○ More Books Like This: The Hunger Games Reviewed By Krisaana, 2024
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 By: George Orwell
★★★★★ Genre: Dystopian Length: 328 pages Summary: George Orwell's novel 1984 is about a dystopian future where no one knows exactly what year it is and they are all being watched, tested, and controlled by Big Brother, the omniscient figurehead who is ruling society. The story follows a man named Winston who is working for Big Brother’s government to destroy all documents that depict Big Brother in a bad light and replace the said document with the “correct” information. Winston becomes more and more aware of the flaws in his society and vows to destroy Big Brother. Review: I truly love the book 1984 because it tells the story of dangers that I think are becoming more and more real and more and more pressing. I enjoy the way that the story was written and the way the author truly made you feel a sense of urgency or calm through the chapter placement and plot points. Throughout the story, you are not quite sure what is going to happen next, making it very hard to put the book down. I do think that some parts of the book may have gotten a little too graphic or he may have taken up a few too many chapters describing one event, but in the end, the storyline fell right into place and gave the book a perfect ending. I Love this book so much and I appreciate George Orwell's stunning prediction of a possible future for our world. Warnings: Romance: ●●●●● Violence: ●●●●● Language: ●●◦◦◦ Substances: ●●●◦◦ More Books Like This: Fahrenheit 451 Animal Farm Reviewed by Hannah, 2023  The Name of This Book is Secret
By Pseudonymous Bosch Review by Daniella H. ★★★★★ “He’d only bent his head for a second, but it had been long enough for Cass to get a glimpse of the back of his neck—and to get the proof she was looking for.” … “What?” “The birthmark on his neck. It was shaped like a crescent moon.” One might say that Cass and Max-Ernst are absolute opposites. Some may say that they are the same. Cass is a survivalist. She is ready for any type of disaster thrown at her at any time. She is always prepared. In fact, as you read this, there is a 99.9999% chance that she has all of survival necessities at the ready in her backpack. Some of which include a flashlight one of the most important, a compass, which is always a good idea, and if she can remember, she will have her homework. When a box of old junk is delivered to her Grandpa Larry and Wayne’s junk shop, she finds a curious little box called the Symphony of Smells. The old box of junk was delivered by Gloria Fortune, a common donated to her grandfather's store. Gloria sells houses after the owner has died, and is often coming to donate the previous owners belongings. Gloria says that the owner was an old magician who died in a common home-kitchen fire. When Class starts to dig deeper into the story, she realizes that something isn’t right about Gloria’s story. After meeting Max-Ernst on the playground one day at school, they become collaborators to try and solve the strange mystery. One day they take the dangerous trip to the magicians house to look for some clues. After a very close call with almost getting caught during a house tour, Cass and Max-Ernest realize that the people who visiting the house really didn’t want the house, they wanted something else. They soon realize that they have endangered themselves, and that by visiting the magicians house, they have gotten themselves into quite an mission. Why did those strangers want the personal files of the magician so badly? What really happened to the magician and his home? Most importantly, and though it’s an awfully dark thought, are Cass and Max-Ernest safe? In this exhilarating story, we take a life risking adventure to help Cass and Max-Ernst try to save the magician, while bounding over obstavles that are put in their way. This is a terrific book for anybody over the age of 8! This is a terrific book for a bedtime read-aloud, and fun for the whole family!  By: Shannon Messenger
Book Review By: Olivia ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “I would rather be punished for making the right decision than live with the guilt of making the wrong one for the rest of my life.” Sophie Foster meets Fitz Vacker who tells her that she is a telepath, somebody who can read everyone’s thoughts. After learning to understand everything he told her, she has to go on adventures to save the human world from falling apart. In Keeper of the Lost Cities Sophie learns to be kind, have friends, and how to stay true to herself. Sophie Foster is a completely normal girl except for one thing. She is a twelve year old high school senior. When she meets Fitz Vacker and learns about his world, she questions everything she ever learned. When problems arise in the human world they have to go and fight for the balance that has been contained for years. This book shows perseverance, hope and friendship. I recommend this book for fantasy readers! |
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