Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

The idea that a fireman was burning the books was a very interesting concept. Fireman are seen as volunteers in the real world but in this world they only destroy. We loves the concept of a book dying with a person that one person could remember an entire book and if they died a book died with them. Is the world  better without books if media ( the walls ) take over your whole being with the example of Mildred referring to the walls as her family. The idea that the crazy people are those who read books when actually the book readers are more aware of reality than the media obsessed race. We found this book very gripping every moment  has a different plot twist. The idea of modern society was quite absurd the mechanical hound the staged death of Montag the idea that those who believe in reality and that tragedy is out there and war is coming are the outcasts the brief war because of the advanced nuclear war. An altogether inspiring book we really loved this novel.

Our March Read~ The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

This month we read 'The Fault in Our Stars' by the YouTube celebrity John Green. The overwhelming consensus was that the book was an instant classic. While it is undeniably a book for teenagers, what comes across in it is the harsh reality faced by cancer sufferers. We found this honesty admirable, and was certainly rereshing from the usual sugar-coated romance fed to teenagers. It is clear that Green has experience with cancer sufferers and is unafraid to instill the emotions that he felt into the reader. Green's skillful method of dealing with such sensitive matters in a humorous manner is remarkable and certainly endeared us to the book.
What was, however, a blot on the horizon, was the hype, which a few of us found to dimish our enjoyment of the book. Green of course has an almost cult following in the 'Nerfighters', who follow both his and his brother Hank's adventures through their YouTube channel 'vlogbrothers'. Perhaps it was that before it had even been released it was destined for Bestseller lists worldwide that heightened our expectations, but unfortunately it didn't quite live up to them.
There is no doubt that it is a good book, and having topped the New York Times Bestseller List we are glad that it is recieving the critical acclaim that it no doubt deserves. Yet at it's core it is a simple story: boy meets girl, falls in love, yet they both have cancer. What is special about this book though is the small, intricate details that Green deals with, the conversations and emotions. Green clearly establishes that he needs no great adventure to tell a great story, he sees the extraordinary in the ordinary, and as such, so do we as the reader.

Arthur Quinn And The World Serpent by Aidan Early

In preparation for World Book Day tomorrow, we had a visit today from Irish author, Alan Early, whose novel Arthur Quinn and the World Serpent' was published last year by Mercier Press.  Students were thrilled an delighted by Early's tales of Viking myths and legends.  He was kind enough to read from sections of his book and answered many questions from eager students about his inspiration and writing technique.  It was a lively discussion and many students were already planning to get their copy of the novel in time for their next book assignment as the made their way back to class. And here is a synopsis of what is in store for them:  

'Something wicked has awoken under the streets of Dublin ...

When his dad is offered a job working on the new Metro tunnel, Arthur has to move to Dublin with him. While exploring the dangerous tunnel and a hidden underground river, Arthur and his new friends Will and Ash find a mysterious glowing pendant. The pendant depicts a giant snake strangling the trunk of a tree. The friends soon figure out that the pendant is a warning, a sign that something evil is waiting underneath the city. Something that's been imprisoned for a thousand years, something left by the Vikings, something that can - and will - destroy first the city, then the world.

What did the Vikings bury under the city of Dublin and why did they leave it there? Who is the dark man that spies on Arthur and what is his evil plan? In the end, only Arthur and his friends can save the world from the dreaded World Serpent.....'

The Hunger Games - Our View

Junior Book Club:

This month the book club's choice was 'The Hunger Games'. The overall opinion of the book is a 10 out of 10! Apart from one pupil disliking the book, the rest of the club loved. 'A page-turner' said one pupil.
Though slow to start, it really heats up especially when the Games begin.  :)
We like the complex relationships of the characters with each other and how they evolve within the Games when Katniss has to decide who her enemies/frenemies are.
It had a sort-of three-part ending, which we liked.
The author was inspired by her real life father, which is why the father is so important to Katniss.
Our favourit character was Rue who appears later in the book and Peeta who knows Katniss all along.

Our book club choice for February is... Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

The Hunger Games

A fantastic book all round. Suzanne Collins completely immerses herself in a new world, leaving no prisoners. This creates a whole new reality that the reader simply must believe, a remarkable feat in an age of authors who either only write about what they know or make a shoddy attempt at crafting an alternate reality. In this regard it reminded of us 'Epic'.

Collins manufactures a fast-paced, tense atmostphere in the future that we all fear. With Katniss's enemy constantly changing and everyone with an alternate agenda, the reader is left standing on uncertain ground and wanting more. Yet she does so without at all preaching to the reader that 'the end is nigh'. Collins draws on inspiration from 1984 and the Harry Potter series to create an oppressive government that control the even smallest aspects of the lives of their citizens. What fear could be better to draw on in the time of SOPA and new levels of government power?