Roald Dahl

Posted on by Read between the lines

One of my favourite authors, hands down, has to be Roald Dahl. He has written 48 books in his lifetime, which have been read countless times and have earned him the title of one of the world’s best storytellers.

His characters have attracted so many readers over the years, and when I was younger I must have read so many of his children’s books.

But that doesn’t mean that his children’s books can’t be read by everyone. Everyone loves a good story where the evil people get what’s coming to them, especially if it’s the evil Miss Trunchbull from “Matilda” or the no good children from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. These stories carry universal themes that everyone can be interested in. Dahl wouldn’t have become so successful if he couldn’t entice all sorts of readers.

Despite the audience for his most famous work, it’s not just his children’s fiction that has brought him a large audience. He has written his own two part biography, “Boy” and “Going Solo” and his other mature work also includes collections of short stories which I have definitely come to appreciate now that I’m older.

If you’re looking for books to read, I would definitely recommend these by Dahl:

  1. Matilda- This book emphasises that you do not have to just put up with your situation, you can draw the power from within yourself to take positive action. Plus, it tells the reader why reading is a great thing, which I think is an important message.
  2. Someone like You- This collection of short stories will keep you guessing every single time and will shock you with its conclusions. Engrossing and very witty, I urge anyone and everyone to read at least one story from it.
  3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory- This is probably one of Dahl’s most famous stories, but it’s still worth recommending. The almost whimsical character of Willy Wonka is always a joy to follow round the amazing factory, and this is such an enjoyable read, I still love it as much as the first time.

He is one of the world’s best storytellers, and his works engross millions of people of all ages. His rich life experience pours into his work and teaches the reader so many lessons.

Dahl had a gift for story telling, and I don’t think the world will be given such a talented and witty writer again any time soon.

Critique of the classic “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley

Posted on by Read between the lines

Classics are automatically thought of as widely loved and appreciated. They are usually the milestones that mark each time period as much as a fashion trend. Mary Shelley’s work on “Frankenstein” or also known as “The Modern Prometheus” marks the early parts of the 19th century when enlightenment was becoming a large part of society, and Shelley’s work echoes this theme throughout the story.

When I read this book, I was surprised with how much of a non-starter it was. It begins with a series of letters that Captain Walton, a seaman who is on route to the North Pole region, is sending to his sister in London. Even though there’s a lot of description and it’s very well written, I felt like hardly anything happened.

This is probably my biggest criticism of the novel. It seems there are so many gaps in the narrative where nothing exciting happens. When Victor Frankenstein makes the Creature, the first part of the chapter describes his creation, and reveals what Victor has been working towards for years, which I was very engrossed in. As soon as the reader gets an idea of what the Creature looks like, and how Victor feels, he runs away in disgust and the next time the Creature is seen is chapters later.

The parts where there’s actual action and exciting events are very good, the writing is emotive and keeps my interest, but it’s just how they’re all spaced out that I find a bit of a let-down.

I thought the ending was reasonably good, but slightly ambiguous. Victor has died, and his Creature finds him and heads off into the icy wilderness to do the same, but I felt there was no definitive end, no lesson that would take the final line, so I left the book as someone marginally unsatisfied.

Overall I thought this book was a tough, but interesting read. I understand why it’s a classic since it paved the way for so many other gothic novels, but as a modern day reader it didn’t shock and engross me as much as a 19th century audience member.

I would recommend the book for others to read. Parts of it are excellent, but I advise you to have a cup of tea or coffee with you as you read it because you’ll need to have the energy and will power to focus when the narrative slows right down.

Film adaptation of “The Great Gatsby”

Posted on by Read between the lines

If a book is good enough and has enough readers to make it worth it, it’s probably going to be brought to the big screen. The fans will all have separate desires for how they want their favourite book to be transformed to film or television, but will all hope that it’s translated well.

One of my favourite books that has been turned into a film is “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I’m going to focus on the more recent adaptation which came out in 2013 and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby.

I thought that the way colour was transferred from page to screen was done very well. At Gatsby’s parties which take place every night in an attempt to entice his lost love, Daisy Buchanan, every single room Nick Carraway sees is filled with vibrant colours and people. It really helped bring my idea of the scene into a more solid vision.

Jay Gatsby longs to be with Nick’s cousin, Daisy, and stares at the green light that comes from the dock of her house almost every night. This colour, the colour of Gatsby’s past that he wants to get back, is a large theme throughout the novel, and the film definitely makes it just as prominent for the audience.

A criticism that I have of the 2013 film is that whilst the film adheres to the fashion and technology of the time, the choice of soundtrack doesn’t. The novel is set in the roaring 20s when jazz music was very popular, but a lot of the soundtrack has modern day pop music and elements of rap at times which I don’t think fits well with the theme of the book.

I definitely think each actor did a very good job of portraying their characters. I pictured Tom Buchanan, Nick’s friend, as masculine, possessive of his wife, and proud of his old money, and that’s what appeared on screen which was a definite positive for me when I compared the novel to the film.

“The Great Gatsby” tells such a rich story and I believe that the film does it justice. I can be quite analytical of film adaptations of books I love, but this one comes up to scratch. Although in my opinion, the book is almost always better than the film version, so I would definitely recommend that anyone read “The Great Gatsby”.

Stephen King

Posted on by Read between the lines

Stephen King is one of the world’s best storytellers. The way that he weaves words into spectacular stories is unparalleled and has gained him so much respect in the world of literature. He is most famous for works such as “The Shining”, “Misery”, and “Salem’s Lot.”

In 1978 he won his first award from the American Library Association in the category of “Best Books for Young Adults” with his novel “Salem’s Lot” and since then has gone on to win over 70 awards for his literary work.

I believe that one of the reasons Stephen King is so popular in the horror/thriller genre is because he creates situations and people that are so real and engrossing that you couldn’t possibly tear yourself away from the page for more than a few seconds.

In “Misery” the character of Annie Wilkes, a deranged woman who keeps her favourite author captive after he almost dies in a car accident, is so frightening and compelling that I had so much trouble putting the book down.

I can get quite disinterested in books sometimes, but that is rarely ever the case with a book by Stephen King and that is a clear sign that he has mastered the very goal of writing. If I can’t stop reading, then the book is absolutely amazing in my opinion.

I would definitely recommend reading some of King’s novels, but I would definitely urge anyone to read these ones-

  1. Carrie- Besides the supernatural elements, this book really portrays teenagers in an extremely believable light and sucks the reader in after the first page.
  2. Cujo- There are so many different perspectives in this book that you see the whole sequence of gentle giant Cujo succumbing to the effects of rabies and actually get to see into the mind of this poor dog. I’ve never read a thriller that’s gone into so much depth.
  3. Doctor Sleep- The sequel to “The Shining” is easily just as good as the original novel, and focusses on Danny Torrance who has become like his father, Jack. It brings elements of the old story into the new one and makes for an amazing read.

King once said “Description begins in the writer’s imagination. But should finish in the reader’s” and having read a lot of his works, I think it’s fair to say that he has definitely achieved that goal.

Female writers

Posted on by Read between the lines

Female writers have had a great influence on modern day literature, despite some of the prejudice they have had to endure over the years.

First of all, women in the 19th Century were very unlikely to get the chance to have their works published. Even if they were highly educated, which so few were, they would have to move heaven and earth just so they wouldn’t be told where the door was.

“I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.”- Virginia Woolf.

I have to agree with this quote, because so many female writers such as the Bronte sisters actually didn’t put their own names on their work. They believed, when getting a collection of poems published together, “Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell” that the fact that the poems were by women would expose them to prejudice, which was a large issue in that time.

Other works that were penned by women but appeared under male pseudonyms include-

  1. Louisa May Alcott, most famous for “Little Women”, wrote under the pen name of A.M Barnard for her works of short fiction.
  2. Nelle Harper Lee, most famous for “To Kill a Mockingbird”, omitted her first name in order to seem more androgynous to readers.
  3. J.K Rowling, most famous for “Harry Potter”, wanted to distance herself from the reputation her first pen name held, so adopted the name Robert Galbraith when she wrote “The Cuckoo’s Calling.”

Despite the barriers for female writers, many did have a great impact on society. Jane Austen, who decided to write under her own name and penned “Pride and Prejudice” aided in the suffragette movement in the 19th century as her works promoted feminist values. Other modern authors such as Suzanne Collins, who penned “The Hunger Games” trilogy, created one of the most prominent female protagonists of the last 10 years.

History seems to have overlooked women until recently, but I think it’s fair to say that they have made just as much of an impact as men have in the years. Jane Austen, having written other works such as “Emma” and “Northanger Abbey” have been read by millions of people and has made her one of the most famous and well respected writers in English literature.

Living a fantasy

Posted on by Read between the lines

As I stood on the threshold between worlds I could feel possibility tingling in the tips of my fingers. What would I find? Adventure? Peril? No matter the outcome of this venture, I was dying to know. I had done this too many times to count but each and every time it was just as exciting. I took a deep breath, opened the book that lay in front of me, and suddenly the world around me disappeared.

Everyone seems to love the possibility that lives in a fantasy novel. The fact you can step into another world and experience adventure on the grandest scale but stay tucked up with a cup of tea in your home is one of the main things that entices a reader to pick up this particular genre.

One of my very favourite fantasy novels has to be “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” by C.S Lewis. So many people have read that book and who in the world can blame them? I read it for the first time when I was eight, and it was such a tremendous experience getting lost in the world of Narnia, fighting side by side with Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy that I’ve read their story over and over again.

If you’re looking for ideas for fantasy novels to read, I would definitely recommend-

  1. “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman- This book centres round folk tales, the old legends that live within our cultures, and take you to a new world that lives within plain sight.
  2. Any of the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling- Hardly unexpected, I know, but there’s definitely a reason for that. I cannot tell you how much I love this series and its believable and unbelievable characters.
  3. “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan- This book brings a contemporary twist on the myths that many people know about Greek Gods, whist also staying spot on to the actual myths. Adventure around every corner, and like American Gods, shows you a new world that lives right in front of you.

The truth is, we all like to get away from our normal everyday lives, no matter how happy we are, and if I had to choose which world I’d rather be in, I’d choose a land where magic reigns.