Prodigy (No, I'm Not Talking About Myself)

The first book of the Legend series is behind me. I am now a fourth of the way through the second book of the trilogy, Prodigy. I must say that when I compare the writing style of Marie Lu with other dystopia writers like Veronica Roth and Suzanne Collins, I find her ability to create complex characters a bit lacking. Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying the books! The plot is engaging and the moving through such an imaginative setting is intriguing. Still, while I am reading, I am acutely aware of the fact that this is fiction and I am reading a book. When I read both the Hunger Games series and the Divergent series, I became so invested in the characters that I forgot they were the manifestation of an author's imagination. Instead, they became real to me. I would ponder on their dilemmas. I would dream about their plight. I have not encountered this same connection with Day or June. It is the writer from which these characters were birthed that makes the difference.

Still, all of these books have changed me. Really, it has been reading on such a daily basis that has metamorphosed me the most. It has changed how I spend my free time. I watch less television (not that I've had much time for TV, but I haven't missed it either). I play a lot less Candy Crush while waiting at the pharmacy.

It has changed how I interact with people. I find myself craning my head to look at book covers in the hands of strangers. I stop students in the halls at school to ask what they are reading. I catch myself telling people, "Ooh, you're going to love that book!" I have a growing list of book recommendations from fellow avid readers, both young and old.

It has changed how I mother my children. I have been coaxing my six-year-old to read more and more books. He has fallen in love with If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and The Giving Tree and Teach My Dog 100 Words. He has even impressed his grandparents with his oral reading of Where the Wild Things Are. I have been encouraging my fourth-grade daughter to "steal" time to read. She has already read 15 chapter books this school year and has exceeded her Accelerated Reader goal.

Most than anything, however, my love for reading has been renewed. For that, I will be forever thankful.

Legend by Marie Lu

Legend has been my first experience reading a text by an Asian author and I am enjoying Lu's writing style immensely! She has presented her readers with two main characters: Day and June. Both characters are on opposite sides of an issue. I have not yet been able to determine what the circumstances were that lead to their varrious positions and viewpoints. All I have found is that the United States is now divided between the Western coast, now known as the Republic, and its Eastern neighbors known as the Colonies. June has been born into a financial advantage, while Day was born into the slums. It is the perfect story about the timeless contrast between the haves and the have-nots.

Already, I can see that there are a great deal of secrets left to be unfolded in this book and its following sequels. I am looking forward to uncovering what is unknown and getting to know my main characters better.

This week I have been able to increase my reading. I have read thirty minutes every night and I have been able to sneak in a couple lunch hours as well! There is something thrilling about getting caught up in a new plot! 

Feeling Accomplished

I survived Thanksgiving!

I survived my niece's wedding! (...her cake was beautiful, by the way.)

And, I finished Allegiant!!!

I completed the novel in one uninterrupted 90 minute session. After the rest of my family was tucked in bed and sawing logs, I curled up in the reclyner and set out to finish the series. Once I set my mind to it, it was not a difficult task. The pages turned easily, one after the other, as I made my way to the conclusion. When I finally reached the climax, I was completely shocked! I did not see it coming. I confess that tears began to fall and then my breath caught in my throat. I had to close the book for a moment and regain composure before finishing the book. At first, I was mad at the author for taking me on this painful journey! Then, I found myself amazed by her talent and bravery in writing. Divergent was a series worth reading! In fact, I have already loaned out the first book and I am wondering how long it will take the new reader to come asking for the second book.

In the midst of the family craziness, I have managed to invest another 30 minutes in my newest yarn: Legend. I am hoping that I will fall in love with these characters as well.

I Pledge to Finish Allegiant!

I feel like I am dragging this book out! I am honestly not meaning to. I am reading my required minutes per week but, for some reason, I am moving through this text slowly. I read for 15 minutes on Tuesday, 45 minutes on Wednesday, and 10 minutes on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and today. Did I mention my niece is getting married on Black Friday. Yeah, they just thought they'd make the holidays even more hectic! ...by the way, I am baking and decorating the wedding cake. (Maybe I'll hold an icing tip in one hand and my book in the other).

I am taking so long reading this book that my daughter said, "You're still on that book?" Obviously, she is used to me being a much faster page turner. My student who has graciously loaned me the next series I plan to read is biting at the bit for me to finish so that we can discuss her books. I am getting there! I promise!

On the bright side, my main characters - Tris and Tobias - are working together as a team again and I am not nearly as frustrated with them. I finally feel like they are both on the same page and working toward a common goal. They have worked on forgiving one another and loving each other for who they truly are. Some real life couples never get to this stage!  Earlier in the week (eight chapters ago -- see, I am making progress), I was blown away by an insightful and beautifully written passage. I wanted to share the words with you:

"I used to think that when people fell in love, they just landed where they landed, and they had no choice in the matter afterward. And maybe that's true of beginnings, but its not true of this, now. I fell in love with him. But I don't just stay with him by default as if there's no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me."

Now, how amazing is that? The Divergent series has been scattered with an underlying romance, but it hasn't been the main focus of the text. For this reason, I was emotionally stunned when I read through these paragraphs. The lesson contained therein is one that so few people learn. Giving up comes easy. Seeing another's flaws becomes the only view. It was refreshing to see wisdom displayed through a novel -- fact in the midst of fiction. Our author, Veronica Roth, has learned what it means to love through dedication and has shared her secrets with us in the mind of Tris Prior. Powerful!

Allegiant - One Choice Will Define You

Tris and Tobias are no longer within the walls of the city. Instead, they are now at the "Bureau" with new revelations and new enemies. At the moment, it is difficult to decipher who the true enemy and even what the truth is. As a reader, I am a little frustrated with Tris and Tobias' inability to trust one another and work together.  Throughout these three books, there has been the same battle between the two of them. I am ready for them to mature a bit and work together as a team toward a common goal! Grow up already!

Perhaps Veronica Roth intended for me to become irritated with the ups and downs of their relationship. It is keeping me reading toward the end of the book and the end of the series. Honestly, I am ready for the culmination!

This last book has caused me to think more about how the books were written than the plot itself. I wonder if Ms. Roth knew how the books would end when she started writing them or if she made her way through the story along with the characters. There are times when I think there might be a novel or two within me, but I am not sure where to start. There is a book called Four that goes into the detail about Ms. Roth's favorite character and goes into more depth about how she wrote the storyline. I am considering reading this final book for no reason other than satisfying my curiosities regarding her creative process.

I am two-thirds of the way through the book (yes, I am moving slowly). As I mentioned before, the dual perspective has slowed me down. I also just having been reading as much. I've moved down to about 15 minutes a night. I am still meeting my time-spent-reading goals but I am finding it more difficult to stay interested in the book with less time spent reading. I quit taking my book with me and instead started toting around textbooks when I was going through finals last week! I am going to get back in the habit of bringing my book with me every where I go. There are always opportunities to sneak in a few extra minutes of reading.  

No Time to Decipher Who is Narating Allegiant

In the past week, I have finished the second book of the Divergent series and I have started the third. The second book was suspenseful and kept me turning pages. The third book, however, is throwing me a curve ball. Throughout the first and second novels, the reader was allowed only into the mind of Tris Prior. We saw the entire story through her eyes. In this third book, the author is also allowing us to see through the eyes of Tobias (a/k/a Four) – switching back and forth between the two characters. At first, I had a difficult time remembering who was narrating! I would find myself thinking it was Tris only to have a detail from the story remind me that I was in the mind of Tobias. I have had to slow down my reading in order to keep the perspective right in my mind. Therefore, I am moving through this third novel at a slower pace.

Additionally, I have finals in three of my classes this week (and midterms in the remaining two). My substituting job has turned into a full-time paraprofessional position and we are laying new flooring in our kitchen. Couple these stressors with the fact that my 1^st grade son has been getting into trouble every day at school and we have a recipe for one overwhelmed chick who has limited time for reading! Still, I have managed to read 30 minutes every day (except for yesterday when I was only able to sneak in 15 minutes). This has given me a total reading time of 2 hours and 15 minutes in the past five days.  

Thankfully, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  In three or four more days, three of my classes will be completed and I will only have two left to bide for my time. Then I should be able to dive into my reading again with full force.  I am looking forward to it!

From Divergent to Insurgent and beyond...

I am so excited about the Divergent series! Now that I am in the second book, Insurgent, I am even more engrossed in the story line because all of the twists and turns are new and unknown to me. I am on Chapter 33 of the second book and I steal glances at the book cover whenever I am unable to read (like right now). At the top of the cover is the phrase: "One choice can destroy you." Every time I read it, I wonder - Have I already read about this destructive choice? If so, which choice was it? I feel like the main character, Tris, has made so many bad decisions in this second book. With each fault in judgment, I mentally call out to her: "No! Don't do it!" My pleas make little difference as author Veronica Roth takes us both down the cascade of falling dominoes, with each poor decision resulting in another terrible dilemma.

Even now, I am resisting the urge to read. Please understand why. Tris is currently being held captive by the Erudite. Her own remorse and responsibility led her to this prison and I am wondering how she will emerge from this dire situation! I feel as if turning the pages of this text will expidite her freedom and that I am somehow responsible for the length of her captivity because I am not able to devote every waking moment to reading. I am sorry, Tris.

Reality calls me away from the book through piles of laundry, classrooms of disadvantaged students, moments with my family, and stacks upon stacks of college assignments. Still, I have stollen time to read this intriguing novel. While my husband's sausage fries in the morning, I sneak in ten minutes. While the hot water builds for my shower, I sneak in few more pages. Although I have had to devote my lunch period now toward the preparation of finals in three of my classes, I have pulled myself away from my studies every evening for at least thirty minutes of reading before I collapse on my pillow. I am tired, but not too tired to read! I have been able to read for 45 minutes everyday despite my bulging schedule.

I have even taken the advice of The Book Whisper's author, Donalyn Miller, and have become a reader who plans ahead. One of my middle school students has loaned me the Legend series by Marie Lu to read next. First, however, I must rescue Tris!