Lets just start this off with... I hate "journal" type books. I can't stand them. Maybe it's just cause I am so used to the action packed straight-to-the-point sort of books, or what ever other reasons there may be, but I can't stand these types of books.
For our AP Literature class, we are reading Frankenstein. When we were told it was an epistolary, I gave a reluctant sigh and claimed that I was gonna dislike this book. I already do. Our teacher tried to convince me that I would like this book (mostly by telling me I was wrong), but I knew I was gonna hate it anyways.
Those of you who have been on my blog since Day 1 may have seen my post about Jules Verne's novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This book is written in the same way that Frankenstein supposedly is, and I suffered through trying to read it. Here's a quick recap of that review though. I somewhat liked the book, although it was dry the entire time except for a few good moments that the action picked up. Besides that, it felt like a scientific review of the various plants and animals that existed in the ocean written in a log of observation. It makes sense, seeing how Arronax is literally an aquatic scientist on a mysterious new submarine; who wouldn't record everything they see in that situation? Still, I disliked the book.
Moving on, I read the first... Fifty or so pages of Frankenstein today. It managed to somewhat hold my interest throughout thus far, but I will not lie, I glazed over a few parts. It's so hard to keep focused when all the book is describing is some second-hand story recorded in a letter to this guy's sister about how a Russian woman and some other guy fell in love but it didn't work out. Snore.
Once the book got out of the "letters" portion (which was the first four "chapters" of the book) it got somewhat interesting. Only somewhat. Thus far, we are only seeing Frankenstein reminisce about his childhood, but Shelley is also revealing how the good Doctor became interested in the science of creating life. An older friend told me this weekend that the book does get better, it's just slow in the beginning. So here's to hoping that they're right. Otherwise I feel like I am just gonna slowly drag on through this book and suffer the entire time.
So far, I really want to know the relevance of the first few letters in the book. Who was the man that was travelling around? Striving to explore the great unknowns of the northern pole? Is this just a random sub-plot? Or will it tie in eventually? At this point in the book, I don't know yet. Guess we'll find out, right?
Hobey ho,
-- Nate
(Word Count: 485 words)
No comments:
Post a Comment