This is the list of my July activities:
Read books:
read: 6 / listen: 1 / pages: 3270 /hours listened: 14h53m
1. Ransom Riggs "Hollow City" p. 428 - Review
2. Jo Nesbø "Nemesis", 14h53m
3. Ransom Riggs "Library of souls" p.458 - Review
4. Marissa Meyer "Cinder" p.448 - Review
5. Marissa Meyer "Scarlet" p. 512 - Review
6. Marissa Meyer "Cress" p.592 - Review
7. Marissa Meyer "Winter" p. 832 - Review
Movie watched:
1. The Legend of Tarzan (2016)
2. Drop Dead Diva 4-5 seasons (2012-2013)
Sport events watched:
Staropramen Cool Český pohár/Uherské Hradiště (Staropramen Cool Český pohár mužů) 9-10 July 2016
Monday, September 12, 2016
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
About himself:
" I grew up in Florida, went to Kenyon College in Ohio, then film school at USC in LA, where I still live. I write books and screenplays, blog daily for mentalfloss.com, and make short films."
taken from Goodreads
I have already written about the first book in the series which I read in June. In addition I must say that the impression was so strong and good that I’ve bought right away the other 2 books in this sequel Hollow City and Library of souls.
I extremely like the format of the books. First of all the cover is black and white, which gives them kind of retro look. Secondly, the pictures integrated in a story are a good and fresh move. In the first book Jacob discovers a lot of old photographs and I am as a reader able to see them too. In the 2nd and 3rd book the pictures are already part of the narration of what Jacob sees on his journey, they are not presented in a physical form in the story, but aim as additional description of people and places Jacob meets and visits during his quest. I would say that photos lost their appeal and are starting to be quite “unpeculiar” in 2nd and 3rd books.
I like how Ransom Riggs tells the story. He goes in many details describing new characters and places throughout the story. The plot of the series is also very wisely constructed, it seems like it is getting speed from book to book: quite slow and descriptive narration in the first book with just a few major actions; quite eventful 2nd book, where quiet pieces are 50/50 with the battled ones and the change of scenery is also quite quick. In the 3rd book the narration gains its full speed and one battle-like episode follows by another. It just does not allow you to rest until the story is finished and it comes to a calm and down-to-earth ending with a little magic at the end.
Original title: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Pages: 352
Series: Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #1
Year: 2012
Goodreads
The story starts in our time and describes the ordinary 16 year old boy Jacob Portman, who was raised on his grandpa's mystical stories and but not believe in magic anymore. Grandpa seems to be disappointed, but does not try to change his grandson's mind. And then grandpa suddenly dies, presumably killed by the pack of dogs, but Jacob is not so sure, as he saw a monster from his grandpa's stories at a crime scene.
After quite intensive psychological therapy, Jacob persuades his farther to go to the small British island where his grandpa was hiding during World War II, to the school of Alma Peregrine. There he gets through the time loop to 1940 to real school full of strange and peculiar children. Miss Peregrine explains that Jacob’s grandpa and him are peculiar people and have a distinct gift which he needs to develop.
In the meantime the strange killings occur in the village and children realize that their loop has been breached and the wight known as Dr. Golan is on their track. As Jacob is falling in love with a girl Emma and decides to stay in a loop with her to fight on their side. Dr. Golan manages to bring ymbryne Peregrine to the see where U-boat is waiting for him, but Jacob kills him first and together with Emma they save the cage where Miss Peregrine is kept in the form of bird.
Original title: Hollow City
Pages: 428
Series: Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #2
Year: 2014
Goodreads
After fleeing in a boat from the hollows the children are trying to hide in the mainland from wights who are on their tack. They accidentally discover the loop full of peculiar animals. There they get to know that the ymbryne of this loop is in London and that they need to find her as Miss Peregrine cannot be kept for long time in the form of a bird, because she will lose her ability to turn into person and her human personality.
Children are heading to London and meeting a lot of difficulties on their way: country destroyed by war, wights attacks and loneliness. In London they try to find peculiar pigeons, as only they can bring them to Miss Wren, the ymbryne. They finally reach a time loop under the pigeon's guidance that leads them to Miss Wren, who is hiding in a building coated in thick ice to prevent wights from entering. She promises to help Miss Peregrine to gain her human form again. Finally Miss Peregrine is able to change form, but it is not her but her brother Caul, a wight. He imprisons Miss Wren and all peculiar children and is going to transport them to wights’ fortress. The books ends with Jacob finding himself in present London together with Emma and talking dog Addison and discovering he has the ability to speak to and control hollowgasts.
Original title: The Library of Souls
Pages: 458
Series: Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #3
Year: 2015
Goodreads
From the beginning of this book Jacob and Emma are separated from the rest of the team and they need to continue their quest alone. They both after reunion with the Addison, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children cross from modern-day London to wretched Devils’ Arche. A boatman named Sharon serves as sort of a tour guide through the terrors of Devil's Acre. After unsuccessful attempt to get to hollowgast’s fortress Jacob is seriously injured and is brought to the house of Miss Peregrine’s second brother to recover.
From this house they rebuilt the loop to fortress and attack. Thought Caul’s army is destroyed by Jacob’s hollowgasts, he manages to take Miss Peregrine as a hostage and forces Jacob to follow him to the ancient Library of Souls where souls of old peculiar people are kept.
I would definitely say that this final book is much better than the 2nd. Unfortunately the author does not concentrate on old characters – they are imprisoned, but introduce even more and more new ones. All narration is concentrated on Jacob, as he gaining more power it seems he gains more attention. None of the peculiar children can compete, so this is almost one hero book, even the valiant Caul is kind of flat. But altogether it was a fine conclusion and nice ending, which is not really too soppy and logical.
Rating of the series
4/5 
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
The Lunar Chronicles
Though it is a YA series it is not overloaded with love stories. We get the first introduction and get the idea who will date whom, but there is no lingering description of kisses, hugs and feelings altogether. Actually, there are even more friendship relationships in the books than love. Throughout the series the friends are split so many times that they need to learn how to work in different teams, overcome their fears and gain trust.
The story is quite original: re-telling of old fairy tales in new unexpected way.
Author: Marissa Meyer
Pages: 448
Edition Language:
Series: Lunar Chronicles 1
Cinder is a young cyborg-mechanic in New Beijing. She has no civil rights as a second class citizen and is totally under control of her heartless stepmother. Her story is based on the Cinderella story and of course she meets a charming prince Kai, who takes vivid interest in her without knowing she is a cyborg. After her submission by her adopt mother to cure testing, Cinder discovers that she is also of Luna origin and has a special device to control her Luna charms.
During the royal ball Cinder is trying to save the prince from marriage with the queen of Luna Levana. At this point she reveals that, first of all she is cyborg, second of all that she is Luna, and finally she reveals to Levana that she is the lost Princess Selene of Luna whom she tried to kill 11 years ago.
Original title: Scarlet
Pages: 512
Edition Language:
Series: Lunar Chronicles 2
Scarlet is another rewritten fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood". I would say this is my favorite love line in the series. I saw quite many reviews on this book and most of the people find it boring. I just LOVE it)) A young farmer girl is looking after her grandma's farm and tries to solve her grandma disappearance. In a local pub where she delivers vegetables she meets handsome, but rather strange young man by the nickname "Wolf".
From this point it is quite clear that those two are destined to be together. Maybe this is the boring part, but I like how they learn to like each other, how she trust him and how he fights the animal instincts and learn to live normal human life. Wolf promises Scarlet to find her grandma and they start their journey to Paris. Of course, nothing is so simple and he turns out to be an obedient dog of Luna people and leads Scarlet directly to the trap.
In parallel the story of Cinder is continued. She escapes the prison together with a new character Thorne, a thief and spaceship hijacker. Cinder still does not believe that she is a princess and is searching for evidence and answers. She remembers part of the report where was discovered that her past is somehow connected to a French pilot Michelle Benoit who is naturally turning to be Scarlet's grandma. Cinder saves Scarlet in Paris and the four of escapes the Earth on the space ship Rampion.
Original title: Cress
Edition Language:
Series: Lunar Chronicles 3
The 3rd book has new character Crescent (Cress) Moon Darnel, a talented hacker imprisoned in a satellite in space. She spends last 7 years on a ship spying on Earth leaders and covering military movements of the Luna army to earth. She is in love with Earth and one particular Earthman - Thorne. She waits as Rapunzel for a brave Thorne to save her.
When Cinder contacts her, Cress asks for help to escape satellite. But the rescue expedition goes totally wrong. Thaumaturge Sybil Mira sends the satellite to crash on Earth together with Cress and Thorne on board. Scarlet is imprisoned by Sybil Mira, Wolf is wondered and Cinder gets new passenger Jacin Clay.
After the miraculous landing of satellite in Sahara, Thorn is not able to see anything and Cress is actually seeing the Earth from Earth for the first time. It is quite sweet and touching to follow how those two are trying to deal with problems and cooperate together. They need to reach any city to let Cinder know they alive.
In the meanwhile Cinder brings Wolf to North Africa to Dr. Erland to heal. Kai asks queen Levana to marry him in exchange for an antidote for the plague and the safety of his people against "animal" attacks.
By coincidence all crew members except Scarlet, who is imprisoned on the Moon, meet in Africa and plot to stop Kai's wedding. They need to get into the palace and kidnap the prince before the wedding. All that goes well expect they lose Jacin Clay, who betrays them to Sybil Mira.
Original title: Winter
Edition Language: English
Series: Lunar Chronicles 4
"Winter" is the last book of the series is based on "Snow White" fairy tale. This book describes the relations between mentally ill queen Levana's stepdaughter Winter and royal guard Jacin Clay. Winter also saves Scarlet from the royal court and keeps her as her pet in a zoo.
The rest of the events are following: Kai is returned to the palace, and again agrees to marry Levana but the ceremony should be on the Moon. Cinder and the crew get on Kai's spaceship to reach the Moon and start a revolution. After Clay helps Scarlet and Winter escape, they try to recruit mutated wolf-like human soldiers in bunkers. Knowing that queen Levana poisons Winter's favorite apple candy with plague and give it to her in a forest. Winter is dying and infect everyone around her.
Cinder, who was captured and presented on a wedding day as present to Kai fight queen Levana's charms and jump in a lake to save her live. Saved by Clay and Thorn they learn that Winter is in mortal danger. Covered by Cress hacking they steal a lot of antidote and rush to save their friends. In the day of Levana's coronation an enormous battle takes place leading to Levana's death and Cinder recognition as queen of Luna.
1. The plot is strong and consistent. There are minor mistakes, but the whole impression is quite positive and it does not leave you with the questions like: "What was that? Why this passage here at all? What's the purpose of this description?"
2. Characters are absolutely terrific. Well written, everyone has its individuality. And I mean not only main characters: Sybil Mira, Aimer, Alpha Strong and others. Very convincing and realistic!
3. The story is not overloaded with love lines. "Make love, not war" does not apply here and I liked it. We can see first time affection, but real feeling comes during the endurance of time, distance and rough going.
4. Many other topics are raised in the books as well: racism, prejudice, home violence, poverty, political “behind the curtain” games. And these topics are nicely introduced to the story through the characters and their lives, thus that we see the imperfection even in a perfect world.
5. The setting and idea of the stories is also very fascinating: post WW4 Earth, Luna and its people, inter planet flights, biological weapon, biological mutation, cyborgs, androids with humor and satellite imprisoning.
Rating of the series
5/5
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