The Kite Runner

Written by Khaled Hosseini

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Caitlin

        

The Kite Runner, written and published by Khaled Hosseini in 2003, tells the story of Amir from his time as a young boy living in Kabul, Afghanistan to when he is forced to leave his country and immigrate to the United States when Afghanistan is no longer safe. The second half of the novel centers on Amir returning to Afghanistan and helping his childhood friend’s son escape from the country.

The Kite Runner does not pull any punches with its gritty, depressingly realistic portrayal of Kabul and the Taliban’s control over it. It showcases themes such as racism, the search for redemption, and the effects of childhood sexual assault with the seriousness and nuance that they deserve. This is a worthy read for anyone who believes they can handle it.

Night

Written by Elie Wiesel

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Nicholas

        

Night is a memoir written by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. He recalls the horrible time when his family was separated during World War II. He writes about the hardships and horrors of living in and out of concentration camps.

Night is one of my favorite books that I have recently read. It is a powerful and raw story revealing the true atrocities that were committed during the Holocaust. Elie lives on to tell his story and represents all of the lives lost in World War II.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Written by Harper Lee

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Nicholas

        

To Kill a Mockingbird is the story of a young girl’s coming-of-age story during the 1930s. The novel dives into the darker sides of America, including the consequences of racism. The plot shows how good and evil can coexist within one person, as well as society itself.

I liked reading To Kill a Mockingbird very much. It is one of the most famous and influential novels of its time. It can help give readers a real perspective of prejudice.

The Great Gatsby

Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald

A book for readers in grades 11 and up reviewed by Nicholas

        

 

The Great Gatsby takes place during the Roaring 20s.The story follows a man named Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, and his pursuit of his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby flashes around his wealth and throws extravagant parties at his mansion in hopes that Daisy will find her way back to him.

I personally loved reading The Great Gatsby. The book’s many uses of symbolism gave it an overall deeper meaning. It greatly defines and represents the Roaring 20s.

Tuesdays with Morrie

Written by Mitch Albom

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Patrick

        

Tuesdays with Morrie is a true story about a man reconnecting with his old professor, who is currently dying. The old professor and the student were very close in college, but sadly began to drift apart until the student saw the professor on television talking about his disease. The student began to reunite with his professor every Tuesday to be taught life lessons.

I personally enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie because it is very educational and easy to read. The lessons taught by the professor are very simple but meaningful. The book was also interesting because it showed the process of ALS and how it affects even healthy people.

The Other Wes Moore

Written by Wes Moore

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Patrick

    

 

The Other Wes Moore is a story about two boys who grew up in a similar neighborhood with similar situations and the same name, but had different outcomes in life. Both boys grew up in a single parent household, were consistently misbehaving, and got into trouble with the law. They were both in similar situations until one went to military school and wrote a book while the other robbed a jewelry store and went to prison.

While some parts of The Other Wes Moore were confusing due to both main characters having the same exact name, I enjoyed it. This book was fairly simple to read and was very interesting. The development for both characters was very interesting in that it showed what each character felt when they were doing both good and bad things, as well as how their actions affected them emotionally.

The Crucible

Written by Arthur Miller

A book for readers in grades 7 and up reviewed by Patrick

    

The Crucible by Arthur Miller is a story that takes place during the Salem Witch Trials. It is about a girl who falsely accuses a woman of being a witch for her own benefit. She uses the religious biases of the courts and others' fear of witches to her advantage in ruining a couple's lives.

I personally enjoyed this book because of how it can relate to people now. It shows that everyone can lie and manipulate others in order to get what they want. I also liked how it showed the community’s panic and fear, as well as how their fear caused them to make radical decisions.

The Lost Boy

Written by David Pelzer

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Marco

        

In The Lost Boy, the main character is a small boy named David Pelzer, who was emotionally, mentally, and physically abused by his mother. His mom mad him eat the scraps from what was left over from what his sibling had eaten, and his dad didn't do much as he should have. But, if he had done something, this would make the situation worse and David would get into more trouble. Another way his mom had abused him was when she had him go into the garage in the midst of winter and made him stay there until she said otherwise. That's when David decides he has had enough and leaves home.

I like The Lost Boy because it was written very well. The book didn't lose focus on its plot and was very entertaining. It kept me hooked because of how real it felt. I would recommend it to people who like books about true events and people who like sad stories.

Animal Farm

Written by George Orwell

A book for readers in grades 8 and up reviewed by Amin

    

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a seemingly simplistic tale of a group of farm animals who revolt against their owner, Farmer Jones. After the animals take control of the farm through inspiration by the teachings of an elder pig named Old Major (who dies before their revolt), they establish order amongst themselves under the self-proclaimed rule of two pigs, Napoleon and Snowball. When conflict between the two leaders breaks out (as their leadership priorities are different from one another), Napoleon's right-hand man, Squealer, banishes Snowball and leaves the animals to suffer under Napoleon’s pure dictatorial rule.

Animal Farm is such an amazing piece of literary history with powers of allegory on full display. It illustrates a representation of Communism in Russia. Old Major represents Karl Marx, Napolean represents Joseph Stalin, and Snowball represents Leon Trotsky. The rest of the pigs represent the bourgeois while the horses and other hardworking animal represent the laboring class.

The book is a full-circle story of irony in the sense that Napoleon begins dressing as Jones and essentially makes the farm what it initially was at the beginning of the story. This can be similarly said about Russia's stagnation, since they transformed into a Communist society with one, all-powerful dictator to “rule them all.” This was at the expense of all the human effort it took to “change” the system for the betterment of the people.

Anyone who has an interest in politics, history, Russia, political systems, or even the “classics” should read Animal Farm. It is a relatively short read for such an impactful and masterfully written story.

The Screwtape Letters

Written by C.S. Lewis

A book for adult readers reviewed by Amin

        

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is a satirical compilation of “letters” with the intention of tempting a “median” soul towards the side of Hell. The main character is Wormwood, a devil who went to a college in Hell. Before and during the events of World War II in Europe, he attempts to win over the soul of an undecided and wavering man who is simply called “The Patient.” Using his uncle Screwtape's advice in the form of letters (Screwtape is a very experienced devil who has caught many souls of his own for the Underworld to enjoy), Wormwood attempts but fails to successfully capture the soul of The Patient. He goes on to learn to repent, enhance his experience with love, and grow closer to his faith.

As a Buddhist, I thoroughly enjoyed this read (which is obviously intended for Christians) thanks to the great writing and storytelling offered by masterclass writer C.S. Lewis. If you are willing to lower boundary-creating differences (ideologically, religiously, philosophically, and what have you), you will be able to reap the most food for thought and knowledge from this book, as well as enjoy it as a cleverly written story. As a tribute to the late J.R.R. Tolkien (one of my favorite authors), it stands the test of time as a worthy homage to the relationship the two authors shared (especially spiritually).

The Catcher in the Rye

Written by J.D. Salinger

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Amin

    

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a classic to die for. Out of the majority of J.D. Salinger’s body of work, it’s the one novel that has garnered great recognition (which shouldn't be the case, since some of his other stories are classics).

The book is a coming-of-age drama about 16-year-old Holden Caulfield, who is expelled from his prep school. We follow him as he goes to New York City to avoid his parents (who would be furious with him). Holden rents a room at the Edmont Hotel and goes through one of the most seemingly insignificant yet highly notable ventures in literary history.

Content-wise, the events of The Catcher in the Rye aren't necessarily feats in wordplay or innovative themes. However, the way it was written and Holden’s counter-culture interactions with others really allowed the book to shoot ahead of others in terms of detailing teenage angst. The experiences of modern youth in American classics are usually not emphasized as much.

Intended for adults, The Catcher in the Rye spoke to so many teens that it became a classic, even being offered in some high school English courses on American literature. The book truly spoke to me in a way that other novels (albeit classics) could not do as well. Yes, it is overrated, and I don’t believe it is the greatest book of the 20^th century, but it is a staple of literary history that many modern Young Adult books have been modeled from. Its influence alone has made this book worthy of the title “classic,” but it is only helped by its symbolism.

Although simple, The Catcher in the Rye accomplishes what it’s meant to do very strongly. The book’s “Catcher in the Rye” is Holden, who wishes to protect younger kids (like his little sister) from falling into the depths of the corrupt and “phony” adult world. Alas, it is a vain hope that can’t be singlehandedly accomplished by Holden. In reality, such an issue was brought to light as a result of this book, which further marks its importance.

As the years go on, The Catcher in the Rye doesn’t cease being relevant. The angst of teenagers only grows as Holden’s image becomes more typical, which is a feat that many books cannot claim.

Inferno

Written by Dante Alighieri

An epic poem for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Amin

        

Dante Alighieri's Inferno is a tale about himself (created in the vein of proto-fanfiction) about his travels into the inner circles of Hell. Along the way, he is guided by his favorite poet, Virgil, who gives him knowledge while leading him into Hell’s depths to find Purgatory. From there, Dante has to make his way to Heaven, since his divine journey was called by the higher powers, who assist him in passing through most of the bumps in the road on his way through Hell.

Inferno’s text has often been named the pinnacle of Dante's artistry in wordplay and poetry, and it does not fail to live up to such standards. The way he creates such a mood through his similes, metaphors, allegories, and references to Italian political discourse of the time allows for a semi-realistic view of the fact that the poem’s demons were previously people. This darkens the image of Hell because it shows that anyone is eligible to enter. No matter how good one may seem on the outside, their deep inner turmoil can land them a spot that almost no one would expect.

Although many of the views in Inferno are heavily outdated and would not be acceptable in today's modern environment (which makes sense considering the book was created during the Renaissance and is highly political), it is an interesting relic. Even with such great artistry comes lows. Inferno is juvenile in places where it should be taken a little more seriously. The whole basis of Dante's journey is his being guided by his favorite poet, who constantly compliments Dante as being one of the greats (along with other such poets he meets along the way). He is taught to be unfeeling towards the punishments of the sinners (including those who have ended their own lives), which is not something one should particularly be glad is happening. The long discourses on Italian politics and putting political figureheads whom he may disagree with in the lowest levels of hell (as well as tax collectors) is slightly childish. Even so, Inferno was written in 1320, which explains many of its faults and does not stop it from being one of the structural bases of poetry as we know it today. If you are an aspiring writer or experienced reader, you should read the poem at least once in your life.

The Inheritors

Written by William Golding

A book for adult readers reviewed by Patrick

      

The Inheritors is a novel about a tribe of Neanderthals who travel through the forest for a summer. These Neanderthals lived and ate simply and peacefully. They didn’t kill animals, but gathered ones that were already dead. They lived happily until a group of humans began killing them.

I personally enjoyed this book because it was fairly simple to read. It also had deeper meaning and a lot of symbolism, which I greatly enjoyed. I also liked reading about how humans came into nature and ruined what was there because this showed the bad, selfish, and brutal traits that humans have.

The Life of Pi

Written by Yann Martel

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Patrick

        

The Life of Pi is a very interesting novel about a boy named Piscine “Pi” Patel, who becomes lost at sea while traveling to Canada. When his boat sinks, Pi’s only chance of survival is to get pushed onto a lifeboat full of wild animals. The story details his survival on the boat with Richard Parker, a tiger who becomes the boat’s only remaining animal.

I enjoyed The Life of Pi because it was very interesting to read. The story was simple, but it had many things to interpret, such as the animals representing human nature. I also enjoyed the connection between man and tiger. Pi and Richard both did what they needed to do to survive, but with each other. At the end of the story, it is suggested that Richard was part of Pi's imagination and represented him in his own imagination, which gave Pi the hope and determination to survive.

The Great Gatsby

Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald

A book for readers in grades 11 and up reviewed by Joseph

        

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a story about a mysterious man who is in love with someone else’s wife. Gatsby is a rich man on Long Island who holds parties. He hopes that his true love will come to one of them. No one who attends these parties even knows who he is.

The Great Gatsby is filled with plot twists and lies from Gatsby. While the narration by Nick is interesting, I did not enjoy it. This book is filled with words that I didn’t know and had to look up just to understand the story. The symbolism is too simple to interpret, and I didn’t find it to be interesting. I also think the book could have potentially been better if some of its plot was changed and it was slightly simpler to read.

Slaughterhouse-Five, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death

Written by Kurt Vonnegut

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Amin

        

Slaughterhouse 5, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut begins as the author reflects on his time in the war and the period after that. His inspiration to write the book unfolds in the following chapter. The book jumps around the life of Billy Pilgrim, its main character. It goes from his youth to his time in the army and war, then to his post-war life.

During his post-war life, Billy experiences the harsh debts that the war has laid upon his well-being. He imagines himself getting abducted by aliens and living a life with another woman to then come back to reality. Due to Billy’s biased personal accounts, no one knows if what is happening is real or not (although it probably isn't). Whether or not he is telling the truth or lying is ambiguous, but it sure does make for a great story.

Slaughterhouse 5, or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death’s jumpiness can be jarring for many. But, when I was caught up with all that was happening, it personally kept me wanting more and was entertaining. Kurt Vonnegut’s language and tone are very casual, so it makes up for the confusion in the timeline of events. The book is comparable to accounts from veterans, war films (not those cheesy ones like Rambo, but ones like 1917 and Dunkirk that are more realistic), and other biographical war novels. This book introduced me to the world of Vonnegut's literature, and I will always remember it for that reason. On a scale from 1 to 10, I would give it a solid 9.

Hamilton: The Revolution

Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter

A book for adult readers reviewed by Mia

    

Hamilton: A Revolution is about the musical, Hamilton. It includes facts about how Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the play’s songs and cast its actors. Additionally, the book includes all of the play’s songs, from “Alexander Hamilton” (the first song) to “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story” (the last song). In the margins, Lin-Manuel Miranda includes some notes about performing in the musical and writing its songs.

I enjoyed Hamilton: A Revolution because it explains what went into writing and performing Hamilton. It details a lot about the musical that you would not have otherwise known. For example, “The Story of Tonight” was based on a tune Lin-Manuel Miranda created with his friends called “I've Got a Bridge to Sell You.” Lin-Manuel Miranda changed the lyrics, and “The Story of Tonight" was made. Overall, I enjoyed this book because it shows how Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspired and created Hamilton.

Night

Written by Elie Wiesel

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Bella

        

In Night by Elie Wiesel, Elie is just a teenager when he is forced to leave his home and sent to multiple concentration camps against his will. Through all of the horror Elie endures, he stays strong and survives.

Night is able to tell such a tragedy. At the same time, it gives readers the ability to imagine what people really went through during this dark point in history. As sad as this book is, its story really makes you feel for its the characters and want to keep on reading.

The Grapes of Wrath

Written by John Steinbeck

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Patrick

        

The Grapes of Wrath is a story about how a family of tenant farmers, the Joads, have to leave their home in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. Because Oklahoma was covered in dust and experiencing a drought, most of its farmers were struggling to make money. The Joad family decides to move to California to get their lives back on track, but face hardships and struggles along the way.

 

I did not enjoy The Grapes of Wrath because the old Southern slang that was used was difficult to read. The book was also very boring at times, making it difficult to pay attention to detail. Additionally, it was filled with unnecessary details that had nothing to do with the storyline.

Lord of the Flies

Written by William Golding

A book for readers in grades 9 and up reviewed by Patrick

    

Lord of the Flies is a novel about a group of boys who become stranded on a remote island after their plane crashes. These boys have to figure out how to survive and develop an organized way of living with rules and jobs. Many of the boys eventually lose their innocence, and they become violent and hateful towards each other. 

I enjoyed Lord of the Flies because it keeps you on your toes. Overall, it was easy and interesting to read because of how it showed the boys slowly losing their civilized human nature and becoming more like savages. Consistently, there was also deeper meaning in the boys’ objects and actions.