Paper Towns Book Report

I read Paper Towns by John Green, and I loved it.

The main character is Quentin Jacobsen, an average boy growing up in Orlando, Florida. After spending so much time with him, I've realized how amazing it can be to get to know a person who, after the story's over ceases to exist.

Quentin, or Q is pretty average in the beginning. He has plenty of faults, like the fact that he never seems to be able to show up on time, or that he can be completely paranoid. Q takes education to high regards, seeing as he always has an excuse to dodge missing school.

One of Q's characteristics is that he knows when to shut up and listen, but knows when to add the comic relief. He always listens to Ben when he complains about not having a prom date, but knows when it's OK to poke fun. I found myself loving his sarcastic comments almost as much as his sweet ones.

He also had a great sense of humor, along with a sharp wit. Some of his comments were so hilarious, while others took some thought to find the humor. He also was the king of grammar, never failing to correct mistakes.

Things start to change when Margo goes missing. Q gains focus to the larger picture, and seems to really have a purpose. He lets go of most of his paranoia, but manages to keep up his tardiness. He manages to seem like he's stayed the same, but being inside his head, readers can register the change.

The biggest thing that changes is his perception. He shifts from the average person tone to one that challenged me to think deeper about things that seem too simple, but in actuality are so complex. I really noticed the shift after he started to find Margo's clues, but the end of the shift happens just before the book ends.

Q's reliability is something that remains constant throughout the novel. Even when he's in an abandoned mini mall in the middle of the night, he is still willing to go pick up his drunk friends from a party. Another example is when Ben suffered the humiliation after a rude rumor, Q is still willing to be friends with him. Q is one of those people who is always there when you need them, and I think that helps explain why he goes to all the trouble he does to find Margo.

Overall, If Q were a real person, I think I would love to be his friend, because even though he has his quirks, he still has the characteristics of a great person. It made me realize how much you can get attached to someone in a novel, because I know I'm going to miss Q now that the book has ended.

Dear Mrs. Clear.....

I regret to inform you that due to various reasons, my book report is not available at the present time. I will let you know when I have it ready.

Thank you,

Becka

The Hunger Games, Part Two

In the Hunger games, Katniss faces many conflicts. I wish I had the strength to go through all that Katniss did.

The first of her many trials was facing the death of her father. She is forced to not only support her sister, but also has to deal with her mother who was on the verge of mental breakdown. Katniss learned from those events to rely on herself. She provided food for her family at her own risk, both hunting illegally in the woods and getting food from the government which results in a higher risk of being selected for the games. I don’t think I could have handle all that at once, but I think I would have done what Katniss did, because it seems logical to do whatever you can for your family, no matter what the price.

The next conflict faced by Katniss was when Prim was chosen for the Games. Katniss was faced with a decision; she could either watch her sister die on live television, or she could go in Prim’s place. I knew that Katniss would never let her sister die when there was something she could do about it. I think I would do the same, but I bet anyone would.

The worst of the conflicts that Katniss faces is the Hunger Games. Katniss is faced with the worst situation ever: kill or be killed. I have to say that’s honestly one of the worst choices you can be presented with. Katniss knows how hard her death would be on her family back home, so she’s forced to try and stay alive at all costs. Katniss kills, but is always plagued by the thought of their families. She tries her best to stay alive, and when faced with an opponent, she comes out ahead.

The next, and second hardest in my mind, is when Katniss has to pretend to be in love with Peeta. I say this is hard because I think that I wouldn’t have the skill to pretend to love someone in front of the whole world. Katniss did and knew that it was important. She had to do it to survive, but her mind is in a state of turmoil because of it. I mean, trying to fake love in front of such a large audience would wreak havoc on anyone. This conflict isn’t solved in the book, so I guess I’ll have to finish the series to find out this one.

The Hunger Games Choice Book Report #3 Part 1

I read The Hunger Games by Suzann Collins. It’s a story that takes place in the ruins of North America, a place called Panem. Panem is made up of a giant Capitol surrounded by twelve districts. Each year a boy and a girl between 12 and 18 years of age are taken and forced to compete in the Hunger Games. In the arena, the 24 contestants are caught in a battle to the death, trying to survive the skirmishes and environment controlled by the Game makers.
The Hunger Games Takes place during the 74th games, when 16 year old Katniss Everdeen’s little sister Primrose is selected as the female tribute of District 12. Katniss immediately volunteers to replace her. Joined with Peeta Mellark, Katniss makes her way to the capitol, where she is plucked, painted and fed more than ever in her lifetime.
Dressed in fire, Peeta and Katniss are revealed to the citizens of Panem. Soon after, training commences. When the pair’s mentor purposefully tells them to stick together and hide their true talents, Katniss and Peeta learn valuable skills like camouflage, knot tying and knife throwing.
The last thing to happen before the official start of the games is interviews. Caesar Flickerman interviews each tribute, laughing at lame jokes and helping them in their attempts to seem confident. In the last interview, Peeta reveals his undying love for Katniss. As romantic as it is, love one of the biggest weakness in the arena.
Finally the Hunger Games commence, starting with the ‘bloodbath’. A golden cornucopia sits in the middle of the arena, and a chance to obtain supplies to survive is presented. Katniss has been instructed to run away, but she second guesses both herself and her coach. Split-decision causes one of the first deaths.
In the arena, a large group has banded together, obtained most of the supplies from the cornucopia, and has set out to destroy the competition. When they trap Katniss in a tree, Rue, a small brown eyes beauty and one of the smallest tributes helps her out. In the end Rue and Katniss are allies.
When Rue is tragically murdered, Katniss gives her the best funeral, breaking one of the unsaid rules of the games. Soon after, a new rule is added. Two tributes can win if they are from the same district. Meaning, Peeta and Katniss could both make it home. But, all the surviving tributes are after them, so is it really possible for both to live?

Book Report #2

For my second choice book, I read The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions For Marie Antoinette by Carolyn Meyer. This book is about Marie Antoinette's life starting shortly before her engagement to Louis XVI. I thought it was a great book, and I got to know the 'bad' queen well.

Marie's physical appearance changed quite a bit in the beginning.She has her hair piled on top of her head, her teeth straightened in the way that was custom in the 1700's. Her mother says tells her that she was "no beauty, certainly". A couple of chapters later, she was full chested and beautiful enough to marry the crown prince of France.

Through the story, I learned about Marie Antoinette's personality too. She was very frivolous, and preferred to do many things that had been deemed improper by the royal court. She not only shocked her family, but set the way she was going to have things.

Early on, she disliked France, and the court disliked her. Her grandfather by marriage, the current King of France was practically wrapped around her finger and granted her every wish. Maybe that's one of the reasons she became so spoiled.

Marie was greatly troubled when her husband wouldn't make her a 'real' dauphin, and uses her connection to the King to remedy it. She starts riding horses, much to the displeasure of her ladies and shock of her mother. Marie also works to have the king's mistress sent away from the court.

When the dauphin must become king, and Marie becomes queen, Paris is turned upside down with love for them. Marie loved all the attention, and was filled with happiness when a thousand people show up to see her.

The king of France catered to the every need that Marie had. She was never without beautiful dresses or huge hair. When asked to cut back on her spending, she simply shrugs it off, giving proof to her frivolous nature.

Marie doesn't have many close friends except for the Princess of Lamballe, who was widowed a year after her marriage. She seemed very boisterous in public, but was a fairly reserved person. She disliked the way the court had people to do everything for her, all depending on rank and station. So, while she spent more than she had, she did eliminate tons of unnecessary jobs.

One of the depravities of Marie Antoinette was that she craved her mother's approval. Even though she was a queen and had everything she wanted, what she needed was some acknowledgement from her mother. It shows that Marie wasn't some godlike being. She was human like us.

I learned that Marie Antoinette wasn't the as stupid as she is made out to be and that she probably didn't deserve to have her head chopped off. I loved this book, and I would recommend it to girls who love history. I don't think boys would enjoy it at all. It's a little slow paced, but worth the read!