Sophie's World By Jostein Gaarder | Review

Book Details
Author: Jostein Gaarder
Ages: Adult
Rating: 9/10
Number of Pages: 427
Plot: When 14 year old Sophie starts to receive random letters and questions in the post, the mystery of life and ancient philosophy begins to take over her everyday life. Things get even stranger when she begins to get postcards addressed to another girl - who is this girl, and does she have something to do with Sophie's own existence? As her philosophy mentor teaches her the mysteries that have plagued the world for centuries, Sophie's own existence is brought into question. A blend of philosophy, mystery and fantasy this 20-year-old novel continues to attract readers on a global scale. With an unusual structure and interesting narrative voice Sophie's World is able to claim a wide readership over its lifetime and will no doubt continue to be a modern classic.

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne

Book Details:

Author: John Boyne

Ages: 12+
Rating: 9/10
Number of Pages: 224
Plot: From the author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, John Boyne returns to Nazi Germany with a new heart breaking story and young protagonist. After a series of tragic events surrounding his family, Pierrot Fischer, at the age of 8, is forced to leave his life in Paris behind and look for somewhere he can call home. It is when his distant aunt Beatrix arrives that little Pierrot’s life is turned upside down. Thrown into the German lifestyle and abandoning his mother’s Parisian roots, Pierrot must abandon his old life, including his childhood friend Anshel and even his name, in order to conform to the Germanic customs and the high expectations of the master of the house – Adolf Hitler. As we follow Pierrot through the war, Pierrot is forced to make difficult and, in some cases, life-changing, decisions, but where will his loyalties lie – with his loved ones or his Führer? In a story filled with danger and war, Boyne educates the reader on the effects of Nazi propaganda on the youth in Germany at the time.

Review: Having read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas before, I was really excited to read more from Boyne and experience his take on Nazi Germany again. I was intrigued by the premise of the book as I had only ever read a few books from the perspective of Germanic children from the period, including, one of my favourites, The Book Thief. The book follows a young boy, Pierrot, from 1936 to adulthood and has a strong focus on the indoctrination of the Nazis on the Germanic youth. The development of the main character, in my opinion, is the most impressive and quite astonishing aspect of the novel and it is this that makes the novel one of the best Nazi Germany books I have read in a while. Throughout the beginning of the novel, there is a sense of naivety and innocence that surrounds the character, depicting Pierrot in the typical child-like manner. However, as the novel progresses and the Nazi indoctrination he is subjected to intensifies, Boyne cleverly uses his original innocence to emphasise his change in personality after moving into Hitler’s home. I, personally, found this character development not only incredibly written but also quite heart breaking to experience.

“You have many years ahead of you to come to terms with your complicity in these matters. Just don’t ever tell yourself that you didn’t know... That would be the worst crime of all.” – Herta

It’s not just Boyne’s incredible character development that made me come to love this book, but, his attention to detail and subtle references made the book even better than its predecessor. There were numerous points in the story in which Boyne cleverly used historical references that, in cases, made the story more saddening. The inclusion of individuals like Wallis Simpson and Goebbels, made the story appear to be more of an autobiographical piece than fictitious. It is this historical attention to detail that Boyne displays that separates this new novel from its predecessor.


The Boy at the Top of the Mountain is a historical fiction that I think I could easily read again and again without getting bored of the story or the characters. Through his heart breaking character development and unbelievable attention to detail, Boyne has created yet another historical fiction that will not only appeal to its intended young adult market but a range of history lovers across all ages and genders. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially those who are interested in or studying Nazi Germany, and for anyone who enjoyed The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. I hope that Boyne delves into this genre and topic more often in the future, as the stories he creates are memorable and iconic whilst being captivating and enjoyable.  

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Book Details

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Ages: 11+

Rating: 9/10

Number of Pages: 404

Plot: Celaena Sardothien is an 18 year old assassin serving a life sentence in the dark and dangerous salt mines of Endovier. After making a fatal mistake, Celaena is forced to live the rest of her days being tortured and left isolated. But when the young Captain Chaol Westfall offers her a deal – in exchange for her freedom Celaena must represent Prince Dorian in a tournament to find the King’s Champion. Fighting the best assassins and thieves of the land, Celaena will discover her true destiny. In this fantasy YA novel, Sarah J. Maas creates a world full of love, lies and violence that makes you want to read on and find out more about the characters and story.

 

Review: I had heard a lot about this series on Booktube and Goodreads and was intrigued as to why so many people were comparing this to Harry Potter and the Hunger Games. After reading the first chapter, I realised how amazing this book truly was. Not only is it a unique story, the characters are interesting and the setting is described so vividly that you actually feel as if you are there. Maas manages to create a world that, although is completely different to real life, includes characters that can be easily loved and are relatable. I think it is amazing how Maas first created this world when she was sixteen and I hope that the series is the next to be made into a successful film production.

 

“Libraries were full of ideas–perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of all weapons.”

 

What I loved the most about this book was how great Maas’ characters were. Her main character, Celaena, was not only a loveable character but she is presented in a way that makes her a relatable character. Unlike other franchises, Celaena is not only a deadly female protagonist but she still loves the extravagancy if the gowns she wears whilst in the King’s court. It is because of this that Maas creates a character that is easier to relate too than other leading female protagonists, for example Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games. I also loved Maas’ choice of structure – Celaena is the main narrative voice but we also get an insight into the thoughts and feelings of Prince Dorian and Chaol. I liked this writing style as it made the ‘love triangle’ more apparent and made me love the characters more. I especially loved the relationship between Celaena and Chaol and I really hope that this develops in the next books, which I hope to get to read fairly soon.

 

The aspect that really appealed to me though was the use of fae. I have very little experience with books, or films for that matter, that include fairies or elves and so when the fae were introduced in the book I was surprised. I loved how the immortal Queen Elena was depicted as being strong and powerful and none of the fairies were depicted in the ‘Tinkerbell’ style as most writers resort too. Maas truly creates a fantasy world that is unlike any other that I have experienced in literature and the story itself is so unique and intriguing I can’t wait to read the next instalments. I would strongly recommend this to anyone who loved or obsessed over Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and any other critically acclaimed YA series. Even if you have never read a YA series, the Throne of Glass series is a great place to start. I would love to hear how other people found this series or just the first novel.