Friday, June 20, 2014
Goodbye Sweethearts :)
So I know I'm not always good about posting for you guys, but I'm not going to see you for a while because I'm going to be on a trip :) So just saying I love you guys! And if I see anything cool I will post it on the Facebook page which you can like here :) Thanks fandomeers! See you later :)
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
The Nancy Drew Character Struggle
(Spoilers for Nancy Drew)
So right now I am reading some Nancy Drew books, right? Well, these characters are driving me crazy. Let me talk to you about this.
In the first four Nancy Drew stories, the only solid characters we are given are Nancy, Mr. Drew and Hannah. Helen Corning pops up randomly here and there. Can I just tell you the perfection of these gorgeous stories? The old writing. I am addicted to their cuteness. But that is beside the point. We are introduced to Bess and George in the fifth book, The Secret of Shadow Ranch. Which was exceptional also. And Bess and George are much more permanent than all of the other characters we hear about in Nancy's stories that come and go with every mystery. And then The Secret of Red Gate Farm came along, which still had a good story, but this is when things started to go downhill.
So Bess was always more feminine than George, but it honestly was kind of overkill. What the heck happened to the book previous, Carolyn Keene? What happened? George is still a girl, and I know that she's not supposed to be horrendously girly, but she is still a girl. And I feel like some of the things she did she wouldn't do. And George always did tease Bess. But seriously, it was constantly and it was relatively annoying. George, stop being such a bully. But isn't that just the thing? George isn't a bully. What happened?!
And then George has always been more brave than Bess, but this was again overkill. In The Secret of Shadow Ranch Bess was willing to go on all sorts of adventures with George and Nancy. So tell me why in The Secret of Red Gate Farm she is barely willing to do anything with them. It is seriously ridiculous.
Hannah changed a little too, with her interfering with Nancy's mysteries more, but she didn't bother me as much as Bess and George did.
So I read The Secret of Red Gate Farm, and then The Ghost of Blackwood Hall, which maybe I was too excited for because ghosts are interesting, but it was a horrible book. With the same problems with the characters. Maybe it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't good.
Then I read The Clue of the Leaning Chimney, which was a great story but had the same character problems just like in The Secret of Red Gate Farm. I am reading Mystery at the Ski Jump now and the problem with the characters seems to have subsided. Bess isn't running away from every clue anymore and is actually helping with the mystery, and George isn't being annoying about being boyish.
However, I have a theory about this whole thing and why this character problem occurred. This is not fact, but this is what I think may have happened.
Carolyn Keene is the name for a group of authors. So the first Nancy Drew books went by with great stories and no consistent characters. Since Nancy Drew is a never-ending series perhaps it was decided that some solid characters should be added to the stories. So in came The Secret of Shadow Ranch and with that story came Bess and George. That was a good book. But with a group of authors and a never-ending series, it's easier to write characters that you can predict what they do. It's a lot easier to predict a girl who runs from every clue and another girl who denies everything feminine and makes fun of her cousin. So with the excellent story of The Secret of Red Gate Farm came the new Bess and George, which I liked a million times less. This must have gone on for a long time, because The Clue of the Leaning Chimney is the twenty-sixth book in the series and this is still going on. But I don't know when they decided that the characters weren't like they were originally introduced, because Mystery at the Ski Jump is book twenty-nine and the old Bess and George that we originally liked came back.
So that's what I think happened, and I'm glad that it ended, because that easy mistake to make is not my favorite.
Okay, so I hate ending on a note that sounds slightly negative, so I have to write something happy now to end the post. :) #Nerd
So right now I am reading some Nancy Drew books, right? Well, these characters are driving me crazy. Let me talk to you about this.
In the first four Nancy Drew stories, the only solid characters we are given are Nancy, Mr. Drew and Hannah. Helen Corning pops up randomly here and there. Can I just tell you the perfection of these gorgeous stories? The old writing. I am addicted to their cuteness. But that is beside the point. We are introduced to Bess and George in the fifth book, The Secret of Shadow Ranch. Which was exceptional also. And Bess and George are much more permanent than all of the other characters we hear about in Nancy's stories that come and go with every mystery. And then The Secret of Red Gate Farm came along, which still had a good story, but this is when things started to go downhill.
So Bess was always more feminine than George, but it honestly was kind of overkill. What the heck happened to the book previous, Carolyn Keene? What happened? George is still a girl, and I know that she's not supposed to be horrendously girly, but she is still a girl. And I feel like some of the things she did she wouldn't do. And George always did tease Bess. But seriously, it was constantly and it was relatively annoying. George, stop being such a bully. But isn't that just the thing? George isn't a bully. What happened?!
And then George has always been more brave than Bess, but this was again overkill. In The Secret of Shadow Ranch Bess was willing to go on all sorts of adventures with George and Nancy. So tell me why in The Secret of Red Gate Farm she is barely willing to do anything with them. It is seriously ridiculous.
Hannah changed a little too, with her interfering with Nancy's mysteries more, but she didn't bother me as much as Bess and George did.
So I read The Secret of Red Gate Farm, and then The Ghost of Blackwood Hall, which maybe I was too excited for because ghosts are interesting, but it was a horrible book. With the same problems with the characters. Maybe it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't good.
Then I read The Clue of the Leaning Chimney, which was a great story but had the same character problems just like in The Secret of Red Gate Farm. I am reading Mystery at the Ski Jump now and the problem with the characters seems to have subsided. Bess isn't running away from every clue anymore and is actually helping with the mystery, and George isn't being annoying about being boyish.
However, I have a theory about this whole thing and why this character problem occurred. This is not fact, but this is what I think may have happened.
Carolyn Keene is the name for a group of authors. So the first Nancy Drew books went by with great stories and no consistent characters. Since Nancy Drew is a never-ending series perhaps it was decided that some solid characters should be added to the stories. So in came The Secret of Shadow Ranch and with that story came Bess and George. That was a good book. But with a group of authors and a never-ending series, it's easier to write characters that you can predict what they do. It's a lot easier to predict a girl who runs from every clue and another girl who denies everything feminine and makes fun of her cousin. So with the excellent story of The Secret of Red Gate Farm came the new Bess and George, which I liked a million times less. This must have gone on for a long time, because The Clue of the Leaning Chimney is the twenty-sixth book in the series and this is still going on. But I don't know when they decided that the characters weren't like they were originally introduced, because Mystery at the Ski Jump is book twenty-nine and the old Bess and George that we originally liked came back.
So that's what I think happened, and I'm glad that it ended, because that easy mistake to make is not my favorite.
Okay, so I hate ending on a note that sounds slightly negative, so I have to write something happy now to end the post. :) #Nerd
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Beginnings and Endings
Well, guys, I have some pretty big news for you. I have been finished with Brave New World for a few weeks now. And yes, that does indeed mean that I am done with required reading for this school year!
Now that the summer is on its way I am hoping to get a little more serious about reading. I feel like I've been slacking lately. I've failed you, fandomeers. I'm sorry about that.
So Brave New World, may I just say, was pretty good and the ending is so eerie you could probably read it just to find out how it ends. Seriously well-written.
All this thinking about endings reminded me of a quote I read in the Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke. I can't remember the book it was in, and I can't remember who said it, but it's still cool to think about. It was about the part that you don't get to hear of stories. How the story has a beginning and an ending, but the life of that character was going on before that, and the life of the character goes on after the story ends. And I'm not sure whether or not this was part of what was said in the book, but still, even if the character's life begins or ends at the beginning of the book, things were still happening. The side characters and the people they know have lives that were happening before the story and are still continuing after the story. Which I think is really awesome and should often be considered when writing something fictitious, and honestly, the best authors usually do think about what happens at least before the story, if not after.
Now that the summer is on its way I am hoping to get a little more serious about reading. I feel like I've been slacking lately. I've failed you, fandomeers. I'm sorry about that.
So Brave New World, may I just say, was pretty good and the ending is so eerie you could probably read it just to find out how it ends. Seriously well-written.
All this thinking about endings reminded me of a quote I read in the Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke. I can't remember the book it was in, and I can't remember who said it, but it's still cool to think about. It was about the part that you don't get to hear of stories. How the story has a beginning and an ending, but the life of that character was going on before that, and the life of the character goes on after the story ends. And I'm not sure whether or not this was part of what was said in the book, but still, even if the character's life begins or ends at the beginning of the book, things were still happening. The side characters and the people they know have lives that were happening before the story and are still continuing after the story. Which I think is really awesome and should often be considered when writing something fictitious, and honestly, the best authors usually do think about what happens at least before the story, if not after.
Alan Rickman, We Appreciate You
One day me and some of my cute friends were watching Catching Fire together. When President Snow said something, we concluded that he was almost like Alan Rickman... but not. Which is when we realized that it must be really, really hard to be Alan Rickman. Not just anyone can portray Snape so well and have an awesome voice like that. Which just made us appreciate him more.
Alan Rickman probably assumed that a lot of people would like him playing an inspirational character from one of the biggest fandoms of all time. But did he know just how cool all the Potterheads would think he was? Seriously, everyone loves Alan Rickman. Not only because he has a really cool voice, but he's an awesome guy. Alan Rickman, we fandomeers really do appreciate you.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Prim
So there are those book characters that people think are weak when they are really not. At all. And Prim is definitely one of those characters.
(Spoilers for the Hunger Games Trilogy.)
Prim was twelve years old when the trilogy started. Her father had died and her mother had been depressed. That's pretty hard on a person. What people want is a mature character that is wise beyond their teenage years and can take care of themselves. So a person like Katniss. Prim wasn't that character when the trilogy began. Does that make her weak? She was really young. Not everyone can be a Katniss-like character.
And her sister Katniss had to be really brave when she volunteered for her at the reaping and then had to fight in the Hunger Games. There is no denying that. But on the other hand, I think Prim was really brave too. The way Katniss describes Prim walking up to the stage in the square trying to be strong, facing her fate, I think that this is when Prim starts to mature. I feel like twelve years old, it makes sense that she starts to mature about then. But then when Katniss volunteered, I think she may have even wanted to go into the arena then, if it meant her sister didn't have to. And having to watch her sister fight to the death? Katniss had some pretty scary and dangerous situations in that arena. I have an older sister, and if I had to watch her go through that stuff... it would be really, really, really hard.
Then when Katniss comes home, she doesn't find the Prim she left behind. She sees the new Prim, who helps her mom with the apothecary business and she's so sweet and caring that everyone loves her and she helps everyone she can. Tell me how that is weak. Katniss hunted for her family to be able to eat. That's really strong, she was taking care of her family. Well, Prim is taking care of people too. If she is healing them from their diseases and injuries, I think that is really strong. Katniss would agree, especially because she can't stand all the ill people that come into her home to see her mother. Not to mention how sweet and kind Prim is. Being like that to any person that you meet is amazing to me.
(Spoilers for the Hunger Games Trilogy.)
Prim was twelve years old when the trilogy started. Her father had died and her mother had been depressed. That's pretty hard on a person. What people want is a mature character that is wise beyond their teenage years and can take care of themselves. So a person like Katniss. Prim wasn't that character when the trilogy began. Does that make her weak? She was really young. Not everyone can be a Katniss-like character.
And her sister Katniss had to be really brave when she volunteered for her at the reaping and then had to fight in the Hunger Games. There is no denying that. But on the other hand, I think Prim was really brave too. The way Katniss describes Prim walking up to the stage in the square trying to be strong, facing her fate, I think that this is when Prim starts to mature. I feel like twelve years old, it makes sense that she starts to mature about then. But then when Katniss volunteered, I think she may have even wanted to go into the arena then, if it meant her sister didn't have to. And having to watch her sister fight to the death? Katniss had some pretty scary and dangerous situations in that arena. I have an older sister, and if I had to watch her go through that stuff... it would be really, really, really hard.
Then when Katniss comes home, she doesn't find the Prim she left behind. She sees the new Prim, who helps her mom with the apothecary business and she's so sweet and caring that everyone loves her and she helps everyone she can. Tell me how that is weak. Katniss hunted for her family to be able to eat. That's really strong, she was taking care of her family. Well, Prim is taking care of people too. If she is healing them from their diseases and injuries, I think that is really strong. Katniss would agree, especially because she can't stand all the ill people that come into her home to see her mother. Not to mention how sweet and kind Prim is. Being like that to any person that you meet is amazing to me.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Happy Mothers Day
Happy Mothers Day to all you sweet fandomeers out there :) Today we're going to celebrate the moms of the universe, or that is, the fandom moms.
(Spoilers for Harry Potter, Hunger Games and Percy Jackson.)
I mean, oh my gosh. The Harry Potter moms? They are the coolest moms ever.
Those three ladies. Lily died so she could save her son, and even through her death her love for her son protected him throughout the rest of his childhood and teenage years. Molly fought in a war while taking care of seven children of her own, not to mention all the other kids she treated as if they were in her own family. Narcissa? If you're willing to pretend you're evil for your family, I'd say you're pretty cool.
And in the Hunger Games, when you live in a country like Panem you'd probably do anything for your kids. Mrs. Everdeen did have a rough time when her husband died and she fell into that horrible depression. But once she got out of that, she tried to make up for it. She's the kind of mom that would do anything her kids asked. She started working again and taking care of not only her own children but all the people in their town and their children. Then when the rebellion started she worked hard as a doctor and a loving mother. I am the biggest Mrs. Everdeen fangirl ever. And while we're here I would like to mention Hazelle, Gale's mom. Hazelle had a family and was pregnant when her husband died. It must have been pretty hard to lose him especially when she had so many young kids to take care of. But Hazelle didn't let that stop her. Just like Mrs. Everdeen had Katniss, Hazelle had Gale to help her and she started working, and you know what, her family did okay. Hazelle, you're amazing.
Last but not at all least, Sally Jackson! When your son is known by mortals for blowing up the school and known by monsters as the son of Poseidon that needs to be destroyed, you'd think you would get a little impatient. Sally wasn't impatient for a second. She took care of her son with love and patience, and she even married a horrible man for him. She wanted to be a writer but couldn't afford to go to school, so she worked hard and still tried to take care of her family. Eventually she got to go to school, married a man that she actually loved, and Percy saved the world!
It seems good things happen to the best moms :)
(Spoilers for Harry Potter, Hunger Games and Percy Jackson.)
I mean, oh my gosh. The Harry Potter moms? They are the coolest moms ever.
Those three ladies. Lily died so she could save her son, and even through her death her love for her son protected him throughout the rest of his childhood and teenage years. Molly fought in a war while taking care of seven children of her own, not to mention all the other kids she treated as if they were in her own family. Narcissa? If you're willing to pretend you're evil for your family, I'd say you're pretty cool.
And in the Hunger Games, when you live in a country like Panem you'd probably do anything for your kids. Mrs. Everdeen did have a rough time when her husband died and she fell into that horrible depression. But once she got out of that, she tried to make up for it. She's the kind of mom that would do anything her kids asked. She started working again and taking care of not only her own children but all the people in their town and their children. Then when the rebellion started she worked hard as a doctor and a loving mother. I am the biggest Mrs. Everdeen fangirl ever. And while we're here I would like to mention Hazelle, Gale's mom. Hazelle had a family and was pregnant when her husband died. It must have been pretty hard to lose him especially when she had so many young kids to take care of. But Hazelle didn't let that stop her. Just like Mrs. Everdeen had Katniss, Hazelle had Gale to help her and she started working, and you know what, her family did okay. Hazelle, you're amazing.
Last but not at all least, Sally Jackson! When your son is known by mortals for blowing up the school and known by monsters as the son of Poseidon that needs to be destroyed, you'd think you would get a little impatient. Sally wasn't impatient for a second. She took care of her son with love and patience, and she even married a horrible man for him. She wanted to be a writer but couldn't afford to go to school, so she worked hard and still tried to take care of her family. Eventually she got to go to school, married a man that she actually loved, and Percy saved the world!
It seems good things happen to the best moms :)
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Dyslexia
In the Percy Jackson series, we learn a few things about dyslexia. In Percy's case, it makes it hard for him to read. He describes the words as swimming on the page, and the letters getting mixed up. In some cases it can affect other stuff too, like for some people it's just hard to read, for others it affects math and reading. Honestly, it must be seriously hard to be dyslexic. I remember one day when I was trying to read something that my eyes would not concentrate on the words. They just wouldn't focus. It was so hard to read, it was giving me a headache. Then I realized it was kind of like how dyslexia is described. If I had to go around like that full-time trying to read but the words wouldn't come together, I would go insane. I have some fandomeer friends who are dyslexic, they just listen to the audio versions of the books instead of read them. I talk to one friend about the Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus books so much that I used to forget that he was dyslexic. So all I really wanted to say is to the dyslexic people out there: you're really awesome. Seriously, the fact that you find a way to read even though your mind doesn't want you to is amazing. As a friend of mine said once, the real heroes are people who make it through school with dyslexia. You guys are true heroes.
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