Book Thread

Beowulf wrote:What are teen books like, really. Keep thinking towards the lines of overblown heroism and simplistic romance.

Well teen books is a bit of a wide term, they can be about all sorts of things, I mean you have those that are about simple concepts like fitting in at high school or some crap or those for girls about love and all that, but the ones I tend to go for focus more on important issues, the value of life, the process of adloesence and how you shape into a person, that kind of thing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Horowitz

Loved his books when I was growing up.

Sean wrote:

Beowulf wrote:What are teen books like, really. Keep thinking towards the lines of overblown heroism and simplistic romance.

Well teen books is a bit of a wide term, they can be about all sorts of things, I mean you have those that are about simple concepts like fitting in at high school or some crap or those for girls about love and all that, but the ones I tend to go for focus more on important issues, the value of life, the process of adloesence and how you shape into a person, that kind of thing

Like Harry Potter?

Jelavic9|RFC wrote:Anyone read Eragon by Christopher Paolini? Is it any good?

I have them.
Haven't got around to reading it yet.

Any of you ready Gangsta Rap by Benjamin Zephaniah? Love that book man, read it like 3 times.

Read the kite runner in English Lit.

The Rape bit.

Jordo wrote:Read the kite runner in English Lit.

The Rape bit.

Never read it, what happened?

Jordo wrote:Read the kite runner in English Lit.

The Rape bit.

It has gone down in legend in my class, poor little Hazzarri.

Beowulf wrote:

Sean wrote:

Well teen books is a bit of a wide term, they can be about all sorts of things, I mean you have those that are about simple concepts like fitting in at high school or some crap or those for girls about love and all that, but the ones I tend to go for focus more on important issues, the value of life, the process of adloesence and how you shape into a person, that kind of thing

Like Harry Potter?

Exactly

Jelavic9|RFC wrote:

Jordo wrote:Read the kite runner in English Lit.

The Rape bit.

Never read it, what happened?

Little servant boy goes running to catch a kite. Big bully stops him, asks for the kite. Little servant boy says no. Big bully pulls down his trousers and rapes him instead.

Jelavic9|RFC wrote:Any of you ready Gangsta Rap by Benjamin Zephaniah? Love that book man, read it like 3 times.

No, but I googled it and found this

School, what school?
My name is X-Ray-X
So be careful how you flex
I used to freestyle in me bedroom
But me daddy got me vex
The teacher kicked me out of the classroom
Now I'm rapping in The Rex.

I can see where you devolped your fantastic lyrical skills from..

Beowulf wrote:

Jelavic9|RFC wrote:

Never read it, what happened?

Little servant boy goes running to catch a kite. Big bully stops him, asks for the kite. Little servant boy says no. Big bully pulls down his trousers and rapes him instead.

It was more of 4 some. Two to pin, while one penetrates.

With grunting noise.

He is raped so hard, his arse bleeds.

All over a fucking kite.

Sean wrote:

Jelavic9|RFC wrote:Any of you ready Gangsta Rap by Benjamin Zephaniah? Love that book man, read it like 3 times.

No, but I googled it and found this

School, what school?
My name is X-Ray-X
So be careful how you flex
I used to freestyle in me bedroom
But me daddy got me vex
The teacher kicked me out of the classroom
Now I'm rapping in The Rex.

I can see where you devolped your fantastic lyrical skills from..

It was a class book though.

Beowulf wrote:

Jelavic9|RFC wrote:

Never read it, what happened?

Little servant boy goes running to catch a kite. Big bully stops him, asks for the kite. Little servant boy says no. Big bully pulls down his trousers and rapes him instead.

WTF?

Don't think I want to know any more tbh.

Jordo wrote:

Beowulf wrote:

Little servant boy goes running to catch a kite. Big bully stops him, asks for the kite. Little servant boy says no. Big bully pulls down his trousers and rapes him instead.

It was more of 4 some. Two to pin, while one penetrates.

With grunting noise.

He is raped so hard, his arse bleeds.

All over a fucking kite.

Ah, but you see, earlier in the novel little servant boy hits big bully in the eye with a slingshot. I think.

I assume if we understood their culture, rape would be a formality as a quick punishment.

Beowulf wrote:

Jordo wrote:
It was more of 4 some. Two to pin, while one penetrates.

With grunting noise.

He is raped so hard, his arse bleeds.

All over a fucking kite.

Ah, but you see, earlier in the novel little servant boy hits big bully in the eye with a slingshot. I think.

I assume if we understood their culture, rape would be a formality as a quick punishment.

Doesn't his son kill Assef with a slingshot?

Jordo wrote:

Beowulf wrote:

Ah, but you see, earlier in the novel little servant boy hits big bully in the eye with a slingshot. I think.

I assume if we understood their culture, rape would be a formality as a quick punishment.

Doesn't his son kill Assef with a slingshot?

Something like that, but Hassan definitely hit him or tried to at some point. You know, I never felt a pang of sympathy for anyone in that novel.

Beowulf wrote:

Jordo wrote:

Doesn't his son kill Assef with a slingshot?

Something like that, but Hassan definitely hit him or tried to at some point. You know, I never felt a pang of sympathy for anyone in that novel.

His son I do.

Got sexual assaulted by Assef.

How can you not feel sympathy for Hassan?

I just didn't. Maybe because I read it in class. Generally I can sympathise with victims, provided they showed courage and fight. Hassan and Amir were too passive.

Hassan was lied to by the people he loved and trusted.

And was a victim to Amir, because Amir was cruel to him.

He was stupid then. Those traits I could forgive if he was a dog, and he was like a loyal pet in some respects. Loyal to a fault.

Going to have to write about the Kite Runner in the next few days for my coursework I'm retaking. Wish I could be rid of it. Because I'm also writing about Color Purple, another dumb ignorant passive protagonist.

Passive characters are easier to identify with though, they're more flawed and more human. No one in real life acts like the action heroes, so I find it hard to relate to them

Stop right there criminal scum, I'd rather sympathise with an embattled victim who displays heart and grit, than one who just buckles down under pressure and simply acts like a pitiful creature. I have much disdain for all out action heroes, but I still need some conflict to keep me interested. I still appreciate the sentimental bits, just not on its own.


That was an Oblivion quote btw, in case you take offence.

Yea, you may have more respect for them, but they arent great characters imo, they are too one dimensional, they dont feel real. Nomsayin?

Maybe our tastes differ because our choice of literature differs. Do you prefer modern novels? Characters who you can really relate to, because they are formed from the reality which you live in? Me, I prefer the past. Fiction formed from the past. Fantasies,historical epics. I do not expect to relate to them entirely. The protagonists I prefer are underdogs who become larger than life through engaging character development thanks to events which wouldn't be realistic in this world. They can be great characters if they are captivating enough during their quest. Boromir for instance was a great character. As was Aragorn.

Makes sense.

Has anyone read Great Expectations? Appeared on Iplayer and I'm wondering whether to watch it.

Read it when I was about 11. Have no idea whether I liked it or not.

Beowulf wrote:Has anyone read Great Expectations? Appeared on Iplayer and I'm wondering whether to watch it.

Saw it in play form, would probably be too much for me to read it with my shitty attention span.