Summer Assignment #4

I picked this book because it was the award winner for this year. The title intrigued me more because "In Darkness" just makes you wonder things like: who's in darkness? What's in darkness? Is there no light at all? As I read, I didn't have many connections to the novel. The main character was a teenager (which is one of my connections) but he was a boy. He grew up in hati (and I've never been) and has killed many people. However I reconized some of the things and places they were talking about. Overall this book was good.  The beginning confused me by switching time periods but once I figured out how to separate the chapters into two different stories it all fit together.I would recommend this novel to anyone who has a Haitian background or has read about Haitis history. There were a lot of historical references in this book not only to Haiti but also France during the time period of Bonaparte. Also I would recommend this book to anyone who likes action or intense parts because this book has battles, explosions and guns. Lastly, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes/believes in or wants to know more about voodoo because this book has ceromonies and beliefs about it.

Summer Assignment #3

The line I choose to hook the reader was " He and Biassou were concealed behind a mound of earth just near the top of the valley. They had ridden at night to take these positions. Now they watched as a series of ranks of men, the steam-breathing horses, the dragged cannons processed uphill. 'Now,' Toussaint said. Jean-Christophe, who was reined up beside them, nodded and spurred his mount, cantering down toward the front line of the French army" (Lake, 197) This quote talks about the Haiti revolution and how they began defending themselves. They begin by trying to work out a peace agreement, yet both army's were ready for battle. The "slaves" (who were now free) were hidden in the bushes, trees,  rocks and caves all alongside the French army without them knowing! They had limited weapons but had a lot of man power. The French army was well trained with good weapons but a smaller army. It was difficult to say who would win the battle and with the Engliah on their way also it's interesting to see how it plays out! Read the book and find out for yourself how both army's handle the situation!

Summer Assignment #2

In the "now"  chapters the main character (which still hasn't been named) just wants to get out of the darkness that he's stuck in. He feels like he is going insane as he thinks his life through because he's starting to believe in some of the voodoo that he's been told about. In the "then" chapters,  Toussaint  wants all of Haiti to be free, he wants the slaves to be free, which he's partly achieved, and he wants to set up a new government of all Africa Americans.  Some themes that are beginning to appear in my book are don't take revenge, but achieve justice. This is shown when the the author wrote "It seemed to him, lying there, that there were three kinds of slaves, three kinds of people. There were those who were so filled with hate by their experience.... There were those who were so filled with sadness by their experience.... In the darkness, Toussaint fancied that he was the third kind of person, and to fire his soul, to fill himself with a sense of the need for justice...." Since Toussaint is the leader of the revolution, he is not seaking revenge against the French, who made him a slave, but is looking for justice for all the African American slaves. This book is structured so that every other chapter changes time periods, going back and forth from now to then.

Summer Reading Assignment #1

The book that I chose to read over the summer is In Darkness by Nick Lake. This book takes place in Haiti, where the main character, whose name is unknown, tells about his life. Currently he is sitting in darkness, in a hospital, after getting shot. He believes that an earthquake happened because he can get out of the room and there are dead bodies and rubble all around him. He talks about his dad (Papa), his mom (Manman), and his sister (Marguerite), and how his dad got killed and his sister taken away. Also, every other chapter, the story changes, going back and forth in time. When the story goes back they talk about the start of a revolution that the blacks started in Haiti to overthrow the French and Americans. They start out with a voodoo ritual and then the revolutions starts. These chapters (then) are from a narrator’s point of view, looking at the character Toussaint, where as the “now” chapters are from the main characters point of view. I think that throughout this book I will find out how the main character got shot and how the past with Toussaint is important. I predict that by the end of this book the main character will either find a way out of the hospital or will be rescued.

Book Review: Divergent

Summary: The book Divergent by Veronica Roth is about this girl Beatrice (Tris) who has to make a very big choice from the start. She has to pick her faction. There are 5 different factions she can choose from but is torn between two, One her family is expecting and wants her to stay there, the other she looks up to and admires. For her the choice was easier than expected and begins her new life. But when tensions among, not only her own faction but also between the factions themselves, rise, Tris has to work and fight harder than she ever has before to survive.

Who would enjoy this book? I think anyone who is interested in futuristic/fiction books would enjoy this. This book, I thought was a lot like The Hunger Games in genres and anyone who read and liked that book would also like Divergent. This book is action filled but also has romance, and I think this book can appeal to a lot of people.

Rating: I would give this book 5 out of 5 because it is one of the best books i have read. I like how relatable a lot of the characters are even though they aren't real. Also throughout the book you are always on your toes (sometimes literally) just waiting to find out what happens next. 

Writing Style: the writing style of this book is mostly lower diction so it is an easy read but also has a lot of descriptive words and figurative language that gives you, the reader, a clear picture in your mind about what’s going on.

How did the Author Build Suspense in the Book?

The author built suspense in the book in different ways. The most common way that i noticed way by dragging on explanations and building the image in your head using descriptions. Another way i noticed would be to give hints but leave out crucial information for the reader to realize whats really going on like in chapter 32 she says "I don't even know how I'll explain it later. I don't even know how to think straight. But i do know how Erudite will get us to fight"(Roth, 415). Then the chaper ends. This makes you want to keep reading so you too can know how they will get them to fight.

Describe How the Different Characters deal with the Main Conflict of the Novel

The main conflict of the novel at this point is just being able to get through initiation. This for a lot of the characters is very difficult (some more than others). Some people feel so threatened that they will got to extreme lenghts to make sure they can get in to the faction. Like when someone stabbed Edward in his sleep so they could get above him in rankings. This caused another person to drop out just out of sheer fear that they would be stabbed next. For the other person, Myra, to drop out it shows that she was a coward and wouldnt really fit in to Duantless anyway. However it also shows that she is strong for being able to stand up and say she is leaving because the faction wont even do anything about her friend being stabbed. When Tris and Christina are talking they say "'Should we tell someone?' 'You really think the Dauntless will do anything?' I say. 'After they hung you in the chasm? after they made us beat eachother unconscious?'" This just shows how little the Dauntless leaders care. For the other initiates to stay it shows that they truly want this and that they are willing to put their lifes on the line for something they want, eccpecially when the leaders are willing to let them kill eachother for this.