Tag: reviews

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Books

Review: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

I give this book a 4.

 

This is a story that most people are familiar with but few have actually read. Being one of those people for so long, I decided to rectify that. I’ve been in a phase of going back and reading many classical and pivotal works of literature, and like so many others, this story did not fail to live up to its reputation.

The first thing one notices upon reading this story is the use of language and the specific style in which the story is written. Stories just aren’t written like this anymore, and though it was an adjustment, I felt somehow draw to this unique quality. This classical style of writing gives this story an edge and a sense of mystery that would otherwise come off as boring or over exaggerated.

The true value of this story comes from the introduction of the duality of man, in which this particular character of Jekyll/Hyde represents. The duality of man wasn’t a new idea at the time this story was written, but this story captures a sense of humanity that is still assessable and applicable today. While instances that truly test the human psyche typically stem from some sort of trauma or moral or metaphysical dilemma, Dr. Jekyll explores the inner reaches of his soul simply because he can, and then there are consequences.

Many times people look at Edward Hyde as a villain, but he was only what Jekyll refused to be and was only able to exist because of Jekyll. After reading this story and understanding it to the best of my ability, I don’t see either of these personas as good or bad, but simply products of necessity.

Would Dr. Jekyll bothered to have sought the personification of this less socially acceptable counterpart had society not been so restrictive and “polite” at the time? Would Hyde have been so wicked if the perception of wickedness had not been so profound, or if his counterpart had been allowed the freedom to experience “wicked” things without the necessity of a transformation?

This story is in many ways a jab at society and the big picture that it paints in the minds of its citizens. Does everything have to boil down to a question of right and wrong, or is there an acceptable gray area of existence for humanity to dwell  within, and still live in harmony? I could go on and on, but I won’t. I’ll leave that to all the profoundly smart thinkers out there who believe they have all the answers.

For now, I just know that I enjoyed this story. Reading the account of these characters through a series of letters was strange and enlightening all at once. It allows the reader a chance to experiences different points of view, but can also have the effect of being indecisive and confusing. However, in this story, the confusion is a good thing. If you read this story with a full and complete understanding of every thought and emotion expressed, then you are truly an evolved person and should go ahead and ascend into the heavens. I kid, but seriously, this is not a clear case to understand: mentally, physically, or spiritually. If anything, this story excels at leaving the reader with questions of why, how, and what about me?

I’d recommend this story to anyone who appreciates classical literature, sci-fi, and thought-provoking stories that question the nature of humanity.

This review has been posted to GoodReads. If you’d like to obtain a copy of this book, try this link.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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Fiction Author

Long Time No Talk with Eileen Clemens Granfors

LongTimeGreetings humans, half-breeds, and everything in between. Today I’m sharing a very special update from one of my dearest author friends, a trend I hope to develop more. It’s been a while since I’ve interviewed/hosted this special author or reviewed something of hers, but that’s just me being disorganized and frazzled as usual. Eileen Clemens Granfors is a writer of strong female characters and an all-around sweet person.

So here’s an update on what she’s been doing.

Toi: So Eileen, I heard you moved to the Midwest. What’s that all about?

Eileen: We’ve been in our Missouri house for a year! We can’t believe our retirement dreams are being realized. At the same time, I need a frequent fix of California friends and family. And I’ve gotten back to sewing and doing embroidery, which I love.

Toi: I need to get back into sewing; just need to find the time.

How’s your blog going? Anything interesting or standout posts go up recently?

Eileen: I review new books, many from self-pub, authors. I am trying to up my non-fiction reading and have a good start with WILD SEA and SURFING THE BORDER, two works by Serge Dedina. He is now the mayor of Imperial Beach, CA (my hometown) and makes sense of the way to free the ocean of pollution along the Mexico-California border and the Tijuana River mouth where the waves are fierce, but the pollution is dangerous after rains. A second new feature is a list of each featured author’s ten most inspirational books. That way I can add to my own TBR!

Toi: I love that feature idea. I really should find a way to organize my TBR list.

How’s the third Marisol book coming?

Eileen: At last I am back to finishing SO YOU, SOLIMAR, the 3rd book in the Marisol trilogy. I have started and stopped this book for three years, trying to get the voice right. My cataract surgery in November and December slowed me down, but surgery was successful, and I’m glad I had it done. Now back to the book!

Toi: So, you have any cool or grand plans for the year to come?

Eileen: I am trying this year, not New Year’s Resolutions, but just a more common sense approach to fitness. My husband bought me an adult trike for Christmas that I love. We’ll be in California and are hoping to get up the East Coast for a fall cruise in 2016. Mostly, I want to see SOLIMAR published, which means nose to the grindstone!

Also, there’s a special gmail for review requests on my blog, Word Joy; the guidelines of what I do ziggybedand do not read are there.

We are also working like crazy on Dog Obedience 101 for our third dog, a Labrador –Schnauzer mix. He was dropped at the shelter with his sisters in a box on a cold December night. They named him Christmas Future. We brought him home and named him Ziggy. He’s a wild man, but he makes us laugh so much.

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Well, wasn’t that a nice little update. Now don’t you want to take some time to visit her blog and check out some of her books? You’ll be glad you did. Plus, you can head over to Word Joy right now to see an update from me.

If you like this update of my dear friend Eileen and are wondering about some of my other past guests, don’t worry; their updates are in the works. So, humans, half-breeds, and everything in between, that’s all I have for today.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
Books

Review: Seraphina

Seraphina (Seraphina #1) by Rachel Hartman

I give this book a 4, almost a 4 and 1/2.

At the very core of this tale of fantasy are the ideas of warfare and the use of espionage, but before you get to all that, you meet Seraphina Dombegh. In this world of Goredd, humans and dragons (in human forms) live side by side, but not necessarily amicably and Seraphina is caught in the middle of these two peoples, just trying to keep the peace.

There is so much I could say about this story to hype it up, but I’ll keep it short and simple.

1. I really enjoy the world building of this book and the background story. This new take and twist on the dragons’ tale is refreshing, but I do wish there had been more time spent with the dragons overall.

2. The way this book handles issues of politics and social etiquette is very matter of fact. There is a sense of realism that takes you out of the fantasy and lets you see the underline meanings and how these things can relate to your life.

3. Seraphina is a wonderful and relatable character. She can be whiny at times, but that only makes her seem more real, especially in times when she’s not whining, but fighting and taking charge. Seraphina represents the insecurities of humanity (or should I say, of sentient beings). We never see ourselves as others do and we tend to be more critical of ourselves than is necessary, and that’s what Seraphina does. However, she does actually have a very good reason for being self-conscious, but through it all, she continues to fight.

4. There are many sub plots to this story that sometimes outshine the happenings of the overall plot, but it all works together in the end. The subtle sense of romance is down played quite a bit, in a realistic manner since the characters are on the verge of war. There are stories of loss, revenge, honor, and discovery within the pages of this book and they all mesh quite well together.

The only other thing that slightly soured my reading experience was the flashback technique of sharing someone else’s experiences and memories. That was a little hard to read, but since everything was ultimately explained, it didn’t take too much away from the story.

If you like dragons and have an open mind, you should enjoy this story.

This review has been posted to GoodReads. If you’d like to obtain a copy of this book, try this link.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords