Ever get bored of just a plain page of front size 12, Typewriter Arabic script? Well I know I do, yes I do agree with constant words its like a rhythm the keep reading with. When the words become too much I pick up a handy graphic novel, or a slim comic.
Though now I have found a book that's keeps me guessing, not in plot, but in the style of writing. This book also with text, has pictures, exaggerated text, and... Comics. With this book it's interesting, with multiple styles in the book, I never know how this book is going to express itself. It's a good read for normal text lovers, visual reading, and those just in the mood for a good read. Though not just only on the visual level, but the story is interesting, but I'm not going to give it away. As when I finish this book, I will go on the rest of them. Just for your views, here are what some parts of the book looks like...
Text with picture-
Text-
Comic-
I hope you find these pictures a good reference for the book, even without the direct lines. With a hope you forgive me for having a less formal post like I usually do, I wanted to be a bit more laid back with this week and just read more, I hope you understand. Thanks!
http://www.dopplegangerchronicles.com/
This is The actual website for this series, with the look at the series, a trailer, and a place to buy the book right there.
I am impressed, with this author, John Green. Even touching on the last post I had with the tone of the characters sounding like teenagers, with laid back dialogue and the order of words. Not up tight sounding and formal like business men, or a serious book. Also not sounding like a light and peppy kindergarten teacher with bundles of energy. The characters sound natural, real, and most of all... relatable.
In my opinion some of the best books out there fall in three categories: uses your imagination, had a cool cover matched with title, or is relatable. Many would question what I mean by a relatable book, and for me it means that just the story makes sense to me and is natural, or I have experienced similar things to the characters in the books. With this novel there is a relatable scene though not to the exact way in the story but the way the characters interact with each other while playing a video game. "'Isaac I feel a growing concern about our position. If you agree then head over to the power Station and I'll cover you... (He switches to speaking to Hazel in the conversation) Anyway it doesn't hurt to talk to him. If you have any sage words of feminine advice... (Conversation back to Isaac) Oh, goddamn it, Isaac, I don't mean to criticize you in your moment of great weakness, but you allowed them to outflank and now there's nothing between the terrorists and the school.'"(Page 57) For me, this adds to the feeling and vibe of the characters and story, so they feel natural and not forced words on the page. This technique pulls readers in for they understand the characters as well as feel like they are part if the story.
For me on a personal note, it brings me closer to the characters and causes me to have a great issue putting the book down. Like in the quote above I'm like the speaker, Augustus, as when I play video games I am usually holding my spot on two different conversations at once, but with a division and fluency that would make people never know where I'm focused.
As it is known, this book is supposed to have a sad tone to it. Yet, I didn't understand when I first starting reading this book, how the sadness was interpreted. Such as I thought it would have an over all depressing tone though in truth. I found the beginning and the way the main character, Hazel, explains her predicament with load sarcasm and a touch of sass really pulls out some humor in this book. "... Patrick recount for the thousandth time his depressingly miserable life story- how he had cancer in his balls and they thought he was going to die but he didn't die and now here he is, a full-grown adult in a church basement.... addicted to video games, mostly friendless... those many years ago when cancer took both of his nuts but spared what only the generous soul would call his life. AND YOU MIGHT BE SO LUCKY!" (Page 4-5) In my head I read this thought of Hazel with a bored tone, like reciting a story for a thousandth time, just as she said in her quote. With the ending of how they might be so lucky to get that, how she describes it, miserable almost meaningless life. It was quite humorous with this relatable teenage tone and thoughts. Also with use of this tone and the use of slang terms, Hazel seems more dimensional and how we can understand her on a level basis. But, back with humor, it is used to help the story along but when it gets bad, it hits, hard.
As with the humor, a trap is set. Little did I know starting this book that was overwhelmed with humor and sarcasm, that soon, this lightly bubbliness will be gone. When a bad thing happens in a happy moment you don't expect it. So with this story, when the bad part came, it hit home run. And even so far as page 25, I lost it. "I had a neck surgery called radical neck dissection, which is as pleasant as it sounds. Then radiation. Then they tried some chemo for my lung tumors. My tumors shrank and then grew. By then, I was fourteen... I finally ended up in the ICU with pneumonia, and my mom kelt by the side of my bed and said, 'Are you ready, sweetie?' and I told her I was ready, and my dad just kept telling me he loved me in this voice that was not breaking so much as already broken, and I kept telling him I loved him too, and everyone was holding hands, and I couldn't catch my breath... And I remember my mom telling me it was okay, that I was okay, that I would be okay, and when my father was trying hard not to sob, that when he did... I remember wanting not to be awake." (Page 24-25) She starts out like she is retelling a story for the thousandth time again, with the dull overtaking tone. Yet as you get farther and farther into what she is saying, the depressing tone sets in and pushes down and down until you can't take the pressure. As soon as she mentioned her mom, I thought my own mom and the dad who was trying not to sob or cry. It was hard because I can't imagine being in a situation like that. It's so sad that this happened and it broke me, I'm not going to lie, I cried, a lot. Only 25 pages in, now I'm worried what's to come and if it gets worse. I'll just have to keep an eye out for the humor trap next time.
The Fault in Our Stars original trailer for the movie.
http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2014/03/05/esther-earl-star
Here is the story of the girl who insipired the book A Fault in Our Stars along with videos about her and part of her life story. Also contained some information of another book about her and her fight against cancer called This Star Won't Go out.
