"It is the nature of humankind to idealize, to indulge in excessive praise as well as unjust condemnation."
Peter Ackroyd, Venice: Pure City
*Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at Ginger Reads Lainey and now it's hosted by Samantha at Thoughts on Tomes. If you want to participate, you can join the Goodreads Group to be updated on the topics for each week. Check it out!
I found it quite difficult, honestly, that's why I'm posting this a little bit late, I guess I'm not a controversial-book kind of gal. Oh, well.
Some of them aren't my favorite, but I surely can find something interesting or redeemable about them.
Which are some controversial or polarizing books that you've read and liked? Tell me in the comments!
Some of them aren't my favorite, but I surely can find something interesting or redeemable about them.
Which are some controversial or polarizing books that you've read and liked? Tell me in the comments!
1. A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin
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| ertacaltinoz |
"Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you." A Game of Thrones
The never-ending question everyone has in their mind: Is Game of Thrones anti-feminist or feminist? Well, I think it's the latter.
Yes, women in these books are raped and treated like shit constantly, but that doesn't mean that the books are anti-feminist, that means that some of the male characters are.
Most of the women in this series are strong, brave and intelligent. They know what they want and they make sure they get it. The truth is, most of them are better characters than the male ones. Ups.
And we have a great variety of amazing women, with different personalities, flaws and virtues, so we definitely can pick and choose who we feel like we can relate to the most. Or perhaps even feel conected to all of them in different times and in different ways.
Some of them are honest, loyal and physically strong like Brienne. Some of them, although flawed, are smart and really care about their families, like Catelyn and Cersei. Some, like Margaery, are kind but ambitious. Some start as little kids but grow immensely, like Sansa. Some, like Melissandre, are a little cray cray but sexy as hell. And some of them, like Daenerys and Arya, are badassery in woman form.
What's sure is that they're all complex and wonderful characters and that we love them for it.
2. Book Endings: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins & Allegiant by Veronica Roth
"It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart." Mockingjay
"I suppose a fire that burns that bright is not meant to last." Allegiant
(SPOILERIFIC, maybe)
Oh, the controversy here is palpable. Are these endings like super popular with the ladies and gents? Well... A lot of people hate them with a passion of a thousand burning suns, so my answer is hell, no.
I don't totally understand it, Are they my favorite? Nope, but they aren't the worse.
Let's start with Mockingjay. The epilogue or whatever is cheesy as hell, but the rest of the book is really great, it makes you feel emotional and it keeps you interested. I think people doesn't like it as much as the others 'cause it has more political and revolutionary themes and not as much teens killing each other. What do they want? Another book with the Hunger Games? It would be like fuck this shit, the Mockingjay is not gonna die in the damn games, just stop it already, it's getting old. And so am I.
Divergent is not my favorite series ever, but I liked it a lot, and I liked the last book. A lot of people, I mean a LOT of people hate the death that cannot be named. You know, Tris? The main character throughout three books? Yeah... I understand why they may hate it. I don't feel like that, though, sure I was shocked and in denial for a while, but that's what's great about it. Not a lot of YA authors have the balls to do something like that, so it was a a breath of fresh air. I'm guessing all these hurt people aren't Joss Whedon and George R.R. Martin fans. We know what is to suffer!
Oh, the controversy here is palpable. Are these endings like super popular with the ladies and gents? Well... A lot of people hate them with a passion of a thousand burning suns, so my answer is hell, no.
I don't totally understand it, Are they my favorite? Nope, but they aren't the worse.
Let's start with Mockingjay. The epilogue or whatever is cheesy as hell, but the rest of the book is really great, it makes you feel emotional and it keeps you interested. I think people doesn't like it as much as the others 'cause it has more political and revolutionary themes and not as much teens killing each other. What do they want? Another book with the Hunger Games? It would be like fuck this shit, the Mockingjay is not gonna die in the damn games, just stop it already, it's getting old. And so am I.
Divergent is not my favorite series ever, but I liked it a lot, and I liked the last book. A lot of people, I mean a LOT of people hate the death that cannot be named. You know, Tris? The main character throughout three books? Yeah... I understand why they may hate it. I don't feel like that, though, sure I was shocked and in denial for a while, but that's what's great about it. Not a lot of YA authors have the balls to do something like that, so it was a a breath of fresh air. I'm guessing all these hurt people aren't Joss Whedon and George R.R. Martin fans. We know what is to suffer!
3. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
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| MadLibbs |
"I am always saying "Glad to've met you" to somebody I'm not at all glad I met. If you want to stay alive, you have to say that stuff, though."
In all fairness, I read this book a long time ago 'cause I loved (love) Winona Ryder, and she said it was her favorite book in an interview or something. So yeah... Pathetic? Yes? No? Anyway...
I can perfectly see which's the problem that many people have with this book, and that is the main character. That's a big problem. Holden Caulfield is annoying as all fuck, I know it, you knows it, we all know it. Hell, it's possibe he knows it too, even though he's totally fictional and without consciousness.
But he's an angry, sad, insecure and messed up teenager. We may have forgotten about it, but we all probably were angry, sad, insecure and messed up teenagers too. And I have no doubt that other people found us very annoying.
I think the majority of people that dislike this book, were either not-age-appropriate sensible or don't rember what it was like being a teen hormonal-bomb. I remember. I understand. I believe I never even left this state and I'm thirty now. But let's not talk about my emotional deficienciess, right now... Please.
Maybe we aren't supposed to adore this character, maybe because he doesn't like himself very much either. And I'm pretty sure he wouldn't like us at all, anyway. We bunch of phonies.
I can perfectly see which's the problem that many people have with this book, and that is the main character. That's a big problem. Holden Caulfield is annoying as all fuck, I know it, you knows it, we all know it. Hell, it's possibe he knows it too, even though he's totally fictional and without consciousness.
But he's an angry, sad, insecure and messed up teenager. We may have forgotten about it, but we all probably were angry, sad, insecure and messed up teenagers too. And I have no doubt that other people found us very annoying.
I think the majority of people that dislike this book, were either not-age-appropriate sensible or don't rember what it was like being a teen hormonal-bomb. I remember. I understand. I believe I never even left this state and I'm thirty now. But let's not talk about my emotional deficienciess, right now... Please.
Maybe we aren't supposed to adore this character, maybe because he doesn't like himself very much either. And I'm pretty sure he wouldn't like us at all, anyway. We bunch of phonies.
4. Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer
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| otherwise |
"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb." Twilight
Here comes the mother of "OMG I love it!" or "This shit is godawful." in the world of books. Where am I? Why should I know?
When I was a teenager, before reading Twilight, I was crazy about vampires. Like I really loved them. Everything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, through Interview with a Vampire (both the movie and the book), up to the movie Bram Stoker's Dracula.
When these books became famous I was a little bit over it, but I became interested. Everyone was reading it and I was the queen of vampires, right?
I wasn't that impressed. I mean, why in hell I was going to fall in love with a sparkly teen fairy-vampire if I was in love with cool-sunglasses-wearing and King of vampires, Gary Oldman, you know?
The books are not great, the writing it's mediocre at best, but god they are entertaining. I'm aware of the big problems this series has. I mean, dude, why you keep watching her sleep and stalking her? That's creepy as hell.
But I have half a brain and I know that's just fucking weird. Let's teach everybody that this isn't what a perfect relationship looks like and just enjoy the pure cheesiness of these books. Pretty please?
When I was a teenager, before reading Twilight, I was crazy about vampires. Like I really loved them. Everything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, through Interview with a Vampire (both the movie and the book), up to the movie Bram Stoker's Dracula.
When these books became famous I was a little bit over it, but I became interested. Everyone was reading it and I was the queen of vampires, right?
I wasn't that impressed. I mean, why in hell I was going to fall in love with a sparkly teen fairy-vampire if I was in love with cool-sunglasses-wearing and King of vampires, Gary Oldman, you know?
The books are not great, the writing it's mediocre at best, but god they are entertaining. I'm aware of the big problems this series has. I mean, dude, why you keep watching her sleep and stalking her? That's creepy as hell.
But I have half a brain and I know that's just fucking weird. Let's teach everybody that this isn't what a perfect relationship looks like and just enjoy the pure cheesiness of these books. Pretty please?
5. John Green Books: The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska & Paper Towns
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| HarpyMarx |
"Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you." The Fault in Our Stars
"It always shocked me when I realized that I wasn’t the only person in the world who thought and felt such strange and awful things." Looking for Alaska
"What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person." Paper Towns
A fairly big amount of people don't like these books or John Green's writing in general. They say that all his characters are basically the same, that The Fault in Our Stars is pretty manipulative, and even that the language that his teenage characters use it's too smart and complex to feel realistic.
Well, that may be true, but as someone who comes from the time of Dawson's Creek, where the teens talked like they were reading from a philosophy book, I only can say: John Green is a mere amateur.
I like his books and his use of the language, it's different and it feels unique to him. You know you're reading a John Green book immediately, and that's not easy to accomplish.
I can relate to his characters, even though we have different ages, personalities and life situations. Their stories move me, and although I don't cry or anything because I'm a hardcore bitch, his books can make me emotional. And that's all they have to do.
Well, that may be true, but as someone who comes from the time of Dawson's Creek, where the teens talked like they were reading from a philosophy book, I only can say: John Green is a mere amateur.
I like his books and his use of the language, it's different and it feels unique to him. You know you're reading a John Green book immediately, and that's not easy to accomplish.
I can relate to his characters, even though we have different ages, personalities and life situations. Their stories move me, and although I don't cry or anything because I'm a hardcore bitch, his books can make me emotional. And that's all they have to do.
BONUS: YA as a Genre
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| Loleia |
"A book is a wonderful present. Though it may grow worn, it will never grow old." Jane Yolen, Girl in a Cage
It wouldn't be a perfect Top 5 in this blog if I didn't include more than five things on this list. I'm a rebel.
Pretty much all of us consider Young Adult books as a genre, even though it isn't. It's an age-group, you know?
I feel that sometimes this generalization means something not that good. Some people think that if a book it's considered YA it's something not worth reading, but is it, though?
Young Adult books can be as intelligent, poingnant and deep as Adult books. And why they shouldn't be? Perhaps we have to stop thinking that all teenagers are stupid.
Maybe some of them are. Maybe some of them just look like they are stupid. Some of them are smart, wonderful people. But so are adults. I mean, I've meet a bunch of dumb as fuck grown-ups in my life.
We should stop judging a book by it's age-group, 'cause that's just stupid.
I'm here to confess: I like YA books and that's ok.
Boom. I'm done.
Pretty much all of us consider Young Adult books as a genre, even though it isn't. It's an age-group, you know?
I feel that sometimes this generalization means something not that good. Some people think that if a book it's considered YA it's something not worth reading, but is it, though?
Young Adult books can be as intelligent, poingnant and deep as Adult books. And why they shouldn't be? Perhaps we have to stop thinking that all teenagers are stupid.
Maybe some of them are. Maybe some of them just look like they are stupid. Some of them are smart, wonderful people. But so are adults. I mean, I've meet a bunch of dumb as fuck grown-ups in my life.
We should stop judging a book by it's age-group, 'cause that's just stupid.
I'm here to confess: I like YA books and that's ok.
Boom. I'm done.
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