Jane Eyre (A Dusty Old Books Review)

Jane Eyre is a novel by Charlotte Bronte that traces the life journey of a woman (Jane) from the time she is a young girl living in the house of her aunt to the end of her life. Jane Eyre is not a book for everyone. It is extremely introspective and is not plot or action driven by any means. This is the story of a person, her emotional and spiritual journey, and how she grows through interactions with other people. It is written beautifully, with layered motifs and symbols, and very interesting for the political and social implications for the time it was written in. It also still has a strong message of social equality that makes the book more pertinent to life. However the book may be a bit too slow or too introspective for some people, as well as seem outdated or pointless. In general, I found it quite enjoyable, but it may not be the right read for many teens today. If you're looking for a glimpse inside someone else's head, this is the read for you.

Mistress Fu

NIGHT WORLD No.1 by L. J. Smith

"Vampires, werewolves, witches, shapeshifters--they live among us without our knowledge. Night World is their secret society, a secret society with very strict rules. And falling in love breaks all the laws of the Night World."

This big book of many pages is made up of three different stories for forbidden love between humans and Night People. Of course, as stated above from the back cover of
Night World, falling in love with a human breaks all the laws and is punishable by death.

The first short story was Secret Vampire which was about a young girl with only three months to live. And the only way to save her is for her best friend to turn her into a vampire. Which is totally against the laws. The second was Daughter of Darkness. This one had a cross over from the last one. The third story also had cross over Night People from the first story. If anything more is said about the stories, it would be giving a lot away. So read it.

All three stories were very well written in third person and had good characters. Everyone with a love for vampire and such should read this series of books.

-- Chances vs Pills

Starcraft; Speed of Darkness

This is M-Dog here. Lately I read a book about a computer game from Blizzard. It is the third book in a trilogy. The whole book is based of of the game Starcraft. It was a very good book.
I play Starcraft quite a bit so it was neat when most of the game was used in the book. A lot of the techniques used were the same as I use. This is a great book if you have ever played Starcraft.
The book was written very well. It was interesting and kept me interested through the whole book.
M-Dog out.

Combinations by Eisley (Music)

Combinations is probably one of our favorite CDs of all time. It's hard to believe it came out over a year ago, it still sounds so amazing it's like new. This marks a good amount of growth from Room Noises with more layering, more complexity on a musical level, and more developed voices for Sherri and Stacy (the lead singers). However Eisley still manages to capture a kind of innocence and whimsy that is unique to them, and gives them their distinct vibe. Eisley's lyrics occupy a world completely their own. Each song alone is good to listen to, but when taken as a whole it becomes even better.

Highlights:
Come Clean: This song is one of the most original out at the moment. It has a sense of freshness and is extremely genuine. It has a slightly more pop feel to it but it still incorporates the indie sound that Eisley uses for the majority of their music.

A Sight to Behold: The drums are amazing!! This song is more driven than the majority of Eisley songs, but the slight edge that it has gives it more depth than many of the other songs. The contrast between Eisley's hopeful lyrics and the intensity of the music gives this song a tension that makes it endlessly listenable. Obi Wan's personal favorite.

Combinations: Cutest song ever. The beginning is wonderful and takes the song from a traditional romantic song to something with a different tone. It is far more adorable than the traditional love song, because it isn't overly sweet yet still manages to capture the feeling of the lyrics in the music.

Deadpan Serious

Ariel by Sylvia Plath (A Dusty Old Book Review)

This is one of the most haunting and disturbing pieces of literature I have yet come across. Plath writes beautifully, with strong, vivid imagery that sticks in your mind. She pulls from her attempted suicide, World War II, troubled families and the darker side of nature for her metaphors and images, and together they create something terrifying yet still intensely meaningful. It reads quite easily, although it does have considerable depth in the allusions and structure of the poems. The crowning piece is probably Lady Lazarus, Plath's anthem of a suicidal woman. Strong while still being extremely vulnerable, the poem pulls together the themes that drive Plath's life.
Overall, a book that should be read by everyone, although not all at one time. When taken all together, the poems can be overwhelming, but when spread out they form a beautiful piece.


Mistress Fu

Frannie in Pieces by Delia Ephron

Frannie In Pieces by Delia Ephron

Welll, I thought this was a pretty good book. The character detail is quite good,
along with a decent plot line. Without giving away too much, it starts off about a girl, (obviously named Frannie) who's father dies of unknown causes at the beginning of the book. She struggles to deal with the fact that yes, her parents were divorced before her father died, and her mother had replaced him. Other things happen in her life that add to her issues. Over all, the plot would get a 3.5/5 from me. The characters were far from flat, 5/5. I love the details on each character given towards the beginning of the book. Generally a good book, for anyone interested in a realistic plot. Good book! 4/5.

The Dark Knight Returns, and The Dark Knight Strikes Again

The Dark Knight Returns AND The Dark Knight Strikes Again (Graphic Novel) by Frank Miller

This is a masterpiece. Straight up ridiculously good. Epic, you might say. The dystopia, the acceptance, the call to action, the return, all are unbelieveable. This collection begins with showing how far Gotham City has gone downhill without Batman. Which is saying something, if you've read any Batman graphic novels. Gotham is not a happy place. But Batman returns. Of course. It's in the title. You will subtly be returned to the old characters, until by the end of the second book, you know where most of the primary characters of the DC universe have gone. Everything about this story is amazing. I'm not a huge fan of the arkwork, I like my art dark and glossy. More modern. But the art doesn't detract from the story at all, in fact, it fits it almost perfectly. And I enjoyed the art far more about halfway through The Dark Knight Strikes Again. Regardless, this is spectacular.

FINAL VERDICT: If you like comics, know anything about Batman, or like Watchmen, this graphic novel is for you. Even if you don't, read it. You might like it. As a previous comic fan and batman fan, and a fan of dystopias, I'd give it 5/5 bookmarks.

Signed, Abyss