Something Small

    Today, I read a quote and I thought it was beautiful and simple and I wanted to share it with you lovely people. Unfortunately, I don't know who said it, so just know that these are someone else's words, not mine.

"Your small stories are important." 

         

Finally, some Ireland!

Day Thirteen:                                                                                                       May 29, 2015

Today was Aran Islands Day. First we took a bus (for about an hour) to the ferry and we were on the ferry for another forty minutes or so. But then we got there! The first thing I did was eat lunch with [Professor T], [Friend H], [Friend K], and [Friend J]. I just got soup and brown bread because it was the cheapest and I was hoping to find something for my sister to spend my money on. I was separated from  [Friends B, C, and M], but I found them as I was climbing up to the fort and the cliffs. [Friend B] was kind enough to go back up with me. The view was breathtaking! I can only imagine what the Cliffs of Moher will look like. After we got back down, [Friend B] had to eat.
The line was super long, so she told me to go ahead and look for something for my sister (again, no luck). I did, however, find myself a sweatshirt, which I wasn't planning on for this trip. Oh well, it's super warm and comfy. It's much thicker than all of my sweatshirts at home. I had just enough time to buy the sweatshirt and then it was time to get on the tour bus (it was more like a glorified van) to see the rest of the island. There are so many church ruins! We stopped at one and I was so tempted to pick up a rock (and keep it). They were all perfect oval skipping stones. WE also stopped at a place where you could step in the water. I didn't, unfortunately, because I was wearing hiking boots and it was very cold. Then we stopped at another place where you could see seals! Unfortunately, the tide was in, so we could only see their heads bobbing around in the water. When the tour was done, [Friend B], [Friend K], [Professor T], and I stopped in a café to warm up. I ordered a mint hot chocolate and it was the most disgusting thing I've ever had. It was like drinking straight liquid peppermint, which doesn't actually found that bad in concept, but it's really quite gross. We didn't have much time after that before we were on the ferry for another hour and then an hour on the bus after that. We made stuffed chicken and veggies for dinner. So good! And then we all worked on homework until bedtime.


Day Fourteen:                                                                                                     May 30, 2015

Today was our free day. I read a good chunk of The Return of the King. because I was up early and we weren't going to set out until 10:30. We went straight to the market area. That was so cool! (I've never actually been to an outdoor market like that before,) It reminded me of the free fair a little bit, with all the stands and such. Our group was separated somewhere in there. We started with eleven of us and ended up with six. We never found the others, so we went to find lunch. We went to an Italian restaurant and I had an open bread panini. Afterwards, we headed in the general direction of Butler's Chocolate Cafe (!!), making a few stops along the way, including one at a music store. That's where I bought my older brother's gift. I'd been having a hard time trying to find him something, because I just really don't know what he would want. Hopefully he likes the drum. We also stopped at a few jewelry stores and I tried, in vain, to find something for my sister. I just don't know what to get her. It's too much pressure! But anyway, we went to Butler's and I got another mint hot chocolate...and a box of chocolates to make chocolate at home. I'm so excited! Then we wandered up the street to TK Maxx (which is basically TJ Maxx). [Friend B] and I rode up and down the escalators while everyone else used the toilets. After that we found a huge mall. It was weird though. You walk into this alleyway thing and you're a bit scared for your life and bam! You're in this huge shopping centre! We stopped at Burger King because [Friend A] wanted some fries. While were there [Friend C] and I took some gorgeous pictures in a Frozen cut out thing. (I was Anna and [Friend C] was Elsa). And then we found the book store. I tried to resist, I really did. But Maskerade was really calling to me. I heard it! And I was, of course, drawn to the Irish copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, as I have been in every book store I've been in. Each time, I pick it up, think about getting it, and then put it back down. I'm not sure who eventually convinced me to just get it ([Friend B] or [Friend C]?) but I'm glad I got it. I'm running rather low on euros at this point, so hopefully I can make it to the end of the trip. And hopefully I can find something for Zoie when we go to the Cliffs of Moher tomorrow!! (Fingers crossed...)

*I don't have any good Day 14 pictures, so you get extra for Day 13*

Book Challenge Day 9

Day 9: A Book You Wish More People Would Read

I discovered this book while watching The Today Show a few years ago. It was receiving pretty high praise and Samantha Shannon was being hailed 'the next J.K. Rowling'. Obviously, there is no comparison. J.K. Rowling published seven novels for children and young adults that became a worldwide phenomenon. That's not to say Shannon isn't an extraordinary writer, because she is. It's just that the books, the authors, the circumstances...they're all different. Not really a good comparison. Also, Shannon's books are not getting the attention they deserve. In my opinion, they should be a worldwide phenomenon. Unfortunately, they're not. So go! All of you! Read The Bone Season and then The Mime Order and then wait impatiently for the next book to come out with the rest of us.





"Perhaps I feel safest when I think of nothing." -The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

A Character Comparison

          Oh, hi there. I feel bad that I haven't posted anything all that great lately. Sure, lists are fun, but there's no depth. I also feel bad that I haven't continued my book photo challenge or my Ireland posts. I've got a good reason for the latter and a decent excuse for the first. You see, I left my Ireland notebook at home and I don't get to go home for another 9 days and 15 hours or so. To say I'm desperately homesick would be a touch of an understatement, but I've already written a post on that, so I won't do it again. As for the book photo challenge, I do have most of my books here, but the one I have in mind for the next day is currently not in my possession (I do have a habit of thrusting books I love into my friends' hands). So, unable to do either of those and with a desire to give you something more than a list, I'll give you a realization.
          Before I begin, I'd like to say that there are going to be book spoilers in this post for Graceling by Kristin Cashore, and probably for Fire as well (same author). And The Hunger Games (If, by some reason, you haven't already heard how it ends, I will spoil it.) Also, if you haven't read these books and you don't care about spoilers, you might not really care about what I have to write anyway. However, I came to a realization about a character, or even the comparison between to characters, and I want to write about it, savvy? (Also, I've been thinking about pirates).
          Ready? Last chance to turn back....Ok. Here we go:

          Both of the main characters in Graceling and Fire are female characters, Katsa, from Graceling, and Fire, from Fire. Katsa is a graceling with the grace of killing (or so she thinks). Naturally, with a grace like that, it's got to be difficult to lead a peaceful life (which she doesn't). Fire is a Monster (which means she is the most attractive thing in the world, pretty much, and she can enter and influence the minds of others). Generally, readers adore Katsa and like Fire pretty well. However, I have always liked Fire more and almost disliked Katsa. It finally hit me while I was rereading the books the past couple of weeks why I dislike her.
          See, there's this idea of the 'strong, female character' that they all seem to fit into. These characters are fiercely independent and reject the feminine aspects of being female (Being pretty? No. Getting married? I don't need no man. Children? Bah, who needs 'em?). These strong, female characters are sometimes more masculine than they are feminine. Just because she is strong, doesn't mean she has to emulate masculinity. Now, most 'strong, female characters' will take on a few of these traits. Katniss from The Hunger Games, for example, is very independent and rejects the idea of beauty, becoming a very masculine soldier against the capitol. However, in the end, she is with Peeta and they have children. She becomes a mother, even though it scares her, so she can have a family with him. Tris from the Divergent trilogy is also rather masculine. She chops off her hair and throughout the trilogy is mostly concerned with fighting. And yet, there is a softness to her. She loves Tobias and Christina, and even Caleb. That strong love is pretty feminine.
          And then there is Katsa. She is the most masculine, uber-feminist character that I've encountered so far in my readings. As mentioned before, she has a killing grace, which is understandably difficult to live with, but it turns her into such a cold, unfeeling person it's hard to like her. Even when Po softens her, she still is pretty manly. She doesn't care about beauty, which, let's be honest, neither do I. But Katsa takes it to a whole other level. Not once in the course of the book does she ever want to look pretty. Her feminine form is a burden to her. She chops of her hair and wears men's clothing. She also abhors the idea of having children. The biggest issue I have with her, though, is her selfishness in regards to Po. He is willing to do anything for her, because he loves her. Love is supposed to be like that, a give and take. But all Katsa does is take everything Po gives. She refuses to marry him because she doesn't want to be owned by him. She is too selfish to give herself to him in an equal relationship based on mutual trust.
          Fire, on the other hand, I adore. She is what I envision a strong, female character to be. Her being a Monster, and the last of her kind, has always set her apart. She's had very few friends in her lifetime and she's always been afraid of her ability to take another person's mind. Despite all this, the people she has in her life, she cares very deeply about. We get to see her heart stretch and fill with more people. She isn't afraid to love. And Fire is very brave. She does what she has to do to protect people she loves and even those that she doesn't even know. She desperately wants children, but she knows that the Monster bloodline must end with her. The scenes involving her decision to sterilize herself are gut wrenching and you can feel her pain at having made the decision. One thing I love about Fire, and Brigan agrees with me, is her pain. It humanizes her and makes her stronger for overcoming it. Katsa is always impervious to pain, even her emotional pain isn't all that bad. But Fire feels whatever she feels very deeply. She also overcomes her fear of herself. She learns how to become who she is supposed to be and she does it selflessly. Which brings me to her relationship with Brigan. While they had a rocky start, as did Katsa and Po, once they began their relationship was built on trust. The scene discussing the need of a guard, for both of them, is a great example of the trust that they have built with each other. They are equals.

          And that, folks, is why I like Fire better than Katsa. I apologize for the rambling nature of the paragraphs regarding my character comparison. Someday, maybe, I'll turn this into an actual character analysis essay. But today is not that day. Instead, I shall leave with a quote. Good day!



"It made Fire so angry, the thought of such a medicine, a violence done to herself to stop her from creating anything like herself. And what was the purpose of these eyes, this impossible face, the softness and the curves of this body, the strength of this mind; what was the point, if none of the men who desired her were to give her any babies, and all it ever brought her was grief? What was the purpose of a woman monster?" -Fire by Kristin Cashore

The Book List

          I meant to post this last weekend, because it was my birthday. Of course, time got away from me and I've had midterms this week (I've actually got one in a couple of hours...but I just can't study anymore). Anyway, I turned 20 last Saturday and I thought I should at least post something for my birthday. I couldn't really think of anything to write about because currently my life is all about school, which isn't that interesting. So, in lieu of something touching or thoughtful, here is a list of 20 books that I have read that were published in the last 20 years (all of which I would recommend). Enjoy!

1. Maskerade by Terry Pratchett (1995)
2. Calvin and Hobbes: It's a Magical World by Bill Watterson (1996)
3. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997)
4. Holes by Louis Sachar (1998)
5. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (1999)
6. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen (2000)
7. Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde (2001)
8. Tithe by Holly Black (2002)
9. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2003)
10. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen (2004)
11. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (2005)
12. It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini (2006)
13. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher (2007)
14. The Host by Stephanie Meyer (2008)
15. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (2009)
16. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (2010)
17. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (2011)
18. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (2012)
19. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (2013)
20. City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare (2014)
21. The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon (2015)

"I guess it's hard for people who are so used to things the way they are - even if they're bad - to change. 'Cause they kind of give up. And when they do, everybody kind of loses." -Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

*Possible Spoilers*

The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak

Read: September, 2015
Published: 2005
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: NA

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. (Amazon)





____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?
This one has always kind of been in the back of my mind. I really liked the cover and I knew that death was the narrator, but that's all I knew about it. It seemed interesting, but I never really had a strong desire to read it, and so it wasn't very high on my To Read list. Then, about a year ago, I saw the movie and I loved it. Of course, the book is always better, right? The book was officially on my list. This summer I had the good fortune of finding it at a used book sale for a measly fifty cents. Score! I finally just finished it the other day, so here we go.

What didn't you like about this book?
I already knew what was going to happen anyway, because I saw the movie, but I hated how Death would tell the reader what was going to happen right away. You knew the characters were going to die and you couldn't help but fall in love with them. I mean, it was excellent writing and it was very well done. But as a reader, it sucked because it hurt. (That really should be in the good things, but I don't have very many bad things). There are parts in the book that are just a bit slow and I had a hard time really getting into, particularly in the first half. 

What did you like about this book?
One of my favorite parts about this book was Death...not all the death that happened, but the character. The way Death is portrayed is very different here than in most books. This Death is exhausted with his work and he is gentle with the people he takes. I also loved the other characters (Liesel, Hans, Max, and Rudy especially). I was really appreciated that the story was of a young German girl living in Nazi Germany. Most novels from this point in our history comes from the point of the victims. Yes, their story needs and deserves to be heard, but so did Liesel's and Rudy's, two kids growing up in a world that didn't fully make sense. Markus Zusak writes so beautifully that you feel you are in the story. He makes it funny, and he causes anger and heartbreak. I knew what was going to happen, both because I saw the movie and because Death spoils the ending (thanks a lot, Death!), but it made me cry anyway.

Book vs. Movie
I really loved the movie when I saw it. It made me cry, so of course I loved it. I thought it was well cast and tastefully made. It also doesn't hurt that it had a beautiful, and at times haunting, soundtrack with excellent piano scores (thank you, John Williams!). However, as always, there is so much more to the book. The relationships between the characters are much deeper and there were characters and scenes that didn't make it into the movie. Overall, I think the movie did a good job following the most important parts of the book, but I do have one bone to pick. Rudy was Liesel's best friend. This is shown in the movie, but you feel it in the book. There was so much more to him than what the film allowed for. 

Bottom-Line:
I love this book. I love the movie. I love them both so much that I don't even care that I own the movie cover edition (and I usually care very much about that). One thing I might suggest is watching the movie first. The book is better and you will be looking for the differences and the absences if you read it before you see the movie. But they are both worth the time, so watch and read.


"A small but noteworthy note. I've seen so many young men over the years who think they're running at other young men. They are not. They're running at me." -Death, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

*Possible Spoilers*

The 5th Wave 
by Rick Yancey

Read: August 2-3, 2015
Published: May 7, 2013
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Two currently published

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up. (Amazon)




______________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?
My sister got this book almost a year ago for her birthday and it's been sitting on our shelf ever since. She wanted me to read it first, to make sure it was appropriate and all that jazz. You never know with young adult books. They can get pretty risque for a thirteen year old girl. Anyway, so I told her I would read it...and about nine months later...I did!

What didn't you like about this book?
The book switches between points of view at several places in the book and it's not always obvious whose point of view it is until the end of it (although, I think that's the point). It got kind of confusing for me. Also, be prepared for lots of inner thoughts and not much dialogue. Sometimes I'd find myself skimming through pages, waiting for something to happen. Don't get me wrong, things do happen, but I think this book is less about what is happening and more about how the characters react to what is happening (which, is actually a good thing...so I'll move on to that section now).

What did you like about this book?
Oh, there were so many things I enjoyed. Each of the characters are different and interesting in their own way, which I enjoy, of course. I especially enjoyed reading about Evan Walker. He's a bit of a conundrum in the story and that makes it interesting. The story moves along at a decent pace and Rick Yancey does an excellent job making it suspenseful. You try to predict what's going to happen, but then you're second guessing yourself and end up surprised even if you were right. I really liked the concept of this book, the whole 'aliens are taking over and there is little hope for humanity, until...' There's just something intriguing about a book where humans as a race take on overwhelming odds and (hopefully) win. Oh, and let's talk about that cover art. Isn't it great? That's half the reason I finally picked the book up...such a pretty cover!

This book reminded me of...
...The Host by Stephanie Meyer. It's the closest book to it that I've read before. They share the aliens coming to Earth and taking out humans/taking over their bodies, however The 5th Wave is much less about the romance. There's a bit there, but that's not what it is about. This one is actually about the survival of humans, and I appreciated that.

Bottom-Line:
This book gave me a lot of feelings and now I've got that empty feeling, you know, when you finish a book and you don't know what to do with your life? It was very good and I liked it enough that there's a good chance I'll buy it eventually (it all kind of depends on how the third book is...) If you enjoy science fiction and aliens, read it! If you enjoy overwhelming odds, I'd definitely recommend it. If you are one of my friends, you already know, I will recommend this book to you and be irrationally excited if you read it so we can talk about it and stuff.

Quick Note:
The second book, The Infinite Sea, was just as good as the first. I won't be doing a review on it because my likes and dislikes are still kind of the same at this point. I just need to know what happens!! The third book is coming out May 2016.



"...I thought the only way to hold on was to find something to live for. It isn't. To hold on, you have to find something you're willing to die for." -The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Day 8: Classic

Day 8: Classic

          I saw the 2011 movie before I read the book and I thought it was the most boring and pointless movie I had ever seen. It frustrated me that I didn't like and I couldn't see the point in it. But there was something about it that held my attention. I knew that because it frustrated me so much. Something about that movie was lodged in my brain and wouldn't leave. I finally decided to read the book and try to force myself to like it. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I didn't have to force myself. I understood so much more of the themes, the symbolism, and just the overall emotion of Jane's story when I read it. Now it is one of my favorite classics and I'm actually currently re-reading it right now!

"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will." -Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Thought of the Day

Maxi Skirts: The coverage of pants without the confinement.


(Sorry, I'm writing essays...I'll have more for you in a few days!)

Exit: Sligo, Enter: Galway

Day Eleven:                                                                                                            May 27, 2015

Sign in Michael Quirke's window

          We're a the Lisadell House right now. There are two long benches in front of Constance Markievicz's paintings and I thought that would be a good place to start my journal for today. We have a tour in about a half hour, so I'm just kind of biding my time. (Unfortunately, that's all I wrote for Day Eleven...but I'll add a bit more on here because I remember what we did after that). After the tour, a few of us got hot chocolate for the bus ride home (it was so cold and wet! We needed some warmth). Then, [Friend B], [Friend C], [Friend M], and I went out for lunch. We just went to one of the cafeteria style cafes, but it was very good. And the guy who got our food for us looked like Chef Gordon Ramsay, so we spent a lot of time trying to inconspicuously get a picture of him. I don't even remember if we were successful or not! After lunch, we went to a candy shop. They had chocolate frogs!! Of course I got one. I can't just pass up a chocolate frog. Finally, we got to go to Michael Quirke's wood shop. That's what I'd been looking forward to all day. He has such a wealth of information when it comes to Irish mythology. I think we were in his shop for almost three hours.
And he even took the time to carve small things for us! 

Day Twelve:                                                                                                           May 28, 2015

The view out of my apartment in Galway

          I am having a hard time keeping up with journaling. We left Sligo for Galway this morning. I was really sad to leave Sligo, but now that I'm in Galway, I'm pretty excited. Our apartment is very nice, quite homey actually. And it's right on the beach! I mean, it's too cold to really hang out there or swim or anything, but it's really nice to look out my window and see the ocean. I wish I could on the water. It's so beautiful. After we got settled in our apartments, we went grocery shopping. This time around went a lot better than when we went shopping in Dublin. Here, at least we had an idea of what kind of food we wanted to buy. We finally got [Friend H] to buy a Kinder Egg and now she's just as hooked as we are! And we found a whole gluten free aisle for [Friend B] and were able to get noodles, bread, and pizza that she could eat. We made the pizza for dinner and then went to our neighbors apartment...[Friend C] and [Friend M]! (And Other Person J). There were eight of us all packed in their tiny living room, all with our laptops out, working on assignments, drinking wine (water, in my case), and watching Britain's Got Talent. Not going to lie, Britain didn't seem all that talented. They were in their semifinals and there was only one that I remotely liked. Anyway, after we got back to our own apartment, I tried to figure out how to use our fireplace, gave up, and went to bed.

Day 7: Nostalgia

Day 7: Nostalgia

          Before I begin, I'd just like to explain that I lent out my copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (or rather, my sister did without informing me first. Yes, I'm slightly bitter.) Anyway, onto the challenge. There is no other book that can instill the amount of nostalgia in me than the Harry Potter series. I grew up with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the gang. I remember heading out in the middle of the night to wait in long lines for the books. And then I waited rather impatiently for all of the movies to come out. Regrettably, I never saw a midnight showing. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were there during almost every stage of my life...until it ended. I remember very clearly going to see  Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides with my friends and seeing the posters for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two. I was so excited, looking at the intense faces of the characters that very much felt real to me. Then I read the posters. "It all ends here," they said. Poster after poster after poster...it all ends here. That's when it hit me that the excitement was almost over. That's also about when the nostalgia started to hit me whenever I'd see anything Harry Potter related. I've probably read each book at least twenty times, watched the movies over and over again, and listened to the soundtracks endlessly. But it won't end there, not for me. After all, "Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."

"Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect." -Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

Enter: Sligo!

Day Eight:                                                                                                                         May 24, 2015

Parke's Castle

         Today was a traveling day. We were mostly on the bus, except at the end when we got to go to Parke's Castle. It was really cool and very informative, but unfortunately I left my notebook on the bus. I did get pictures though! So at least that counts for something. I've been having a really hard time with one of the girls on the trip. She keeps pronouncing my name wrong and I know she's doing it on purpose because I've corrected her at least five times now. She also keeps making fun of me for my faith. She was downright rude when she found out I went to mass yesterday and she makes fun of me for praying before meals. It's very lonely being the only Catholic. It really makes me miss home. Anyway, the hotel room is really nice. It's just me and [Friend B] in this one. [Other Friend H] will join us again once we're in Galway. I think that's all I have for now. (I might get to climb a mountain on Wednesday!)

          I forgot something that I wanted to write about. We stopped at a gas station on our drive to Sligo. I was talking to a guy in the check out lane and it was really cool! He's from Ireland, but he's been all over the United States (more places than I've been to!) Really cool guy, but he talked so close to my face. I was leaning pretty far back just to maintain my bubble. These people don't believe in personal space! But it's okay, I like them.

Day Nine:                                                                                                                          May 25, 2015

View looking toward Isle of Inisfree

          Today was really cool. We visited multiple Yeats locations, including the Glencar Waterfall, Doonee Rock, and the Isle of Inisfree. It is absolutely beautiful here! So far, I am liking Sligo much better than Dublin. Don't get me wrong, Dublin was great. I'm just not suited to city life. At dinner, I sat by [Friend B], [Friend M], and [Friend C]. We were so hyper and we laughed so much I was almost crying. And then later we hung out in [Friend M] and [Friend C's] room. It was really nice to

bond with more people. ([Friend B] felt the same. I mean, we love each other, but we also want to expand to other people too). Soon, I get to climb the mountain to Queen Mabh's tomb! The rude girl wasn't as rude today, but she seems to be gravitating towards me. I'm trying to have patience...

Day Ten:                                                                                                                          May 26, 2015

          Today was amazing! (...but then I did things and didn't have time to write, so I'm a day behind, again).

Mary at the Tobernalt Holy Well

          We started with a walk to a gallery that had a lot of Jack Butler Yeats paintings. Then we went to a church that was even smaller than St. Michan's church, but that's where W.B. Yeats was buried, so of course we had to stop there. After that, we went to Rosse's Point, where I presented my poem, 'The Meditation of the Old Fisherman'. It was very beautiful there, even if it was a bit chilly. There were these bushes of yellow flowers everywhere. I want to take one home. 

         

Halfway up Knocknarea

Oh! I almost forgot about the Holy Well! I actually think we went there on Day Nine, but I'll write about it here anyway. There was a stream that led out of the area and an altar at the top. To the left of the altar was a crucifix and on the right was Mother Mary. It was so peaceful there, but it was kind of ruined by rude people. Anyway, back to yesterday. We ate at Drumcliffe and then we got to climb Knocknarea! It was exhausting, but also super exhilarating. It was so much fun boding with [Friend M] and [Friend C]. We want to see if we can be roommates in Galway. Anyway, on the other side of that mountain were some pretty treacherous stairs. [Friend B] and I went off the path quite a bit, mostly because it looked fun. And it was. When we got back we all went to the bar in the hotel lobby. [Friend C], [Friend B], and I split a strawberry kiwi hard cider. To be honest, it tasted like Capri Sun. I wasn't really a fan, but it was fun hanging with my friends, plus [Friend A] and [Friend N], who pretty much joined our group after that. It was a good day.




"The herring are not in the tides as they were of old;
My sorrow! for many a creak gave the creel in the cart
That carried the take to Sligo town to be sold,
When I was a boy with never a crack in my heart."
                                         -'The Meditation of the Old Fisherman' by W.B. Yeats

A Smaller Dose of Ireland

Day Six:                                                                                                                           May 22, 2015

Children of Lir

          This morning we took the train to Joyce Tower. It was in a town (Sandy Cove?) on the coast of the sea. I liked it a lot better there than in Dublin. I loved looking out at the water from the top of the tower. Right now we're at Murray's. I ordered the Tower Burger...I just needed a burger!

          Ok, now I'm at Gate Theatre, waiting for Tom Murphy's play, 'The Gigli Concert' to start, so I thought I'd write about the afternoon. After we ate, we went to the Dublin Writer's Museum. It was really hard to enjoy, because we had to do an information scavenger hunt. Some of them weren't even in the museum, so it was really frustrating. After that we got to see the Children of Lir statue (which I thought was beautiful). Other than the Joyce Tower, it was my favorite part. Then we took a Joyce walking tour. Again, by that point I was so tired that I could hardly keep my mind focused on listening to what the guide was saying. When we finally got back to the apartment, we had an hour to eat and put on nice clothes. Well, the play is starting now!

Day Seven:                                                                                                                             May 23, 2015

Me and my journal at St. Stephen's Green

          Sorry I didn't write about the play last night. I'm not sure what I thought of it. It was a modern play, so of course it had drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll (just kidding, no rock 'n' roll....there was opera though!) It also dealt with a variety of psychological disorders, which was very interesting.

          Today was our free day. [Friend] and I did a lot of walking. We walked everywhere because we weren't really sure of the bus system. We went to the National Gallery, Dublin Castle, and through the Temple Bar area. I loved all the street performers! I could have watched them all day. Oh! I almost forgot! The first thing we did (other than getting duct tape for my suitcase) was get hot chocolate at Butler's Chocolate Cafe. It was the best hot chocolate I've ever had. Ever. And it came with a complimentary truffle! So. Good. We had lunch at Grilled Burger Kitchen. I liked how relaxed it was there. Nothing was rushed and the food was very good. After lunch, we set off in search of St. Stephen's Green. In my opinion, it's the best place in Dublin. It was so green, with a pond and ducks and pigeons and seagulls and swans. We were there for a good three hours. After that we went to 6:30 mass at St. Andrews. It was huge! The church was very empty though. It made me sad how few people were at the mass. We took the Dart back home afterwards. All in all, it was a good day.


“I wanted real adventures to happen to myself. But real adventures, I reflected, do not happen to people who remain at home: they must be sought abroad.” -Dubliners by James Joyce

A Large Dose of Ireland

Day Three:                                                                                                                         May 19, 2015

Poulanass Waterfall

          Oh boy, do I have a lot of things to write about. First, I need to check back on my notes...

Upper Lake

          Okay, so first we got on a bus at 8:30 this morning. It was so cool getting out of the city. The hills were huge and there were sheep everywhere! When we got to Glendalough, we went to the Round Tower. It was fascinating to see the tower...it was huge! Next to it was St. Kevin's Kitchen (it was actually the ruins of a church, not sure why they called it a kitchen...) There were also gravestones everywhere, some dating back before the 1800s. There were some gravestones that were actually just nubs, because they've been weathered that much. Past the cemetery and St. Kevin's kitchen was a path and a bridge, so we got to go exploring! At one point, there were grass hills on either side of the path and it reminded me so much of when Bilbo says 'I'm going on an adventure!' in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Further along in the path we climbed up one of the hills and found a little cave. Then me and [my friend] ran down the hill, which was really fun but also probably dangerous. Eventually, we hit a fork in the road, one side paved and the other gravel. They both led to the same place, so of course we chose the gravel one. We ended up having to scale the side of the hill, using hands and feet to get to the top. It was exhilarating! The trail eventually met with the other one upriver from the waterfall. I can't even describe how beautiful it was up there. It reminded me a bit of Rivendell, without the structures. We spent some time there and I got to explore the river a bit. However, we were running out of time, and we had to move one. It made me kind of sad, but then we found the waterfall! It wasn't huge by any means, but it was very powerful, cutting through the land pretty effectively. We were going to go back to the information center, but [instructor] and [the other instructor] pointed us towards the lake. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen (so far). I was so happy there at the edge of the lake. Again, we had to leave and it was sad. But I got to climb a tree, so that was good. On our way back, it started to rain pretty hard, but by the time we got out of the woods, it was sunny. Man, the weather here is crazy. Before we left, I bough a couple of postcards for [sister]. Next we went to the Avoca Weaving Mill (the oldest in Ireland). It was pretty interesting, but by then I was very worn out and hungry. We ate lunch there. I had a stuffed baked potato, carrot salad, chocolate cake, and sparkling lemonade (it tasted like Sierra Mist). While we were there, we got to shop. I got a hand woven scarf for Mom.

          When we got back to the apartment, we had about an hour before we went to the parliament building. We got to witness part of the referendum on same-sex marriage, then we got a tour of the building. By that time, I was really tired and I kept zoning out, so I didn't take any notes while we were there. That's okay though, because I wasn't terribly interested in it to begin with. Afterwards, we got to go to the apartments and relax. I had a piece of peanut butter toast and a couple slices of cheese for dinner. And then I started writing in here! (I'm actually finishing it this morning, May 21st...I'm almost caught up!)

Day Four:                                                                                                                          May 20, 2015

Lia Fáil at Hill of Tara

          Alright, so today we got to go to the Hill of Tara and it was so cool! I didn't realize how hilly the place actually was. There were really deep ditches and really tall hills. At the top of the biggest hill was the Lia Fáil, which was basically this tall rock that, according to Celtic myth, would let out a scream when the one worthy of ruling touched it. I'm pretty sure I heard some sort of shout when I touched it! There was a lady (a local) up on the hills with two of her dogs, Cooper and Bella. Cooper and I were pretty much best friends. Thankfully, [friend] got some pictures of the two of us. Our stop at the Hill of Tara was pretty short, so I didn't get to stay as long as I would have liked, but there wasn't anything I could do about that. We had about an hour bus ride to get to the other mounds. We went to lunch first. I had chicken and broccoli bake, cole slaw, and some kind of caramel cake. Then I went to the gift shop and bought [brother's] pocket watch. I hope he likes it. I know I do! The Knowth and Newgrange mounds were really cool, but by that point, I just kind of wanted to go back to the apartment. I was tired and I wasn't feeling very well. Even when it was time to go back, I decided to go to the Christ Church for Evensong with [friend, friend, and friend]. That kind of gave me the energy I need. We decided to walk back and we got kind of lost, but it was fun! [Friend] made us dinner when we got back and then we ended up talking about different aspects of religion until midnight. I didn't get around to going to bed until about one. So, naturally, I'm very tired today. Hopefully I'll get to bed sooner tonight.

Day Five:                                                                                                                           May 21, 2015

The Long Room at Trinity College

          I made cheesy scrambled eggs again for breakfast and tried to catch up on journaling before we had to leave. We went to the Trinity College first. There was an exhibit about the Book of Kells. There was so much information on how it was made, from the paper, to the binding, to the ink. After I went through the exhibit, I got to actually see the book. It was so detailed! It's under a glass case and they turn the page every two weeks. It was all very exciting of course, but what I was really excited for was the Long Room. Coolest. Library. Ever. The books were all so old and beautiful! I wanted to touch them so bad! Unfortunately, the shelves were all roped off, however they did have glass cases of books on display. I found a copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Hobbit, and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It was beyond exciting. After that we went to an archaeological museum. That was pretty cool, but also kind of boring. I wanted to go outside! Luckily, we only had an hour to spend there. We ate dinner at a cafe in the Yeats Exhibit (which was in Ireland's National Library). I had a roast turkey sandwich, which might have been good, but there were pomegranates on it. I had a fruit tart for dessert. Yum! Unfortunately for me, the Yeats exhibit was even more boring than the archaeology museum. We were in there for almost three hours. Not going to lie, it was kind of awful. The exhibit was dark and there were no windows and it was very crowded. I started to feel really claustrophobic and I felt like I was going to have a panic attack right there. I didn't, thank goodness, but it was close. When we got back to the apartments, we had about a half hour before we went to see a couple of authors talk about their books (both about the Easter Rising time period). Then we got to go to a book store! I wasn't going to get anything. I really wasn't. But then I found the beautiful Irish hardcover version of The Hobbit. Yes, now I have two copies...

Murphy's in Dublin

          After the book store, a group of us decided that we wanted ice cream, so we wandered until we found Murphy's. On our way there, there was a guy singing 'Galway Girl' and playing guitar and
harmonica. It was awesome! Once we got to Murphy's I had sea salt vanilla and chocolate. So good!






"Forget art. Put your trust in ice cream." -The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter

(P.S. This is my 100th post! Hooray!!)

Book Challenge Day 7

Day 7: Awkward Character
There is no other character that I can think of that is so overly described as awkward, but is never actually even abnormally awkward, than Bella Swan from Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Saga. Bella consistently describes herself as plain and awkward and uncoordinated and ordinary...to the point where it gets exhausting. Now, I'd be cool with her describing herself as such if she were only actually as awkward as she says she is. This is proven wrong by the entire population of Forks. Everyone, the Y Chromosomes in particular, are completely enamored by this 'awkward' teenage girl. I am from a town smaller than Forks, so I know the excitement a new student can bring. However, if someone as plain and boring as Bella says she is showed up in my town, the excitement wouldn't last a week. Sorry Bella, you just aren't as awkward as you think you are.


"I decided as long as I'm going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly."-Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

          Quick Apologies: Sorry for not having Ireland journals or the book photo challenge posted in the past few days! It's been busy. However, I should hopefully be able to get back to it on a regular basis soon. In the meantime, here's a book review!


*Possible Spoilers*

The Mime Order
by Samantha Shannon

Read: June 4-6, 2015
Published: January 27, 2015
Genre: Supernatural Dystopia
Series: The Bone Season

Paige Mahoney has escaped the brutal penal colony of Sheol I, but her problems have only just begun: many of the fugitives are still missing and she is the most wanted person in London.

As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on Paige, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city's gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take center stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner.

Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided. Will Paige know who to trust? The hunt for the dreamwalker is on. (Amazon)

________________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?

I had already read the first book of the series and I was dying to know what would happen next. I waited rather impatiently for this book to come out after finishing the first one. However, even when it did come out (and I had been counting down), I didn't buy it. I wanted to wait until it was cheaper (The Bone Season is available on amazon for $4!) I waited four extra months before I just couldn't do it anymore. I bought it used and saved a couple bucks, but not many. Then I got it...and devoured it.

What didn't you like about the book?
IT ENDED ON A CLIFFHANGER!

What did you like about the book?
Oh, so many things. I was a blob of feels when I finished, so I've had to wait this long to even attempt a review for it. At this point, I almost think I need to wait longer. Or perhaps read it again so I can organize all the thoughts in my head. Anyway. Things I liked. The pacing was much better in this one than the first one and it was easier to read now that I'm more familiar with the terms used by and about the characters. It was also kind of unpredictable. I mean, I'm sure I could have predicted some aspects of the story, and I'm sure I did think ahead without being entirely aware of it, but I got so absorbed in the book that something always took me by surprise. And the characters! I love them. I didn't quite care for Nick in this one as much as I did in The Bone Season, but everyone else it either grew in fondness or dislike. Of course, the ones that I disliked are the ones you're supposed to dislike, the ones that you just really enjoy hating them (*cough*Jax*cough*). I loved Paige and Warden and I can't wait to read more about them in the next books.

Bottom-Line:
This is a book for readers, for people who like to get lost in fictional worlds and fall in love with fictional characters. If you don't read on a regular basis, you probably won't like it. There is a lot of world building, which I love, but not everyone does. It's a great book (and you should definitely read The Bone Season first, that's important), but if you're looking for a fluff read, this is not it.



“With the right reasons, at the right moment, even the most beaten and broken of people could rise up and reclaim themselves.” -The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

Ireland Journal

          I wrote quite a few notes about the places we went, just fun facts and tidbits and such, but I'm going to leave them out of these posts. I feel like they'd only really make sense to me, because I was there and it's in my own kind of shorthand. But anyway, here's day two:

Day Two:                                                                                                                           May 18, 2015

          Well, we've been at St. Michan's Church this morning. The church was small, about the amount of seating that our's has, but it had a beautiful stained glass window above the altar and a pipe organ in the back. Then we took a tour of the crypt below the church, which was made in 1095. That's super interesting, considering that the church has burned down a few times. I didn't like being in the crypt. It was dark and crowded with people, living and dead. I did muster up the courage to touch one of the dead people. It was 'The Crusader'. They call him that because his arms are crossed, even though he died 650 years ago and he's too young to have been in the crusades. So, the crypts were kind of terrifying, but next is St. Patrick's! Hooray!

          Actually, next is food. Right now we're in the Brazen Head, which is the oldest pub in Dublin. I ordered the Traditional Irish Stew with caesar salad and chocolate fudge cake. Yum!

          We're in St. Patrick's now and it is beautiful. It's also the most at home I've felt on the trip, even though it's nothing like the churches we have at home. Just sitting in front of the altar felt like a breath of 'ah, this is familiar'. It was really nice, even though I've only been gone for three days now (the first being a day of traveling). The detail in here is beautiful, and there is so much of it. I wish I would've brought my prisma colored pencils so I could draw a stained glass window or the floor. Hopefully some of my pictures will be able to show that detail.

          Next we went to the Christ Church Cathedral. It was very beautiful, but not quite as beautiful as St. Patrick's. The coolest part about Christ Church was going to the bell tower. We had to go up a really cramped, steep, spiral staircase, and then across the roof. We went across the roof! And then we got to ring the bells. After that we went downstairs to the crypt. This one was much roomier than the last one (no visible dead bodies!) and it had a gift shop in it. So much less creepy. After that, we were going to see the Nigerian dance interpretation of The Wooing of Emer. Unfortunately, they were sold out, so we went to a poetry reading instead. It was kind of cool listening to Irish poems, but, not going to lie, half way through I was wishing it would finish soon. Sometimes it was hard to understand what they were saying. Coming back and making dinner for my roommates was probably my favorite part of the day (other than St. Patrick's). It felt almost like something out of a movie. Here we were on the 4th floor of our building, sitting at a glass table, next to a huge floor-to-wall window, drinking wine (a couple sips for me, but that's all) and talking about poetry and classic literature. I don't know where else I would get that experience. I felt so civilized! And of course, we had a great time figuring out how to use the dishwasher afterwords. Now it's about 12:30 a.m. and I'm trying to remember everything. One of my roommates is in bed and the other is in the living room with me, also journaling. I think it's finally hitting me that I'm in Ireland. I'm in Ireland!

Book Challenge Day 6

Day 6: Edition

I don't have any limited edition books or anything. However, there was one series that immediately came to mind when I was thinking of different editions (basically different covers). I read Across the Universe and A Million Suns by Beth Revis and I loved them. I (im)patiently waited for the third and final book to come out, only to be severely disappointed with a cover that didn't match the first two. They then proceeded to change the other covers. What is this?!? I understand that the new covers are more gender neutral, and therefore appealing to a wider range of young adults. I also tend to like originals better. (For instance, the new Harry Potter covers will never do it for me. I like the old ones.) So there you have it, I like this edition better.


"'I'm sorry.' The two most inadequate words in the English language." -A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Book Challenge Day 5

Day 5: Favorite Cover

Don't you just love this cover? I know I do...it's absolutely beautiful! The book is Candide by Voltaire. I read it for a history project and it was one of the most boring books I have ever read. But it's pretty and it has colored illustrations. So I'm keeping it. I don't really have much to write about other than that it is pretty. Perhaps I'll find the time to read it again. Maybe I'll like it better the second time.





“I have wanted to kill myself a hundred times, but somehow I am still in love with life. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our more stupid melancholy propensities, for is there anything more stupid than to be eager to go on carrying a burden which one would gladly throw away, to loathe one’s very being and yet to hold it fast, to fondle the snake that devours us until it has eaten our hearts away?” -Candide by Voltaire

Book Challenge Day 4

Day 4: 1990s

There are so many books published in the 1990s that I could have done...a lot that I almost did, too. However, many of the books I was thinking of were also applicable on different days of the challenge. So I chose Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I got this book at a garage sale for fifty cents years ago and I reread it frequently. I love the way this book is written. It's not in letter format or anything, but there is almost no dialogue. The way the dialogue is written is in this style:

Mr. Teacher: I told you to do this assignment.
Me:
Mr. Teacher: Well, what have you got to say for yourself?
Me:

This is not a quote from the book, I just made it up as an example. But I really liked how Anderson handled the dialogue. The whole story is from Melinda's (the protagonist) head, and her head, although very sad, is also very sarcastic and I love it!



“When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time.” -Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Book Challenge Day 3

Day 3: Spring Time

For my Spring Time book, I honestly didn't know what to pick. Should it be a book that takes place during spring? Or should it be one that I happened to read in spring? Maybe find a book with spring in the title...? As you can tell, I was having a hard time picking a book, which is why I've taken so long to put up another post. But then something happened today, and I happen to find this perfect, even if it is a bit of a stretch. I was at a garage sale at my grandpa's house (where I was selling some of my belongings) and I was the only one there and it was boring. I picked up Juliet by Anne Fortier, one of my old books that I never read, but always meant to, and started to read it. I got to page ten and this photo strip fell out. It was from my junior year prom and it took me back to that spring and how fun it was. It was a good memory. So, even though I've never actually read this book, I think I'm still allowed to use it for the book challenge.


“By the time we left college, I had become my own image: a dandelion in the flower bed of society. Kinda cute, but still a weed.” -Juliet by Anne Fortier

Book Challenge, Day Two

     

Day 2: Newest Purchase

          Before you judge me, I am using this for a project for my Children's Lit class. Now, here comes the part where you can judge me: I chose my topic for my project specifically so I would have an excuse to buy this book. Even worse, I am really enjoying it. Did you hear me? I am enjoying a book of essays! Yes, they are about Harry Potter, which makes them pretty awesome regardless, but they're also about psychology, which I find very interesting. 

"The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed." -Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Book Challenge

          Hello, hello. Yes, I know I haven't really had anything exciting for you lately. Never fear, I have found another challenge! This one is a book photo challenge, but I will talk about the book(s) in the photo and why I chose said book(s). Sound good? Of course it does!

Day 1: Currently Reading

         How can I possibly be reading so many books, you ask? Well, I very much like to read and I happen to be taking classes that require a lot of reading. Starting from the bottom, I've got a textbook (Classics of Children's Literature, 6th Edition). It was quite a wide variety of fairy tales, poems, and novels in it. Currently, I'm reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer out of it. Next is my sister's copy of The Chronicles of Narnia. I am just starting The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Next is Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which I am unfortunately still on the first chapter. I fill finish it, Franco Fan! And of course, Tolkien is on the list. I've been slowly chugging away at The Return of the King. That's one that I read when I have the spare time. I could be doing that now, you know! (Actually, I should be working on my presentation right now...) Next is Thomas C. Foster's How to Read Novel's Like a Professor. I am using this as a source for my aforementioned presentation. As much as I hate to admit it, I kind of am enjoying the book. And last, but certainly not least, is Over Nine Waves. I'm reading this for my Literary Ireland class and it is absolutely fascinating! I love reading through all the myth cycles (Mythological, Ulster, and Finn) as well as the Saint's stories (I've always loved St. Patrick :o) That's all for today...and if you're lucky, you may have something tomorrow!

"For three days his enemies watched Cuchulainn. The ravens of battle, the Morrigu and Badb, hovered around his head and at last the hero light faltered, flickered and went out." -Over Nine Waves by Marie Heaney

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
By: C.S. Lewis
Read: March 25-26, 2015
Published: October 16, 1950
Genre: High Fantasy
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia

          Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change . . . and a great sacrifice.
          Journey into the land beyond the wardrobe! The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second book in C. S. Lewis's classic fantasy series, which has been captivating readers of all ages for over sixty years. This is a stand-alone novel, but if you would like journey back to Narnia, read The Horse and His Boy, the third book in The Chronicles of Narnia. (Amazon)

______________________________________________________________________________

Why did you read this book?

This is a book that I've always had in the back of my mind, but never really gotten around to reading. I'd seen the movie and liked it, and, as odd as it sounds, I didn't want to ruin the movie by reading the book. We all know that the book is always better, right? Anyway, I had to choose five children's novels and read them for my Children's Lit class. In all honesty, I was going to read The Hobbit for my fantasy selection. So how did I end up reading this? I have no idea.

What did you like about this book?

There are several things I liked about it, how couldn't there be? I think my favorite part is not necessarily the story itself. First off, I love C.S. Lewis, even though this is the first of his works that I have read (I am planning on reading more of his books after this, perhaps The Screwtape Letters) I also absolutely love the Christian symbolism in this book, particularly that of Aslan and the stone table. I could go into it, but I wouldn't do it justice. So here is an article that pretty much says what I'm thinking. 

What didn't you like about this book?

I wish the characters had been better developed. I had a sense of who they were, but I felt they were rather one dimensional (except perhaps Edmund, who does go through a transformation). I found myself comparing the book characters to the movie characters and found that I much preferred the Pevensies that I met in the movie. Speaking of the movie, it followed the book rather well, except for a few minor differences and one major difference. Remember the battle scene? It was only briefly mentioned in the book after it had taken place. For me, that was my favorite part in the movie and I really wish it would have been in the book. Don't get me wrong, it was a really good book. I just wish it had been more than 80 pages or so, which could have left more room for more detail.

Bottom-Line:

I know, another short review. In my defense, it was another short book. Anyway, the bottom-line...I really did enjoy this book. I think I may have enjoyed it more when I was younger. So while I would still recommend it to fantasy lovers of all ages, I would definitely recommend it to 10-12 year old kids.

"I hope no one who reads this book has been quite as miserable as Susan and Lucy were that night; but if you have been - if you've been up all night and cried till you have no more tears left in you - you will know that there comes in the end a sort of quietness. You feel as if nothing is ever going to happen again." -The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis