When my laptop broke this weekend, I knew I would have to catch up on my reading, seeing as there were no other distractions. So, in between the major Poker playing that took over everything, and studying, I finished two books. Sunday were especially made for reading, with its rainy weather.
Carrie (Stephen King)
Book 8/100
I started reading the book after my good friend recommend I start reading some Stephen King. See, I had mistakenly believed that Stephen King only wrote horrors (and I don’t read horrors). I was so surprised and shocked when I read the book! Basically, it is about a young girl, Carrie White, who has frightening power and not the stability to deal with it. Raised by her fanatical Christian mother, Carrie is an outcast at school. Her telekinetic abilities are activated when her first menstrual cycle begins, in front of her school mates. Bullied and humiliated at school, and terrorised at home, she finds the power comforting and soon starts to use it to protect herself against her mother. Susan Snell, a girl who was involved with Carrie’s humiliation, soothes her conscience by getting her boyfriend to take Carrie to the prom, thinking if such a popular guy asks the outcast, Carrie will be accepted by everyone, and her horrors would be forgotten. Chris Hargensen, one of the school’s most atrocious girls, decides that she needs to embarrass Carrie even further; not knowing the power her victim is capable of. At the prom, she throws pig blood on Carrie, and the girl finally cracks. She sets fire to the gymnasium with her power, killing most of her classmates. She walks through town, steadily destroying everything, with a final destination: her mother. Her fanatical mother believes she should kill Carrie, and when she is arrives at home, she critically injures her daughter. Carrie kills her mom, fleeing the house, and finally dies with Susan Snell sitting with her.
Rating: 7/10
What a mesmerising book! Stephen King is an obvious genius. The book gripped me. I enjoyed the style of the book – jumping between reports, interviews and the true story. I felt like true justice was served when Chris Hargensen died, as she was the worst bully I had read about in a while. The next Stephen King book I will read is the Green Mile (I first want a hardback copy of it). I suspect I will love it just as much.
Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carrol)
Book 9/100
For someone who reads everything she can find, it is surprising and strange that I had never read one of the greatest fairy tales of all time. If I had read Alice in Wonderland as a child, it would probably be right with Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings for me (in the thoroughly-addicted-to-it section). Now, I think it is a good book, exceptionally written, and very strange. A few times I wondered whether Lewis Carrol went on a drug-induced writing spree, because like I said, the tale is STRANGE. I found myself thinking of the similar writing styles between this book and the Hobbit. I am not sure if I am the only one who noticed it, but to me it was like reading different books by the same writer (obviously it wasn’t written by the same person). I would rate this book a 6.5/10 – truly fantastic, but I am a bit old for it now.
I can’t believe that I am done with a tenth of the challenge. I still have to blog about a few of the books I have already read as part of it and that will take me past the 10 book mark. It is fun to track how many books I read in a year, and find new reads and authors.
What did you read this weekend?
Life of this city girl 
I am so impressed with you for sticking with King! Not that difficult, huh? He is phenomenal, and both books are great reads, very glad you read them. I was also shocked when you told me you never read Alice in Wonderland (had to find my jaw on the kitchen floor). Read the Green Mile! Phenomenal book! I read some more Insomnia by Stephen King this weekend.
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