Book reviews
What have staff and students at St Michael's been reading?
Click through to listen to/read/watch various book reviews by our staff and students. A big thank you to Ms El-Janbey for co-ordinating this project!
Don't forget to look around you at school and find out what books your teachers are reading! They will be able to give you a synopsis and review of the book!
Book Review Winners – March!
Matey in Year 9 and Hermy in Year 13 win house points and a free book.
The Silent Patient
I would recommend ‘The Silent Patient’, a thriller by Alex Michaelides even if you would not consider yourself a passionate reader as it is a quick read that will have you wondering throughout the chapters.
You can even finish reading it in a few days; many who have read this find themselves in the position of not being able to put it down. Set in London, a woman (Alicia) murders her husband and then becomes completely silent ever since even during her psychological treatment. Her doctor (Theo) attempts to uncover her motive.
The plot twist when you come to the realisation of what genuinely happened will be unexpected. The storytelling and plot twist intrigues readers and truly immerse you in the suspenseful and paranoid nature Michaelides portrays as you attempt to uncover the mystery yourself.
Hermy Caguioa – Year 13
Gullstruck Island
As this fantasy of the world of Gullstruck unravelled, the true imagination of the author, Frances Hardinge blossomed.
On the island, mighty volcanoes were explored with their own story and actions, beetles, messengers warning evil and mainly the child called Arilou who is able to fly with her mind, leaving her body. But as she flies around, she discovers the true villages of treachery, where sinister actions take place by the hunters and suffering of innocent people.
This book has complex thoughts and is adventurous throughout. Personally, this gave me the interest to carry on reading, developing my mind and understanding the colourful adventure it brings.
I would highly recommend it and rate it 4 stars out of 5.
Matey Yordanov – Year 9
Book Review Winner - February!
Lauren Barnes in Year 13 win house points and a free book for her excellent review of ‘the Confessions of Frannie Langton’ by Sarah Collins.
Short blurb: ''Enslaved Jamaican woman, Frances Langton, is accused of murdering her employers, the Benhams.''
Score: 7.5/10
I was recommended 'The Confessions of Frannie Langton' by my History teacher and found it immensely enjoyable. I particularly liked the unconventional narrative in which the author, Sara Collins, twists typical stories about slavery, crime and love.
The outspokenness and resilience of the female protagonist really resonated with me and I think also gives a voice to the many voiceless people in her position. This novel is not just an enjoyable read but an educating one too; for instance, one of Sara Collins' intentions in writing 'The Confessions of Frannie Langton' was to demonstrate how anger unites women in response to being denied an outlet for their own talents and desires.
Lastly, the excessive level of research that was put in by the author in writing this novel alone, makes it worth the read. A strong recommend.
Lauren Barnes - Year 13
Book Review Winner - January!
Mirabel Meniru Year 8 wins house points and a free book.
Title: Tom gates - Christopher’s Spectacular School Trip
Author: Liz Pichon
Rating: *****
Summary:
This book explores the struggles Tom Gates experiences in order to be able to go on a trip his school is organising. With the amount of sad faces Tom has up quite high, he must do everything he can to make sure he secures a spot on that trip. Little does he know, it would be much harder than he would have anticipated.
My Likes:
One thing I liked about this book was the way the writer used a very relatable topic to base the story around. Some children have had experience with the storyline of this book (children in school overcoming adversity) so, by the author using a topic like this, it helps create a sense of familiarisation with the reader. This idea seems to be a common motif with Liz Pichon's Tom Gates series. My favourite part of the book was when Tom Gates and his friends went to draw on the doodle wall because that moment in the book was very enjoyable to read.
My Dislikes:
I don't have much to say for the dislikes due to the fact that I really enjoyed the book but, if I were to make a suggestion/improvement to the author, I would tell her to maybe try to use different words other than 'said' when including a piece of dialogue. This would make the book to be more cohesive and avoid repetition.
Recommendations:
I would definitely recommend this book to an audience around my age (12-13) because of the morals and structure. The book is written in a diary form and may therefore be slightly more appealing to a younger demographic: 9 and up. The book was very engaging and enjoyable to read. Definitely one of the easier ones as the vocabulary isn't too challenging.
