Eye8Pudding
Zabelle by Nancy Kricorian / Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan / Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan / Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
Zabelle -- "...The rhythm of folktale and family stories shared around the table infuse the telling of Zabelle Chahasbanian's life. The story begins near her death in Watertown, Massachusetts, and circles back to her Armenian childhood in 1916, the slaughter of the rest of her family by the Turks, and her journey from orphanage to arranged marriage to immigration to the U.S. These bare bones are hung upon a lovely structure of symbols and stories: how Zabelle came by her tin cup, her silver thimble, and a small blue brooch; how she survived a vicious mother-in-law, a secret love, and three children who could not understand her life even in their dreams." -- from www.amazon.com
This was an okay book. It reminded me a little of Amy Tan's books -- family relationships & tragedies, children not understanding what inspires their mother's actions, etc. But where Amy Tan's novels are complex, intricate and full of meaning; Zabelle is very undeveloped and not deep at all. I'm rather glad I didn't buy this when I saw it at the store and instead got it from the library...it wasn't worth the $14 it would have taken to own it.
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Sea of Monsters -- "In this second adventure in Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Percy is anticipating the end of seventh grade and a summer at Camp Half-Blood with kids who are the offspring of Greek gods and mortals. He dreams that his pal Grover, a satyr, is in danger. After monsters attack in his school gym class, Percy and Tyson, a homeless kid, are picked up by Annabeth, a half-blood friend, and rushed to the camp, which is under attack. The tree that guards the camp is dying, and Chiron, the activity director, has been dismissed. Another dream reveals that Grover, whose peril is increasing, is on the same island as the legendary Golden Fleece, which may be the cure for the troubled camp. With the help of Hermes, Percy and his pals set off to the Sea of Monsters, where they encounter legendary dangers." -- from www.amazon.com
Titan's Curse -- "...Percy Jackson is now 14, a bit older and wiser, yet still entangled with the Fates. Friends, monsters, dysfunctional gods, and the romantic stirrings of all things natural and mythological are encountered. His good friend, if oft-time rival, Annabeth (daughter of Athena) is missing, as is Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Joined by best buddy Grover-the-goat-boy and an argumentative array of accomplices, Percy sets off to fulfill, and hopefully foil, the foreboding prophecy of the Oracle. Plagued by ominous dreams, thwarted by hideous monsters, and challenged by conflicting partnerships, the search party's success hinges on unlikely unity." -- from www.amazon.com
Battle of the Labyrinth -- "After Percy destroys the high school band room battling monsters called empousai who have taken on the form of cheerleaders, he has to hide out at Camp Half-Blood. There, Grover's searcher's license is going to be revoked unless he can find the god Pan in seven days. An entrance to the Labyrinth has been discovered, which means that Luke, the half-blood turned bad, can bypass the magical protections and invade the camp. Annabeth insists that she must follow a quest to locate Daedalus's workshop before Luke does. Percy is disturbed by visions of Nico, the son of Hades, who is summoning forth the spirits of the dead with McDonalds Happy Meals. Percy, Grover, and Percy's Cyclops half-brother follow Annabeth into the maze not knowing if they will ever find their way out." -- from www.amazon.com
I'm really enjoying the Percy Jackson books...really as much as I enjoyed the Harry Potter books. I like the whole concept...the writing is good, characters well developed and interesting, and I'm eager to see what happens in the last book :)
Zabelle -- Started: Mar. 5, 2010 Finished: Mar. 6, 2010
Sea of Monsters -- Started: Mar. 6, 2010 Finished: Mar. 8, 2010
Titan's Curse -- Started: Mar. 8, 2010 Finished: Mar. 10, 2010
Battle of the Labyrinth -- Started: Mar. 10, 2010 Finished: Mar. 13, 2010
Zabelle by Nancy Kricorian / Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan / Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan / Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
Zabelle -- "...The rhythm of folktale and family stories shared around the table infuse the telling of Zabelle Chahasbanian's life. The story begins near her death in Watertown, Massachusetts, and circles back to her Armenian childhood in 1916, the slaughter of the rest of her family by the Turks, and her journey from orphanage to arranged marriage to immigration to the U.S. These bare bones are hung upon a lovely structure of symbols and stories: how Zabelle came by her tin cup, her silver thimble, and a small blue brooch; how she survived a vicious mother-in-law, a secret love, and three children who could not understand her life even in their dreams." -- from www.amazon.com
This was an okay book. It reminded me a little of Amy Tan's books -- family relationships & tragedies, children not understanding what inspires their mother's actions, etc. But where Amy Tan's novels are complex, intricate and full of meaning; Zabelle is very undeveloped and not deep at all. I'm rather glad I didn't buy this when I saw it at the store and instead got it from the library...it wasn't worth the $14 it would have taken to own it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sea of Monsters -- "In this second adventure in Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Percy is anticipating the end of seventh grade and a summer at Camp Half-Blood with kids who are the offspring of Greek gods and mortals. He dreams that his pal Grover, a satyr, is in danger. After monsters attack in his school gym class, Percy and Tyson, a homeless kid, are picked up by Annabeth, a half-blood friend, and rushed to the camp, which is under attack. The tree that guards the camp is dying, and Chiron, the activity director, has been dismissed. Another dream reveals that Grover, whose peril is increasing, is on the same island as the legendary Golden Fleece, which may be the cure for the troubled camp. With the help of Hermes, Percy and his pals set off to the Sea of Monsters, where they encounter legendary dangers." -- from www.amazon.com
Titan's Curse -- "...Percy Jackson is now 14, a bit older and wiser, yet still entangled with the Fates. Friends, monsters, dysfunctional gods, and the romantic stirrings of all things natural and mythological are encountered. His good friend, if oft-time rival, Annabeth (daughter of Athena) is missing, as is Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Joined by best buddy Grover-the-goat-boy and an argumentative array of accomplices, Percy sets off to fulfill, and hopefully foil, the foreboding prophecy of the Oracle. Plagued by ominous dreams, thwarted by hideous monsters, and challenged by conflicting partnerships, the search party's success hinges on unlikely unity." -- from www.amazon.com
Battle of the Labyrinth -- "After Percy destroys the high school band room battling monsters called empousai who have taken on the form of cheerleaders, he has to hide out at Camp Half-Blood. There, Grover's searcher's license is going to be revoked unless he can find the god Pan in seven days. An entrance to the Labyrinth has been discovered, which means that Luke, the half-blood turned bad, can bypass the magical protections and invade the camp. Annabeth insists that she must follow a quest to locate Daedalus's workshop before Luke does. Percy is disturbed by visions of Nico, the son of Hades, who is summoning forth the spirits of the dead with McDonalds Happy Meals. Percy, Grover, and Percy's Cyclops half-brother follow Annabeth into the maze not knowing if they will ever find their way out." -- from www.amazon.com
I'm really enjoying the Percy Jackson books...really as much as I enjoyed the Harry Potter books. I like the whole concept...the writing is good, characters well developed and interesting, and I'm eager to see what happens in the last book :)
Zabelle -- Started: Mar. 5, 2010 Finished: Mar. 6, 2010
Sea of Monsters -- Started: Mar. 6, 2010 Finished: Mar. 8, 2010
Titan's Curse -- Started: Mar. 8, 2010 Finished: Mar. 10, 2010
Battle of the Labyrinth -- Started: Mar. 10, 2010 Finished: Mar. 13, 2010