I do not like the fact that school keeps me so eternally busy that I don't have time to do as much reading or writing as I would like. That is why I'm looking forward to this summer...it is definitely my goal to read as much as possible.
Currently, I am almost finished with Eldest, the sequel to Christopher Paolini's debut Eragon. Actually, I didn't really like Eragon, but decided to pick up Eldest because it was one of the biggest books I could find in the young adult section, and figured that it would keep me busy for a while, considering it is about dictionary-sized. I have enjoyed it much more than the first book...Paolini has definitely grown as an author since his first work. Still, his writing style seems surprsingly immature considering that both of these books of his have gotten published. He overdescribes everything...he has to learn to let some things (such as the shape of doors and the color of floors and the precise size of things) up to the readers imagination. After all, that is why reading is so much better for your brain than television; it requires thought and imagination. He has created an amazing world, and I can understand that he wants everything to be perfect, but it wouldn't hurt to lay off the descriptions in a bunch of places. Also, some of the plot is extremely predictable, and his foreshadowing blatantly obvious, but that may just be becasue I have read quite a bit in my life. Overall though, it has been mildly engrossing, and I am almost through the nearly seven hundred pages, so that's a good sign.
The only other book that I have read recently is almost half of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. My English teacher had told the class about it, after we read some of her poetry, and I decided to read it. It was quite slow going, and I didn't nearly finish. Then of course as I went to renew it, someone else had it on hold. Now it is doubtful whether or not I'll ever finish. It was a bit strange, I must admit, but it was great writing. I can really see where she was coming from, considering her life story. It does feel sometimes like women are expected to have it all together and to be smart and pretty and everthing. Think about it, men are allowed to be geniuses and spend all of their time working and thinking and reading. Women, especially professional women, are expected to have a career and a family and a social life. I think that this is part of what Sylvia Plath was trying to say, but I won't be entirely sure until I finish the book. The hold system is so annoying!