Post a reflection regarding your most recent independent choice explaining the following:
- the recommendation that was made to you and why you accepted it
- your thoughts on the book --what did you see as its strengths and weaknesses?
- your reaction to the book -- how did you like it? how would you rate it?
- your recommendation of the book for fellow readers? What type of reader would like this book? Is it worth the read?
The two books I read for this selection were
The Girl on the Train and
The Martian. Both were very different books that would appeal to different types of readers.
The Girl on the Train is currently at the top of the New York Times Bestseller list-- I think it is currently #2. It was recommended to me by a variety of people, including a former Readers' Choice student. Also, it was the March selection of one of the book clubs to which I belong. It is the type of book that I love to read-- suspence, murder mystery, psychological thriller. I was very excited to read it.
The book is an enjoyable read-- fast moving and a page turner. The structure of the book shifts from the points of view of three of the characters and the chronology is broken at times by these shifts so you do need to pay attention to the time line for it to make sense. The story was interesting and most of the characters were not very likeable but the main character does elicit sympathy and I found myself rooting for her.
I would highly recommend this book to those who like murder mysteries and suspense novels. The book has been compared to Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl and Hitchcock's Rear Window.
The Martian was recommended to me by one of my current Readers' Choice students. To be honest it is not in my favorite genres as it is science fiction, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and have been recommending it to a variety of individuals.
Mark Watney the main character is a space age McGyver (not sure if you all will get the reference but Google it if you don't). He finds himself stranded and Mars and needs to problem solve in order to survive until he can be rescued. His character is humourous while resourceful. His ability to use knowledge and information to trouble shoot situations would make any teacher proud. He epitomizes the goal of education is all about -- creating individuals who can think creatively and transfer knowledge to different situations to solve problems. I realize I am sounding too much like a teacher, but the book really resonated with me on that level.
For science fiction lovers, this books places an expedition on Mars and references much of the current scientific research that relates to Mars and space exploration. For adventure lovers, the hero of the book needs to overcome a series of obstacles on a foreign planet to survive. It is definitely worth the read. (FYI -- the book is currently in production for a film to come out next year starring Matt Damon).
