Reading Update: Gone Girl

I am currently about a third way through Gone Girl. This book has been on my TBR for well over a year and it has only been bumped up to 'currently reading' due to my sister's influence (and by influence I mean constant begging). I have been coerced into reading the book so she has someone to talk to about it. 

At the moment, I think it's alright. I'm loving Gillian Flynn's writing style but at the same time I a little bored because nothing has really happened and it's 140 pages in. I imagine that this is one of those books that you can't really judge until you've finished it and know everything. My sister says it only really gets good after the first half which is mainly just character development. The second half has all the juicy twists and turns. But since she has already told me that there are so many twists and turns, I'm spending a lot of my time trying to figure out what they might be. I know this is a bad habit but who doesn't try to do that when they read a mystery novel. It's practically impossible to not analyse everything for a hidden meaning.

I will keep reading it (of course) but I wanna expedite my reading speed so I can get to the juicy stuff. At the moment I feel like I'm being dragged through possible twists with my eyes blinded. Not that this is an uncomfortable feeling, its just that I feel like I'm so slow in getting to the punch.

I still have my hopes high and expect and great ending. *fingers crossed*

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100 Bookish Things

Here is kind of a challenge to list 100 Bookish things or opinions about me. I imagine it will take some effort but here goes.

1. I've always been a good reader (since before I started school)
2. I was reading adult non-fiction when I was 6/7 because kid dinosaur books were too childish
3. I started Harry Potter after I watched the first movie when I was 6
4. But I never fully read the series until last year
5. Goblet of Fire is my favourite book
6. But Chamber of Secrets is my favourite movie
7. Roald Dahl was my favourite author when I was in primary school
8. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was the book I finished by him
9. The Little Princess was the first book I remember finishing.
10. Until middle school, I always remember having trouble with finishing books.
11. Now I have to finish or a book or it will drive me up the wall. (even if I hate it)
12. I do not feel the same way about a series.
13. I like my series to be in all the same editions
14. I tend to wait till a series is finished before I start it
15. A Song of Ice and Fire is the big exception because I was so afraid of spoilers from people who watch the show.
16. I had the whole of Book One spoiled for me, but I didn't mind that much.
17. Other than that spoiler, I despise spoilers and will literally disown friends for it
18. A friend in high school ruined Jane Eyre for me, that I stopped reading it
19. I still want to read Jane Eyre because it is such a good story 
20. I haven't read as many classics as I would like to have read
21. I haven't read Frankenstien
22. I loved Dracula way more than I expected to.
23. I haven't read any Dickens
24. Though I read a children's version of Great Expectations when I was 10/11
25. I started Great Expectations in 2011 but haven't picked it back up
26. I've read all the Grimms Fairy Tales
27. I haven't completed one Sherlock Holmes tale
28. I picked up Alice in Wonderland probably 5-6 times in my life and I can never remember finishing it.
29. I loved the Series of Unfortunate Events
30. But I only read about 5 or 6 of them.
31. Goosebumps Choose Your Own Adventure books are what got me into the horror genre.
32. I wanted more advanced books to read when I was a kid
33. My uncle suggested Stephen King but my mum told me I couldn't because she didn't want to deal with my nightmares
34. Since then I remembered Stephen King and wanted to read his stuff and get freaked out.
35. My first King was The Shining and I read it in 2012.
36. It didn't scare me
37. But I was surprised by how much I enjoyed and admired King's writing
38. I read Carrie straight afterwards
39. I also decided that I wanted to read everything he had ever written.
40. Goes without saying, Stephen King is my favourite author
41. The Dark Tower series is my favourite thing I've ever read. I'm obsessed.
42. I got the Dark Tower series in matching paperbacks as an anniversary present and incidentally we broke up soon after; I like to think I scored well.
43. I've read 18 Stephen King books, with #19 soon to follow
44. I own 40 Stephen King books
45. Eddie is my favourite Stephen King character (Dark Tower)
46. The ending of the Dark Tower put me into a coma, not literally, but I can't stop thinking about it and trying to analyse it.
47. I haven't read It
48. or Misery but I want to this year.
49. I own two copies of the Gunslinger.
50. Insomnia was so much better than expected.
51. One Hundred Years of Solitude was an instant favourite.
52. The Passage was the first book I bought on my first kindle.
53. I now own the hardcover
54. I've read it twice.
55. I haven't read the Twelve because I'm waiting for the third book to come out
56. It is my favourite post-apocalyptic series.
57. Allegiant was a great book and the ending, although heart-breaking, was good
58. I loved the Uglies series
59. I didn't like Mockingjay
60. I've read the Twilight series more than once.
61. But I don't own them anymore.
62. The movies sucked.
63. I hated the Shining movie. 
64. Les Miserables is one of my favourite books
65. and I own two copies of it
67. War and Peace wasn't as long as I thought it would be.
68. plus it was really good.
69. I will read from literally any genre
70. I tend to not judge books too seriously and can be really open minded.
71. I like weird books
72. I really didn't like Blood Meridian
73. I like to randomly tell people in bookstores which books I like
74. I first read the Book Thief in 2009
75. and fell in love.
76. I will never be over Rudy.
77. Oddly, I don't own a copy of it.
78. Sometimes I prefer reading on my kindle than physical books, just because it's easier to hold. (aka I'm lazy)
79. Sometime telling me that they didn't like a book won't completely deter me if I want to read it.
80. I love books with illustrations
81. My favourite genre is probably fantasy or literary fiction.
82. I shamefully haven't read the Lord of the Rings
83. I have read the Hobbit and absolutely loved it
84. If I listen to an album for the first time (on repeat) whilst reading a book, the songs will remind me of the book. (eg I listened to only Bastille while reading the HP series, now whenever I listen to Bastille I think about HP)
85. I only listen to music while reading to block out other noises (bus, loud house)
86. Otherwise, I prefer complete silence.
87. Sometimes I procrastinate reading.
88. I like/enjoy reorganising my bookshelves.
89. I currently have my books ordered in alphabetical order by title.
90. I can't understand not having some kind of order to a bookshelf
91. I wish I could read faster
92. or at least had more time to read
93. I've never read Terry Pratchett and this makes me sad.
94. The oldest unread book on my shelf is about 2 years old.
95. 2 years ago I had literally no books in my room
96. I only used the library
97. because I couldn't afford books and I read too fast for it to be reasonable.
98. I have somewhere around 100-160 unread books on both my shelf and kindle (unsure)
99. I think YA can be a little overrated at times and I wish that I knew more people who read outside YA.
100. I shocked myself (and family and friends) when I set out to read 25 books last year but instead read 124.

Hopefully I haven't numbered it wrong. But I did it. Didn't take me too long. Maybe challenge to think of 100 bookish things about you. 

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Book Review - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

I've had this book on my TBR for about 4 or 5 years now and I'm so glad I was finally able to pick it up. It was absolutely everything I thought it was going to be. I was so engrossed and literally couldn't put it down. Mindblowingly fantastic (in my opinion anyways).

Brave New World is about a society that is completely controlled from before birth and all the way through their lives with conditioning and scientific influence. All babies are born from test tubes and are "conditioned" (raised) in centres that assure that they will be perfect adults that fit into society absolutely. This is achieved through pre-determining their rank and how they will be conditioned such as are they going to be scientists or factory workers. They are then subjected to conditioning that moulds everyone to believe that they are living the perfect life. In my opinion this entire concept is what makes the book mind blowing because it is totalitarian to the point of dsytopian.

The portrayal of sex in the novel is another key point throughout this novel and I thought it was executed brilliantly. Sex is viewed differently from our perceptions; practically everyone just has sex and it is a form of entertainment. They start from an early age and no one marries or falls in love. They just have sex with someone a couple times then move onto the next one. This was so interesting to watch to play through. 

Also the use of Soma (a drug that induces euphoria and in heavier doses, deep sleep periods called soma holidays) was incredibly well done. The citizens of this controlled world rely on the drug to get on with day to day life. It's controlled addiction.

The characters themselves didn't seem to be used as main plot points, except for John, the Savage, who is the contrast in the book, who attempts to prove that liberty and the happiness/pain that goes with it is superior to this controlled and conditioned civilisation. John serves as the reader's opinion on the aspects of the controlled environment because it is in our nature to view this sort of culture as disturbing and horrifying. 

This book really brings about some important philosophical and ethical questions about whether it is right or wrong to condition (passively control) everyone to adapt to a set of ideals that brings about general happiness for everyone. It takes away our born right of freedom and liberality and forces us to be happy. What is the difference between forcing someone to be happy or sad when in the end you're still forcing someone to do something or think a certain way, when they have no actual choice? This book definitely induces these types of philosophical ponders.

Absolutely amazing premise and execution. Would recommend to pretty much everyone who doesn't mind a small amount of mind-fuckery.

Rating - 5 out 5 stars

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