Summary: In this volume, winter brings about a set of new experiences for Yotsuba and friends. The introduction of the kotatsu, banana smoothies, and rock hunting bring about a cozy and fun series of chapters. Kiyohiko Azuma’s art shines through with the unique and funny facial expressions, detailed backgrounds, and simplistic but sophisticated shading, bringing life to the characters. The volume also introduces themes of change, presenting a cohesive blend of chapters and a heart-tugging ending.
Summary: Yotsuba&! is a charming and funny slice-of-life manga, featuring Yotsuba, a strange and curious young girl. In this installment, Yotsuba, alongside her friends and family, immerse themselves in new hobbies, friends, and the exciting city of Tokyo. They find themselves in comedic and relatable situations that provide endless entertainment to the reader. Yotsuba explores life with a zeal for adventure and exploration, giving the viewer a refreshing and lighthearted view of the everyday.
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga follows the character, Balram Halwai, as he discusses his rise to wealth. Over a seven day period, he writes to a famous Chinese Premier about his success as an entrepreneur, as well as his struggle of fighting the remains of the caste system and the social ladder. He writes about how he started as a driver from a little town in Laxmanghar, and he worked to own a company in Bangalore.
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a novel that follows Holden Caulfield's sudden expulsion from his all-boy prep academy. After being kicked out, Holden embarks on a three-day journey through New York City, where he meets various people who reflect his inner turmoil. Throughout the novel, Holden grapples with themes of identity and loss of childhood.
How to Make Friends with the Dark follows Tiger, a teenage girl just trying to make it through high school when her mom tragically and suddenly dies. This book follows her journey of learning to grieve and cope with her mother's death while trying to maintain her relationships.
Legend follows June and Day, two teens living completely opposite lives. June is a prodigy, destined to be one of the most successful people in the Republic. Day is a criminal, the most-wanted criminal in the country. But when June’s brother died and Day became the main suspect their lives cross in unexpected ways.
This novel by Roy questions many parts of life and being. The story follows the life of a brother (Estha) and sister (Rahel) who grow up in Ayemenem. They witness their lives gradually fall apart after an incident in which their cousin dies and they are blamed for her death. Years of mediocrity and disappointment go by, with the book eventually ending with the reunification of the siblings after being separated and washed away of hope and life. A main point of discussion Roy has is the “love laws,” which was a theme I enjoyed hearing her thoughts about.
This anthology is a compilation of the works of poet Elizabeth Bishop. Her creations are clouded metaphorical representations of her life and resolve. The themes the works reach can be as simple as the simple observations of the environment to sobriety and alcoholism. It is clear by her writing that these messages are intended to be buried deep into the works, only discovered by those determined to find them and those who look through each work and her personal life with a magnifying lens. This is the benefit and limitation of her work.
King Lear is a tragic play by William Shakespeare that explores themes of power, family, and madness. The story revolves around King Lear's decision to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia, based on their flattery of him. Cordelia's refusal to indulge in false praise leads to Lear disowning her and ultimately descending into madness as he faces betrayal from his other daughters and loses his grip on power.
Jude, who lives in Faerie, is a mortal. Cardan, who is the youngest son of the High King Eldred, is a faerie. Jude wants to win a place in the High Court as a knight and prove her skills even as a mortal. Cardan and his friends will do anything to humiliate Jude and hinder her chances of getting a place in the High Court. Jude becomes tangled in the Court’s secrets but then is able to find her ability to deceive and keep those close to her safe.
