Svetlana's Reads and Views

Name of Book: Cloud Atlas Author: David Mitchell ISBN: 978-0-8129-8441-5 Publisher: Random House Type of book: Story within story, 1800s-2300, science fiction, adventure, romance, music, journal, mystery, multi-genre, adult Year it was published: 2004 Summary: A postmodern visionary who is also a master of styles and genres, David Mitchell combines flat-out adventure, a Nabokovian love of puzzles, a keen eye for character, and a taste for mind-bending philosophical and scientific speculation in the tradition of Haruki Murakami, Umberto Eco, and Philip K. Dick. The result is brilliantly original fiction that reveals how disparate people connect, how their fates intertwine, and how their souls drift across time like clouds across the sky. Characters: There are a lot of characters, although its obvious that David Mitchell infuses them with different personalities, for no two stories are the same, and he's clearly a genius because of research and whatnot he present...

Name of Book: The Sword in the Stone Author: TH White ISBN: 0-425-06310-0395 Publisher: Berkley Part of a Series: The Once and Future King Type of book: Fantasy, Medieval, legends, myths, England, 1200s, childhood, animals, lessons Year it was published: 1939 Summary: The whole world knows and loves this book. It is the magical epic of King Arthur and his shining Camelot; of Merlyn and Owl and Guinevere; of beasts who talk and men who fly; of wizardry and war. It is the book of all things lost and wonderful and sad. It is the fantasy masterpiece by which all others are judged. Characters: I think that the only character that does change through the book is Arthur because he has observed the animals and so forth. But I think the character remain the same and flat and nothing else changes about them. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't wondering whether or not what's accurate and what's not. Theme: Learn from animals. Plot: Third...

Name of Book: The Odyssey Author: Homer ISBN: (from Norton World Anthology Vol A, 2nd edition) 0-393-92450-5 Publisher: Norton World Anthology Part of a Series: The Illiad is the prequel Type of book: Journey, Greece, fealty, adventures, monsters, classic, Ithaca, war, underworld, 8th century PME Year it was published: 8th century, PME Summary: The Odyssey is literature's grandest evocation of everyman's journey through life. "It recounts the story of Odysseus' return to Ithaca from the Trojan war and tells how, championed by Athene and hounded by the wrathful sea-god Poseidon, Odysseus encounters the ferocious Cyclops, escapes Scylla and Charybdis and yields temporarily to the lures of Circe and Calypso before he overcomes the trials awaiting him on Ithaca. Only then is he reunited with his faithful wife Penelope, his wanderings at an end." Characters: Stock and boring characters with personalities and lives that have little changes. I ...

General Information: Name of Book: The Greek Myths Vol I ISBN: 0-14-020508-X Publisher: Pelican book Year it was published: 1955 Overall theme: "My method has been to assemble in harmonious narrative all the scattered elements of each myth, supported by little-known variants which may help to determine the meaning, and to answer all questions that arise, as best I can, in anthropological or historical terms. " (22) 25. Athene's Nature and Deeds Issue: Athene is the inventor of sciences, numbers and others. She is also described as merciful and gives compensation if she has harmed or slighted someone. She is a virgin goddess just like Hestia and Artemis. Poseidon had a practical joke where he told Hephaestus that Athene had hoped violent love would be made to her and although Athene did not lose virginity, she had a child named Erichthoius whom she has asked Cecrops and his family to guard, to which they agreed. To make up for destruction of family due...

General Information: Name of Book: Mythology ISBN: 9780316341516 Publisher: First Black Bay Year it was published: 1942 Overall theme:  "The Greeks did not believe that the gods created the universe. It was the other way about: the universe created the gods. Before there were gods heaven and earth had been formed. They were the first parents. The Titans were their children, and the gods were their grandchildren." (24) Part Three: The Great Heroes before the Trojan War 9. Perseus Observations: King Acrisius has a daughter named Danae, and one a prophecy was created that any child born to the girl would put the King to death. He built a bronze house with open roof where Danae was forced to live. Zeus came to her as a golden rain. She bore a son named Perseus, and King Acrisius now placed the two in a boat. Eventually they landed and a childless couple, Dictys and his wife, raised Danae and Perseus as their own. Polydictys, Dictys's brother, fell in love...

Name of Book: Two Sinful Secrets Author: Laurel McKee ISBN: 978-1-4555-0548-7 Publisher: Forever Part of a Series: The Scandalous St. Claires Type of book: Romance, Victorian Era, theater, adult, France, blackmail, protection, 1665, 1844, 1847, club, England, scandals Year it was published: 2012 Summary: A hundred years has passed since the bitter rivalry between the St. Claires and the Huntingtons began. But in London, the feud goes on . . . In this battle between enemies, passion will win. Lady Sophia Huntington isn't what she appears to be. Born into a noble family, the impulsive, wild-hearted beauty has fallen on difficult times. Banished from her home, Sophia dreams of the day she can finally win her father's forgiveness and return to London. Until the sudden appearance of a suitor from the scandalous St. Claire family threatens to reveal her darkest secrets . . . Dominic St. Claire vows to exact revenge upon the Huntingtons, who destroyed his f...

General Information: Name of Book: Tree of Souls ISBN: 9780195086799 Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Year it was published: 2004 Overall theme: "With only one God, heaven would be a barren place, at least in mythic terms. Yet the actual Jewish view of heaven is quite different. There are seven heavens, filled with angels and other divine beings, such as the Messiah [Not jesus!], who is said to have a palace of his own in the highest heaven. The clestial Temple can be found there- the mirror image of the Temple in the earthly Jerusalem- as well as an abundance of heavenly palaces, one for each of the patriarchs and matriarchs and sages, where he or she teaches Torah to the attentive souls of the righteous and the angels..." (xliii) "Drawing on the full range of Jewish sources, sacred and nonsacred, ten major categories of Jewish mythology can be identified: Myths of God, Myths of Creation...Each of these categories explores a mythic realm, and,...