Tag Archives: historical fiction

Book Review: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

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Recently, I created a bucket list of books that were previously or currently banned in some capacity that I wanted to read, and one book that particularly stood out to me was Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Known for his absurdist writing style, Vonnegut’s work never fails to be humorous and meaningful at the same time.

This book has no specific sense of time, a break from the typical writing style seen in most novels. The book begins with Vonnegut describing his personal connection to the book and his thought process in writing it. Having witnessed the Second World War and its brutality firsthand, there definitely is an anti-war aspect to the book. The story frequently jumps between time periods, as the book’s main character, Billy Pilgrim, becomes “unstuck in time” and “time travels” through what can be implied to be flashbacks and flash-forwards.

The book attempts to explain Billy’s warped sense of time, but also his understanding of life and death, as a result of his contact with an alien race known as the Traufamadorians. Billy “time travels” constantly between WWII and the post-war period, where he is supposedly at, with Vonnegut making it uncertain what time frame the book truly is set in. At the same time, Vonnegut introduces several narratives concerning the brutal and dehumanizing nature of war, including its random nature by killing off characters who were least expected to perish. In fact, part of the reason why the book was banned originally was because of its anti-war nature, with some citing it as “unpatriotic”. By creating these narratives, Vonnegut ultimately expresses a cynical sentiment concerning the cruelty of human nature.

SH5 is one example of Vonnegut’s incredible talent for world-building; while every event seems random or out of place in the context of where it is placed, everything fits together, albeit haphazardly. This book is full of surprises, and I really enjoyed this wild roller-coaster ride of a book that simultaneously managed to be full of significance and meaning, despite the author’s intention for many things to be meaningless. Ultimately, this intention is a paradox in itself. I’d recommend this book for anybody looking for a unique read, or just anybody who wants to read an important piece of literary history in general.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded from Libby. 

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS (SPOILER) BY JOHN BOYNE

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Imagine moving to a new home where everything feels strange, and no one will tell you why. That’s what happens to Bruno, a curious nine-year-old boy, in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne. One day, while exploring, he meets a boy named Shmuel sitting on the other side of a barbed-wire fence. Even though they come from different worlds, they become friends—but Bruno doesn’t realize the terrible truth about where Shmuel lives. This is a powerful and emotional story about friendship, innocence, and the horrors of the Holocaust.

One of my favorite parts of the book was Bruno’s friendship with Shmuel. Even though they live very different lives, they understand each other in a way no one else does. Bruno is curious and doesn’t see why the fence should keep them apart, while Shmuel knows more than he can say. Their friendship feels real and makes you care about both of them.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by Boyne, John (2006) Hardcover

Bruno’s family also plays an important role in the story. His father is a strict Nazi officer in charge of the camp, his mother starts to realize something is wrong, and his older sister, Gretel, slowly changes as she begins believing in the ideas of the adults around her. Then there’s Lieutenant Kotler, a young soldier who is always at Bruno’s house. He is cruel and harsh, especially to the people on the other side of the fence, showing just how unfair and dangerous the world around Bruno really is.

As the story unfolds, we learn that Shmuel is a prisoner in a concentration camp during the Holocaust, a time when millions of Jewish people were taken from their homes and sent to camps where they were treated terribly. Bruno, who doesn’t understand what’s happening, thinks the people in striped pajamas are just living another kind of life. The fence between him and Shmuel is a symbol of the way the world separates them.

One of the most intense parts of the book is the ending, which is both shocking and heartbreaking. It makes you think about how unfair and cruel the Holocaust was, especially for innocent people like Shmuel. The story stays with you long after you finish reading.

What I liked most about The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was how it showed the world through a child’s eyes. Bruno doesn’t see enemies or differences—he just sees a friend. This makes the story even sadder, but also more powerful. If you like books that make you think and feel deeply, I highly recommend The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded from Libby. 

My Brother Sam is Dead by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier

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About two months ago, I read a novel called My Brother Sam is Dead in my English class. At first, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy this book because I was being forced to read it. Instead, I actually ended up enjoying it a lot. I loved how it showed the side effects that war can have on society. Rather than showing the perspective of a soldier at war, it shows the perspective of a boy named Tim Meeker who has to face many challenges as a result of the war.

My Brother Sam is Dead takes place during the American Revolutionary War. The novel follows the story of a boy, Tim Meeker. While his brother, Sam Meeker, is fighting as a Patriot, Tim is forced to mature and change as he stays home and fights against the problems the war is bringing. As the reader continues throughout the story, they are able to witness the tragedies that Tim has to face causing him to go through very noticeable character development as the story goes on. They are also able to see how war brings other things rather than freedom and glory.

My Brother Sam is Dead is a well-crafted novel that has meaningful themes and topics. My favorite part of the book is its hidden message, which shows how war brings problems to everyone, not just those who are fighting in it. The novel does a great job at this by making the character development of Tim Meeker very apparent. The authors do this by making Tim go through life-altering events as a result of war, Causing him to mature quickly and to go through personal growth. Additionally, My Brother Sam is Dead has an entertaining story that will keep the reader engrossed in it throughout the story. The authors added very detailed scenes and emotions that have the reader feeling like they’re part of the story.

In conclusion, My Brother Sam is Dead is a novel that may seem boring, but is definitely the opposite. I recommend this book to anyone since it is not too long and has a story that is both engaging and thrilling. While this book may sound boring because it does not follow the perspective of a soldier at war, but instead a normal civilian, the authors do a great job at making it a very entertaining piece of literature. Using a civilian as the protagonist, the authors are able to tell the reader the side effects war has on the world. The authors are also able to explore topics such as personal growth with the use of Tim Meeker, a young boy who isn’t participating in the war, as the main character.

-Matthew R.

My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded from Libby.

White Bird

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White Bird: A Wonder Story (A Graphic Novel): Palacio, R. J.: 9780525645535: Amazon.com: Books

White Bird, is a book by R.J Palacio that I read about three years ago that tells the story of a young Jewish girl called Sara Blum who lives in a small village in France. Soon the Nazi Party, which was a movement under the direction of Adolf Hitler that believed that Jewish people had no right to live in Germany, defeated France and caused France to surrender which split the country in two regions, The Occupied Zone, and the Free Zone, Sara was placed in the Free Zone. However, even living in the Free Zone, the Nazis arrive and rounded-up many Jews to bring them to camp, Sara is brought to the woods for safety and meets a boy who invites her to live with his family and him in the meantime.

This book has really captivated me, and has overall become one of my favorite graphic novel books. The drawings, illustrations, and movements created in this book really add a whole level of contrast and emotions that really capture the reader’s attention. There is one part in this book, that really grabbed my attention due to the combination of the writing and the illustrations. It is when Sara Blum has a dream of herself flying up above the woods with a flock of birds, allowing herself to express and feel the sense of freedom while flying, this parts really brings a sense of emotions to the reader.

I would really recommend reading this book, as it is a great read and is really informative. The live-action movie is currently streaming and is available to watch on Youtube, Apple TV, and Amazon. I have not yet watched it yet, but is definitely on my watch list currently. White Bird is currently available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library today!

The Sun Also Rises Book Review

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The Sun Also Rises is one of Hemingway’s most important contributions of describing life after World War I of the Lost Generation. This was a required book that is read by Juniors at our high school. It discusses themes revolving around the aimlessness of the lost generation, male insecurity, and the destructiveness of sexual tension.

The story follows a couple of main characters, including Jake Barnes, the novel’s protagonist, and Lady Brett Ashley, the woman he loves but can’t be with. Jake, an American journalist living in Paris (also called an expatriate), is left impotent due to a war injury, which adds a layer of emotional frustration to his relationship with Brett. Brett, on the other hand, is beautiful, charismatic, and desired by nearly every man in their social circle—but she’s also emotionally unavailable and constantly searching for something more. She is seen constantly with different men at every single page turn of the book. It is almost as if she is looking for something that she can’t find herself.

The book captures the essence of the “Lost Generation”— which was a term Hemingway popularized to describe the disillusioned and aimless young people who came of age during and after World War I. Jake and his friends: Robert Cohn, Bill Gorton, and Mike Campbell, wander through Paris and Spain, drinking, fighting, and engaging in meaningless affairs, all in an attempt to fill the void left by the war.

One of the most significant parts of the novel takes place in Pamplona, Spain, where the group travels to watch the running of the bulls and the bullfights. One of the characters that you meet here is Pedro Romero, a young, talented bullfighter, who serves as a really big contrast to the insecure and broken men around him—especially Jake and Cohn. Romero is the best bullfighter and youngest in Spain and he seems to have his life all figured out, which Jake admires very much. At the end of the book, we see that Brett eventually goes on to date Romero, only to get dumped and run back to her “husband.”

One of the main themes of The Sun Also Rises is escapism, but it doesn’t provide any real solutions. The characters drink excessively, engage in toxic relationships, and avoid their problems, but in the end, nothing really changes. The novel leaves us with the famous last line between Jake and Brett: “Isn’t it pretty to think so?” which continues to show the aimlessness and the unhappiness of the Lost Generation.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Little Women: Character Analysis

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Little Women, written by Louisa May Alcott, is a classic story set around the time of the Civil War. It’s mostly centered around the 4 March sisters and how they grow up. All four are inspiring young women who differed in many ways despite their shared blood, and all 4 have unique morals to teach.

Margaret March, nicknamed “Meg,” starts as a girl who cares for her younger sisters but struggles with materialism. She spends the book learning to become more generous and a woman who adheres to the idea of a biblical matron. She gives birth to two children, who represent her growth.

Josephine March, otherwise called “Jo,” is introduced as a tomboyish teenager with a mind to write and an independent spirit. She struggles with becoming a feminine, considerate woman. Throughout the book, she expands her worldview and works in various writing-based jobs. In the end, however, she starts a school for disadvantaged boys with her husband.

Elizabeth March, often referred to as “Beth,” was a sweet child who always tried to be “out of the way” and a good, obedient, quiet girl. Unfortunately, she died early in the story because she caught a disease from the immigrant baby from the poor neighboring family nearby. Had she spoken up and told the others to actually do their chores and help tend to the family, she may not have been the victim of the disease. This event also makes us question their mother’s decision-making abilities, as she was a major factor in their association with the other family. Her character development death teaches us the importance of speaking up for oneself and not leaving any regrets. 

Amy March, the only sister without a nickname, is at first a vain child who places most emphasis on herself and her looks. However, she grows to become an accomplished and kind young lady with a better tongue and a smarter mind. I thought that all the surviving girls marrying somebody was very characteristic of the times, and that Jo’s and Amy’s marriages felt quite forced, but it all depends on the view of the reader. 

In my personal opinion, it wouldn’t be a far stretch to refer to the March sisters as the My Little Pony Elements of Harmony set in a realistic fiction 1800s setting. Through their trials and joys, we are left with a unique set of morals and a new perspective.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is available to checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Rajiv Joseph is one of the greatest playwrights of our time.

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I know this is a loaded statement, but I truly believe it. I recently had to read and perform one of his plays, Gruesome Playground Injuries, for an acting class. This play was my introduction to Joseph’s works and it is astonishing to see how his brain works. His plays are normally short, only a few scenes, not typically exceeding one hundred pages. He is able to develop characters so emotionally complex within that short span it will leave readers so invested and attached that they linger in their brains. At least, that is what happened to me.

My most recent read was a play of his called Guards at the Taj and it was nothing short of mind-altering. The play has four scenes, consistent with Joseph’s concise style, however, it is nowhere near lacking in volume. The play is set in Agra, India, in 1648. Everything, excluding the language, is accurate to the time period.

The first scene opens with the only two characters in the play, Babur and Humayun, two imperial guards at the Taj Mahal. Humayan is very rigid and regimented in his ways. His father is the head of the imperial guards and I believe him to have a mindset of success in quantifiable measures. Babur severely opposes this; he is philosophical in his beliefs and mindsets and sets emotion and abstraction to be prominent ways of his ways of thinking. The two talk a lot about beauty: what it is, who appreciates it more, where it can be found, and what can and cannot be beautiful. Babur accuses his friend of not knowing beauty as he does, but when the two of them see the Taj Mahal for the very first time, the men begin to weep, they drop their swords and hold hands.

The second scene opens with the men standing in two feet of blood. Babur clutching a sword, and Humayan blinded. The gore depicted on the stage is usually what is only alluded to by playwrights. Joseph takes this standard, crumples it up, and throws it out of the window to be found by a lion who rips it to shreds. The stage Lining the stage are barrels of 40,000 hands (the hands of the 20,000 men who created the Taj Mahal), all of which had been severed by Babur and Humayun. I believe that the gore was necessary to the point Joseph is making: what is real will happen and be seen. The reality of the play was that nothing that Humayan claimed he had talked about that would get the men out of their current standing situation (as low-class imperial guards) or even the conversation he said he had with his father (claiming to beg at his feet not to kill Babur when Humayan sold him out). None of it was pictured. What was shown was Humayan severing and cauterizing the hands (and his relationship) with his best friend, Babur, and I think Joseph was determined to make all of the gore and messages in his scenes undeniable.

I believe that this is a piece that everyone needs to read. I really hope to see it performed one day. It stands relevant to so many different situations and in so many aspects of relationships, social hierarchy, and the search for beauty, and the feeling of reading it for the first time cannot be encapsulated in words. And all of it in 45 pages. Rajiv Joseph is a genius.

Lessons in Chemistry By: Bonnie Garmus

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Lessons in Chemistry is set in the early 1960s and follows Elizabeth Zott, a female chemist who fought against great odds to obtain her degree and position. Zott works at the Hastings Research Institute, where she meets Calvin Evans, a Nobel Prize-nominated chemist. Their relationship cultivates quickly, and their rivalry with the rest of the staff continues to grow.

Years later, Zott is a single mother after a tragic accident. After meeting a parent of one of her daughter’s friends, Zott receives an offer to be the host of a nationally broadcasted cooking show called “Supper at Six.” Although hesitant at first, Zott in need of a job accepts, hoping that this could give her the credibility she needs to reenter the chemistry world. Her approach to cooking regarding her chemistry background intrigues viewers, and the show quickly becomes a hit. Zott soon becomes a national icon, inspiring women to do more than be housewives, breaking stereotypes for women on TV often fighting against her producer and even the head of the studio.

I enjoyed this book because it displays a unique perspective on women in STEM-based fields in the 1960s. This tale of feminism during this period is almost an untouched topic, so this book feels like something very new and exciting for those who enjoy tales of feminism. It also greatly addresses the risks to women and the adversity they had to overcome to become successful or even respected in their field. It being a historical fiction novel was ultimately one of the reasons I picked it up. If you’re not interested in reading all 390 pages, there is also a new series on Apple TV that is based on this book. That I feel was a decent interpretation of the book, as many typically fail in this realm.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

Paperboy by Vince Vawter

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Paperboy: Vawter, Vince: 9780385742443: Amazon.com: Books

Imagine taking on a job that’s way bigger than you expected—especially when you have to do it alone. That’s exactly what happens to 11-year-old Victor when he takes over a paper route in his Memphis neighborhood. Victor stutters, which makes it hard for him to talk to people and leaves him feeling different from everyone else. I found it inspiring how something as simple as delivering newspapers turns into a summer of bravery and self-discovery for Victor.

One part of the story I really liked was Victor’s relationship with Mr. Spiro, one of the people on his paper route. Mr. Spiro isn’t just a kind customer—he becomes a mentor to Victor, helping him see that his voice is important, even if he stutters. The notes Mr. Spiro writes for Victor are thoughtful and full of wisdom. Reading about their bond made me realize how much a single person’s kindness can change someone’s life.

Then there’s Ara T, the thief who brings danger into Victor’s world. Ara T is the total opposite of Mr. Spiro. He’s sneaky and scary, and when he steals from Victor’s house, it forces Victor to face his fears. I could feel Victor’s nervousness during these parts, and I was amazed by how he found the courage to stand up to Ara T. It showed me that bravery isn’t about being fearless—it’s about doing the right thing, even when you’re scared.

Victor’s housekeeper, Mam, was another character I really connected with. She’s tough, protective, and always there for Victor, especially when things get dangerous. Mam reminded me of people in my life who are always looking out for me, no matter what. Her strength gave Victor the confidence he needed to handle the challenges he faced that summer.

What I loved most about Paperboy was how real and relatable Victor’s journey felt. It wasn’t just about overcoming a stutter—it was about growing as a person and learning to face life head-on. This book taught me that everyone has challenges, but those challenges can make us stronger. If you’re looking for a story with heart, inspiration, and unforgettable characters, I highly recommend Paperboy.

-Adarsh V.

Paperboy by Vince Vawter is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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To Kill a Mockingbird is a thrilling novel. It was written by the one and only Harper Lee, Who has made other great novels such as Go Set a Watchman.

At first glance, I thought this was going to be a very boring book because I had to read it for school. And most books required for school are a pain to read, and very boring. But once I started reading this book more and more I realized that I was hooked. Normally I’m not a huge fan of reading, but I really enjoyed reading To Kill a Mockingbird.

The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a realistic fiction story. It follows the lives of 2 siblings: 6 year old Scout, who is the narrator, and 10 year old Jem Finch. The both of them are very immature at the beginning of the story. The time period is set in the 1930’s in a small rural town called Maycomb, Alabama. Atticus Finch is the children’s father, who is a lawyer. He is also a wise and loving dad, and teaches Jem and Scout many valuable lessons throughout the story.

The story starts getting intense when Atticus takes on a case. He must defend Tom Robinson, who is a black man. Tom is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, who is a young white woman. The trial has a big impact on Jem and Scout’s understanding of the world, and that everything isn’t always innocent as it seems. Jem and Scout grew much in their maturity after the trial, as they had a new perspective of the world and their surroundings.

I would recommend To Kill a Mockingbird to any readers who enjoy historical fiction and thrilling stories. This novel tackles the injustice that can happen in the world and issues with the society.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.