Post 10: Reading Wishlist

Below are some of the books that I wish to read as the year progresses:

• Paper towns by John Green
• American Sniper by Chris Kyle
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Book 5: 

For my book 5, I believe I'm going to read The Martian by Andy Weir. It's actually on my wishlist and it's definitely the book I'm most eager to read. After finishing one of my books this year, I went on my phone and searched for new books that I might enjoy. I chose to read a 50 page summary of The Martian, and from the beginning I can already tell I love it. I plan to start reading it as soon as summer hits, and then move on to the next novel on my list. By the end of the year, I hope to have read all of the books currently on my wishlist, plus an extra few ones I find along the way. 

My Book 4 Project: Theme Analysis

My reasoning behind choosing The Longest Ride for book 4 was to investigate all of the hype on it mainly from coming from girls, but also because it's a book I never would have read. Before I even began the book I started to vision a plot line forming in my head, imagining there would be a perfect ending to a perfect love story. And though at times it felt like I might be right, I was completely wrong. The Longest Ride isn't just about one love story, but two. While both are separate from each other in their own lives, the story manages to intertwine them and create a love story like none I have ever read or seen. I can most definitely understand why the book is so popular among the females side of the world. The novel contains all the aspects of a love story that every girl would die to live in, while also throwing in some situations that were completely unexpected. Though it is notable to mention that at times the plot is very predictable, an aspect I was expecting to run across. I feel the reason the book is not mentioned more among the male side of the spectrum is because it's seen as "girly" or any other kind of adjective that makes a man not feel like a man. I guarantee that if a random man picked up this book and read it, he would be able to relate to it in some way and would sincerely enjoy the time he spent reading it. If he were to say otherwise, then he's lying. Prior to finishing The Longest Ride, I thought more about the theme of the book. And though there are many themes to choose from, I feel the theme of love is the best to discuss, even if it is a little cliche.

This novel is a love story. Not only is it a love story about a young couple who find one another in the modern world, it is about a couple who chose one another above all else despite the complications that made their lives different from what they once thought they wanted. 

Ruth and Ira found one another when the world was not the modern one it is today. Ruth was running from the darkness of the Holocaust, trying to find herself in a world she did not understand. Ira was the shy son of a tailor, lacking confidence in his own worth. Together, however, they found a place where they could be themselves, where they could live a life filled with love and adventure. 

Sophia and Luke on the other hand, come together in a world filled with technology and danger. Sophia is stalked by an ex-boyfriend, while Luke faces the loss of the only home he knows. It may not seem like they're the best match for each other, but every situation changes that thought as they display how powerful they are when they're connected.

The main reason this novel differs from most romance novels is because instead of having just one relationship to focus on, the theme of love transitions into another completely separate relationship. They are two very different relationships in their own world, yet somehow they collide and make a bond that pulls the movie into a pleasing close. Most romance novels typically revolve around a certain couple, following all of their ups and downs. Though when talking about The Longest Ride, that aspect does not apply. I believe that is why some many people tend to enjoy this book over another love story. And not to mention the writing style of Nicolas Sparks, which I have to say is close to the best I've ever read. 

Book Talk

Post 7: The Longest Ride Reflection

The reason I originally chose The Longest Ride is to investigate all of the hype on it, particularly coming from girls. I was curious to see if I would end up enjoying the book, since I would never read it. Prior to reading it, I had watched a few of the Nicolas Sparks books, and from the beginning I assumed The Longest Ride would be just like the others. And in a way it was, yet I will admit that I was surprised. While it did contain all of the romantic elements I expected, the story line took a different path. The story itself is actually two different stories of their own that eventually get twisted and intertwined.

The novel begins with Ira Levinson, a man in his nineties, who sets out to fulfill a long standing commitment. It is snowing outside and Ira, who has had problems with his vision, misses a curve and wrecks his car. Throughout the rest of the book, it continues to come back to Ira as he sits in his car, envisioning having conversations with his wife Ruth, who passed away years before. They speak about their life together and flash back to all of the memories they can recall, giving us a glimpse of one of the two relationships in the novel. While this is taking place, the main relationship is brewing.

Sophia, a current college undergraduate, heads off to a party with her friends at a barn. It had been weeks since she last left the dorm for anything besides class, and her friends decided it was time to get her out of her depression from her recent break-up. At the party, she meets a professional bull rider named Luke. From the first instant we meet Luke, it is already evident that Sophia will forget about her ex-boyfriend and soon fall in love with the new starry-eyed cowboy. These parts of the story were very predictable, as Sophia and Luke soon got to know each other and were eventually falling in love before they could realize it. I didn't forget about her ex-boyfriend, Brian, and just as I imagined, he popped back into the story line by fighting Luke. Though, the fight was over soon and Brian wasn't seen much more. All of these little conflicts throughout the story were easy to predict, but what I never expected was how the two relationships would get intertwined. I honestly do not want to spoil it just in case you decide to read it, but I will say that the novel wrapped up a lot better than I had predicted.

In the end, The Longest Ride contained predictable elements that seem to occur throughout all Nicolas Spark books. Though, what was not evident to occur was the aspect of intertwining two separate relationships. Viewing the book through the eyes of a girl, I can understand all of the hype about the book, as it did turn out to be a very well written love story. But even looking at it through my own eyes, I believe guys could actually relate to it and enjoy the book. The main reason guys don't is because society tells us that it is meant for girls, while in reality there is not one specific gender for the book.