Assignment #2 - Wes Davis - Dusting Off the Shelves

Indulging in fictional literature has been something I've found pleasure in immensely since my much younger years. However, after a long time of being too busy and stressed to snuggle up with a good book, I realized this summer my need to rekindle that relationship. Outside of the realm of academia, I've read Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman, Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, The Reader by Traci Chee, and Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin. Some of these works strike more of a chord than others, and some just don't have that spark. For that reason, I've decided to discuss The Reader, Before the Devil Breaks You, and A Monster Calls.

I've always been a believer in getting the worst of things out of the way first. A "rip off the bandaid" sort of mentality. Thus, we start with the book that let me down. The Reader by Traci Chee is a novel exploring the power of reading that a select few have been given, an incredibly treasured power in a place where only the most lucky are able to read. I, as a reader, felt this book would tap into this niche little part of my brain that would relate so much with the content. However, this book fell flat for me. A story I was expecting to be a spark sizzled into a cool dose of disappointment. In my eyes, the whole notion of reading being an incredible power felt like a gimmick only employed to attract more readers. For many, it worked! Some people felt that the novel showcased to importance of staying well-read in an era of the Internet. For me, it just felt like a waste of time. I finished the novel, however I don't recommend it, only due to the execution of the concept.

Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray is the third installment in a series chronicling the adventures of a group of misfits with supernatural powers known as the Diviners. This book, along with the two preceding it, have always struck a chord with me. These characters feel so close to home and I feel like I truly know them. I know all of their nuanced behaviors and what pushes their buttons. This series for me has always been more about the characters. The plot lines have always been greatly executed but I keep coming back to this series for the characters I fell in love with 5 years ago. One this this book and series have always reminded me is that even if I feel like I've changed so much (which I have), there will always be that little part of me from years ago that continues to live on. In times that I miss who I used to be, this series reminds me that the person I was is still there, no matter how long it has been.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is one of those books that just changes a person. I don't typically cry while reading a novel but this book made me absolutely sob. This book follows the journey of a boy who's mom is sick, and the monster he meets outside his bedroom window. This monster tells him three stories, each designed to teach the boy something crucial about his own life. After those three stories are told, the boy then must tell his story, his truth. Watching the boy fall into somewhere so dark only to claw his way out was the most breathtaking and heartbreaking things I've read in a long time. This book tears the reader down and then builds them back up again. It strikes a chord so deep within you that it takes some time to recover. This book came along at the perfect time for me. I was reminded why we keep going, why I should stand back up after I fall. I can feel the sting of tears in my eyes as I think about this book. I know my evaluation was a tad dramatic but this book means so much to me. If you get the chance, please read it!

These works have taught me that reading can be something exciting and thrilling, but also something deeply introspective. For this alone I owe gratitude to the countless stories I've been given the privilege to indulge in. These works deserve a thanks, as do the authors that meticulously crafted them.