Reading Blog #1: Abandon, by Meg Cabot

Excerpt: "She knows what it's like to die. Now Death wants her back. Seventeen-year-old Pierce knows what happens to us when we die. That's how she met John Hayden, the mysterious stranger who's made returning to normal life—or at least life as Pierce knew it before the accident—next to impossible. Though she thought she escaped him—starting a new school in a whole new place—it turns out she was wrong. He finds her. What does John want from her? Pierce thinks she knows... just like she knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven. But she can't stay away from him, either, especially since he's always there when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most. But if she lets herself fall any further, she might find herself back in the place she fears the most. And when Pierce discovers the shocking truth, that’s exactly where John sweeps her: The Underworld."

This book was so promising. The summary was beautiful, the cover was beautiful—which was what had drawn me to the book in the first place, because I do judge books by their covers—but, jeez, the protagonist, Pierce, is so, overwhelmingly shallow. The following passage demonstrates just how much she cares for others.

"Sure, I'd been kicked out of school. I couldn't seem to go more than an hour without craving a caffeinated beverage. And a guy I'd met while I was dead had popped by unexpectedly and caused me to be slapped with a seven-figure civil suit.But I was feeling positive about the future."

Really—really? What a wonderful character—one that’s shallow, passive, irresponsible, and flaky. Just what I wanted to read during my four o’clock mug of coffee.

Through this book, I desperately tried to keep in mind that I love Greek mythology, and any sort of mythology, but the writing was so watered-down. It dragged. It was slow. There’s no other way to put it—except that it was like being a rabbit and having a carrot being dangled just out of reach, but you could never get the carrot, and it makes you angry. Cabot drags out Pierce’s story so that it no longer becomes suspenseful, just terrible, horrible, dull words on pages.

Before I continue, she does not know who Homer is. Not that yellow man from the Simpsons—the poet… Let the crickets commence while I horrendously murder this girl.

The romance is the stereotypical “oh-my-goodness-this-guy-is-so-hot-and-he’s-dark-and-mysterious-and-he-wants-me-oh-my-gosh” romance. Think—I cannot believe I will say this— Twilight. It’s really, honestly, that horrendous.

Overall, I had faith in this book. So. Much. Faith. It claimed to be a dark retelling of the myth of Persephone, so I took a chance. Yet it failed me, and I struggled to get through it. To be completely and totally honest, I skipped many of the fluff passages.

Up next is Dark Visions, by L.J Smith.

Controversy

Blogging.

It is not a career, nor a job, nor a chore—yet a luxury to those literate, educated, and with a passion for what they see fit for the world. These passions can come in so many different forms, whether it’s cooking, reading, math, science, or pictures of cats with seemingly idiotic captions that come across as hilarious and adorable which brings this whole thing around to one of the world’s best topics: controversy!

Everyone happens to love it or hate it (just like everything else in the world), but it remarkably sustains the human race with such efficiency that it has become an everyday part of our lives, whether it’s politics, or debate, or arguing with a friend about the movie you saw last night—controversy is everywhere. There is absolutely no way to avoid it. No matter what, every single day you will encounter it. Say, you might be having a conversation with a friend and they bring up something dreaded among the entire human population—your friend, sadly, enjoys the Twilight Saga (brought to you by Stephenie Meyer), and believes that those chiseled sparkly things are actual, legitimate vampires. Well, now you’re tearing your hair out, contemplating taking a wooden stake to their heart, and you rant and rave about the fact that vampires do not sparkle in the sunlight—they burn. This whole situation has quickly escalated into a debate about how Edward should have killed Bella when she was on her period, and how, physically, it is impossible for Edward to knock that Mary Jane up. In case no one knew, sperm needs a normal body temperature to survive and not die. Also, in case you were confused, Edward wouldn’t be able to sustain, or even achieve, an erection, because if there’s no blood flowing through his veins, then there is no blood to fill the tissue in his dysfunctional penis to reach an erection, which brings this to the fact that Edward can’t physically become sexually excited.

So, after those ramblings, let’s take this back on topic, shall we? All in all, one will never not have an argument. Not a single soul will go through life without becoming consumed in a red cloud of rage, whether it be towards video game lag, that forsaken stain on the carpet, or your in-laws. Controversy is unavoidable. It’s everywhere. So, instead of hiding and being scared of confrontation, go out and have a nice argument with someone. Just not at a bar—that could cause a bar fight.