Raven

My English teacher told my class to pick a book that includes neurodiversity to read. As a person that usually reads high fantasy, I wasn't too excited. Realistic fiction is one of my least-read and least-enjoyed categories. In 300 pages, the author of this book managed to change that. It is splendidly written and toyed with my emotions every page. I really enjoyed this book and I think anyone could take something out of it.

I picked this book up when I was somewhere between 7 and 10, as I'd seen it in many places before, and it seemed to have a decent reputation. As soon as I read the first few pages, I closed the book and walked away. Even though I was the age of the “targeted audience”, I simply couldn't bear to read any farther (though eventually, I finished it, since I don't like leaving books unfinished, no matter how annoying they may be). I was expecting something like Diary of a Wimpy Kid , but with a girl as the main character, this was something utterly different, instead of a well-constructed plot and (sometimes) relatable situations like the ones demonstrated in Diary of a Wimpy Kid , I was bombarded with an onslaught of whining, complaining, sparkles, plot holes, and situations that made no sense at all. Even though the story is told from the perspective of an eighth grader, it sounds more like a first grader on a sugar high, and the only thing that seems “eighth grade” is the setting. Finally, although the book is intended for a younger audience, a character with a personality so shallow that it looks like the author didn't even intend to build upon it, and a with a plot that has no deep meaning does not provide an interesting read.

Another splendid book by Laini Taylor

I think this book is very good. Great, actually! It's perfect for any age (although younger readers could have a little trouble understanding the old-fashioned dialect). Although the language and descriptions qualify for a solid 5-stars, The Hobbit loses 1.5 stars due to its slight lack in plot development and lots of constant repetition. Sometimes, it can be hard to encourage yourself to finish the book when the scenes are stretched out. The characters stay mostly the same throughout the book, and it's a little disappointing if you read it after the rich character development, personalities, humor, and plot development in the [b:Lord of the Rings|3263607|The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)|J.R.R. Tolkien|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486871542l/3263607.SY75.jpg|3204327] series. Especially towards the end, when everything seems especially stretched out. Just like Bilbo Baggins, says in Lord of the Rings , to me this book feels “thin, sort of stretched... like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.” And instead of singing “The road goes ever on and on,” I felt more like muttering “The plot goes ever on and on” under my breath. Although it's definitely worth the read when paired with The Lord of the Rings , it does not do as well as a stand-alone book.

Probably would have liked it a lot better when I was younger. I started this series much too late, but I'm still excited to see what Rick Riordan has in store with the next books