Book Review: People of Sparks

People of Sparks

Jeanne Duprau

Imagine coming up from an underground city and seeing the sky for the first time. Everything would seem so strange, so new, so exciting. And survival would be a challenge.

When the residents of the underground city of Ember emerge from their dying home, they find themselves with no provisions and little knowledge of how survive in this unfamiliar post-disaster world. Fortunately for them, they meet the people of Sparks who agree to take these refugees in. That's just where the story begins, however.

The people of Ember are just over four hundred--the people of Sparks are just under. Food is precious, and with twice the mouths to feed, tensions build quickly. An accident occurs and the blame game ensues. The people of Sparks despise their ungrateful guests, devouring the food they worked so hard to produce. The people of Ember cry injustice when they feel they are being treated unfairly. And so it goes, back and forth, back and forth, escalating until the fire is out of control.

People of Sparks is actually the second book in Jeanne Duprau's "Ember" series. The first book, "City of Ember" tells how two twelve year old children, Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet, lead their people out of their dying city before it is too late and the lights shut off for good. I haven't read the third or fourth books yet, but I loved both "City of Ember" and "People of Sparks."

The books are written more for children, but I enjoyed them and the lessons are important for everyone. Finding hope in a dark world--that's what it's all about.

Book Review: Hunger Games Trilogy

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

What if you were selected to participate in a game of survival, a battle to the death with 23 other teenagers? What if your younger sister was selected for this "honor"? This is the situation Katniss Everdeen was faced with.

Hundreds of years in the future, the American continent is under the rule of the tyrannical Panem. The Capitol has organized the country into twelve impoverished districts. No one may leave their district. Every district must supply two teenagers, a boy and a girl, to participate in the annual Hunger Games. Only one comes out alive. When Katniss hears the name of her younger sister, Prim, read as the next contestant in these cruel games, she doesn't have to think twice about volunteering to take her place. But the Hunger Games turn out to be much bigger and much deadlier than she ever expected.

These books (Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay) are filled with action, drama, and a little romance, but my favorite part about them is the deep themes Suzanne touches upon. Suzanne explores the power of kindness, the psychological effects of war, and the effect of a symbol. This is the story of a rebellion against oppression and a stand for justice and love. It is the story of a girl who doesn't quite understand the effect she has on people--the power of one small act to change everything.

Once you start these books, you won't be able to stop as the draw you in every step of the way. The characters felt real, the plot was intriguing, and the themes in this book make for excellent discussion. I felt the ending was slightly lacking, but overall, I would recommend these books.

"I think...you still have no idea. The effect you have on people....None of those people we lost were idiots. They knew what they were doing. They followed you because they believed." -- Mockingjay (Suzanne Collins)

Book Review: The Screwtape Letters

The Screwtape Letters
C. S. Lewis

So, for the last two weeks I've been reading a series of letters from Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood about how to best tempt his human. Screwtape covers a wide range of topics including: misdirecting prayer, sowing seeds of dischord in a courtship, keeping the human involved with bad company, and making him overly spiritual. Oh...Screwtape and Wormwood are, uh, demons. I know, I know, what good could possibly come from reading correspondence between demons? A lot, actually, when it's written by Christian author C. S. Lewis.

C. S. Lewis has got to be one of my favorite authors. He has a knack for packing his books full of spiritual wisdom and he certainly does not fail here. He shows through Screwtape's letters many of the ways in which we humans can be deceived--and some of the ways to overcoming that deception. One of the biggest lessons I learned (or was reminded of) in this book is the importance of living day by day, hour by hour. Screwtape writes about how the future is a great way to distract humans simply because it is so uncertain. It is so easy to tie ourselves into a know about something that may not even affect us when we get there. Rather we must trust God for our daily bread.

The Screwtape Letters is not simply a dull book of proverbs either. C. S. Lewis creatively describes the workings of the enemy, full of cruelty and bureaucracy. They even have an "intelligence" department in charge of figuring out the supposed secret behind God's love for man. Apparently, they've been at it a few thousand years with still no results.

Before closing this review out, I must give a note of caution: Not all of the issues dealt in this book are appropriate for young children. That being said, I would definitely put this book high on my list of recommended books. Oh, and this book is very quotable (as my Facebook friends can attest to).

Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys. -- The Screwtape Letters (C. S. Lewis)

Book Review: Hinds' Feet on High Places

Another thing I like to do besides writing is reading. So, why not combine the two? I plan to start writing book reviews on some of the books I read (the good ones anyway). My hope is that maybe you might see something that you would like to read. Anyway, here is the first review.

Hinds' Feet on High Places
Hannah Hurnard

First my mom recommended this book to me. Then my neighbors told me it was an excellent book. So, I picked it up a couple weeks ago and slowly made my way through it.

The book is an allegory about the journey to spiritual heights. It's based on the verse at the end of Habakkuk: "The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me walk upon mine high places." The story recounts the journey of a woman named Much-Afraid. Much-Afraid has a desire to go up to the high places where she can be free from her relatives who continually torture her--Pride, Bitterness, Resentment, and Craven Fear to name a few. The problem is Much-Afraid is crippled and cannot make it on her own. So, she goes to the Shepherd for help. The Shepherd agrees and promises to make her feet like hinds' feet so that she may leap across the high places herself and follow Him wherever He goes. But the journey is not an easy one. Much-Afraid has many lessons to learn and a lot of growing to do before she is ready for hinds' feet.

The story is very much a love story between Much-Afraid and the Shepherd--the type of love that each of us has for our King. As Much-Afraid goes through various trials, her love for the Shepherd and her willingness to follow Him wherever grows. The theme of love runs throughout the book, from the beginning when the Shepherd plants the seed of love into Much-Afraid's heart, through the middle where Much-Afraid learns the basics of love, to the end where true Godly love blossoms in Much-Afraid's heart.



Biblical imagery is woven throughout the book and several times quotes from Scripture are integrated seamlessly into the dialogue. The whole time I was reading the story, I couldn't help but think of stories like the Exodus from Egypt, the binding of Isaac, and Psalm 23.

Reading through Much-Afraid's journey, I found several lessons that I could apply to my own life. One example is to accept everything God sends our way with joy--even if He takes us through the furnace of Egypt. Probably the biggest lesson I got from this book, however, is that our Shepherd is leading us to help us grow and become more like Him. No matter what the cost, I must choose to always follow Him. This book has been an encouragement to me as I seek after my God and His ways--I would definitely recommend it to you.