Reading Corner: Read it, Baby!

  Book Review      The Golden Compass (1996) by Philip Pullman tells the story of Lyra Belacqua, a brave twelve-year-old girl who tries to find her place in a magical world in which daemons are a part of people’s souls. In this journey, the young kid meets many interesting characters and finds out a secret that will change her conception of the world.      Regarding the good points of this novel, the author has managed to maintain tension throughout the plot as well as incorporate a significant number of unique characters successfully.     On the other hand, there is an aspect I consider is worth mentioning. Quite honestly, I do not think this book is very appropriated for children since it presents some tragic events such as the death of some characters but more importantly, the way in which the main characters are portrayed because, at some parts of the story, their moral is corrupted. Therefore, to my way of thinking, that is not a good message for kids.     In short, all thes

 Book review The Witches by Roald Dahl tells the story of a boy and his grandmother, which come to discover the place where witches meet annually. Eventually, they set up a plan to get rid of the witches of that place, and later all the witches in the United Kingdom. Focusing on its good points, since it included images and a not-so-complicated vocabulary, it was easy to follow and understand. Additionally, one could somewhat relate to the character’s way of reacting and speaking, enhancing the reading experience as a whole. Regarding what I did not like that much, I would definitely mention how the story ends. Taking into consideration that it is a children’s story, and even when the genre is “dark fantasy”, I would have imagined a happier ending where the boy becomes human again instead of remaining a mouse.  Still, despite its pros and cons, I really enjoyed reading it, and I think it was a nice story that managed to catch the reader’s attention, regardless of age. Probably because

 The picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (1890) Book review  The picture of Dorian Gray is a philosophical gothic novel written by the Irish author Oscar Wilde in 1890.  The story is set in London, England in the 19th century. Everything begins with the painter Basil Hallward introducing Dorian Gray to his aristocrat friend, Lord Henry Wotton. After that meeting, the young man comprehended why he had been envied by others, his physical beauty. Since then, he saved the manifestation of this truth, Hallward’s portrait of Gray. Later on, his love for a young actress came to an end when his arrogance provoked her death. Therefore, over time, Gray’s narcissism did not cease and when he made the decision of destroying the painting due to his harmful lifestyle, he died. His portrait became his own despicable soul.  In this novel, what is really enjoyable is Wilde’s narrative to create really authentic characters. Their conversations in each chapter are captivating and the intentions they sh