The Age of Innocence

Title: The Age of Innocence
Author: Edith Wharton
Genre: Fiction (Classic/Drama/Victorian??)
Pages: 320
Rating (out of 5 stars): ****
Reviewed by: Ben
Description: Newland Archer is a member of New York's high society in the 1870s. While engaged to marry May Welland, he meets and falls in love with Ellen Olenska, who is a bit surrounded by scandal. Newland struggles between following the demands of a pompous society and the true feelings of his heart. The result: a tale of thwarted love, duty, and acceptance.
Thoughts: This book was exactly what I needed after all of the sci-fi I have been reading lately. I admit that I've always liked these classic romantic novels, so if you don't like Dickens or Austen you probably wouldn't enjoy this book much. That being said, there's a reason that The Age of Innocence was the first book written by a woman to win the Pulitzer Prize. There is no clear correct answer to the dilemma that faces Newland as he is caught between two generations. The "old school" that he was brought up in holds fast to tradition, and there is certainly something to be said for that. May, whom Newland is to marry, represents that old society. On the other hand, the upcoming generation willingly accepts changes and openly forgives those who, like Ellen (whom Newland actually loves), have made some serious mistakes, and mercy is something I believe in as well. Whom should Newland choose? I'm still not sure. At any rate, the book is a marvelous commentary on hypocrisy, duty, and ideals.
Disclaimer: None.

Xenocide & Children of the MInd

Titles: Xenocide and Children of the Mind
Author: Orson Scott Card
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 608 and 384
Rating (out of 5 stars): **
Reviewed by: Ben
Description: These are the last two books in the "Ender Quartet." In these two books, Ender has settled down with a family, but serious trials still await him and those he loves. Congress has issued and order to destroy the planet he lives, there is an adaptive virus loose that threatens to destroy all of humanity, and war is threatening to break out between humans and the 3 other sentient species they have discovered. Xenocide and Children of the Mind chronicle Ender's quest to save humanity one last time.
Thoughts: I'm reviewing these two books together because they are really one long book that Card broke up into two because of length. Really there is hardly and ending at all at the end of Xenocide, so you pretty much have to read Children of the Mind if you are going to read book 3. Anyway, I figured that I had already read books 1 & 2, so I might as well finish off the series. Unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed in these last two books. I'm generally not a big sci-fi reader, so maybe I just lost interest, but I didn't really feel like these two books captured me nearly as much as the first two. My biggest complaint is that both Xenocide and Children of the Mind had far too many insurmountable obstacles that Ender and his gang had to overcome. I felt like in real life there would have been absolutely no chance for anything to work out, and yet Card simply tied up all the loose ends in the last few pages of the last book. I guess I felt like it was all too neat and tidy of a conclusion--there wasn't enough suffering or something was missing. Also, books 3 & 4 got even more science-fictiony (e.g. teleportation, people possessing 3 bodies at once, etc.) which turned out to be a bit much for my taste. However, rating the series overall, I really enjoyed it much more than expected and would recommend it to anyone with a science fiction bent. Speaker for the Dead (book 2) was the best of the quartet, followed by Ender's Game (book 1).
Disclaimer: A few light swear words, nothing more.