EXAMPLE OF BOOK REVIEW

The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins
Rating: 4.5/5

Summary
Picture this: over a hundred years into the future. Your country, Panem, has a long and difficult history. It
currently holds a wealthy, ruling Capitol surrounded by twelve poorer districts. Each year, in punishment
from previous rebellion of the Districts against the Capitol, two boys and two girls between the ages of
twelve and eighteen from each district are forced to participate in a cruel and graphic televised event called
the Hunger Games, hosted by the cold-hearted Capitol. When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps
forward to take her sister's place in the Games, she sees it as a death sentence - but in truth, Katniss has
been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.
Social/Historical Context:
The history of Panem isn't all that complex, but yet serves as a unique background and undertone for the
book. North America ravened by natural disasters, then what rose out of the ashes was Panem. Then came
the fateful rebellion. The Capitol's punishment, or rather a deadly reminder that the Dark Days should never
be repeated, was the Hunger Games. Katniss goes on a lot about her feelings about things and this is one of
the subjects you'll be excited to hear her express as narrator.
Writing Style:
The book was very well-written, very well expressed, crushingly suspenseful, with short, sharp sentences
when describing things, but with very clear and interesting statements when it comes from Katniss'
thoughts. When it comes to the action, it's nothing short of brilliant. Suzanne Collins gives you the feeling
it's not over yet; it's never over.
My Thoughts:
What can I say? Although the first few chapters of the book were rather slow, the reading was superb, and I
can find no other way to express myself. Sure, you may find in the first few chapters that the book is going
nowhere, and Katniss' droning is a bit annoying, but you won't be disappointed when the truth really kicks
in. Described emotions were sharp to my thoughts and the action was tense and riveting. Although the idea
of the story may seem very graphic, the actual graphicness in the book keeps it short. In fact, there actually
isn't much graphicness at all. It's hard to determine what age group The Hunger Games is for. Depending on
your level of maturity, I would say 11-14. A very well-deserved 4.5.
Book Reviewed by Kingjay
Source: http://www.book-review-circle.com/
MOVIE REVIEW

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Cast: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Director: Christopher Nolan
Synopsis:
City of Gotham needs a hero and goes on a secluded hiatus. However, when a new villain, Bane (Tom
Hardy), threatens Gotham City, Waynedons his cape and mask once more.
Review:
Christopher Nolan brings yet another adrenaline-filled, comic-inspired movie to the big screen. We see all
sorts of familiar faces this time around, but the audience is introduced to a few new characters as well.
When crisis threatens Gotham City, Bruce Wayne jumps back into the Batmobile to fight crime. Batman is
joined on his quest by an eager orphaned cop (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a seductive cat burglar (Anne
Hathaway), and a violent masked villain (Tom Hardy).
This film served as great entertainment with its colorful cast and numerous plot twists. Nolan used actors
that had either appeared in previous Batman films or in his blockbuster hit Inception, and all of them shone
in their respective roles: Tom Hardy was almost unrecognizable in his Bane costume, while Joseph
Gordon-Levitt and Marion Cotillard were both excellent-and obviously comfortable with Nolan's directing
style and the film's dramatic tone.
The one actor that gave this reviewer pause was Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle. She has historically been
typecast as the girl next door, so it was a shock to watch her steal and fight her way through the City of
Gotham. After a few scenes, however, we were convinced that the casting decisions was a good one, as
Hathaway portrayed the darker Catwoman role brilliantly.
True to Nolan's style, at 164 minutes, this film is fairly long. There were a few times when the movie felt a
bit drawn out, but the gorgeous action scenes and impressive dialogue really held the audience's attention
and kept them on the edge of their seats. However, the timeline was a bit unclear at times. For a number of
scenes, it was hard to tell whether it had been days or months or years that had passed since the last time a
given character had been on screen.
Despite the films minor shortcomings, The Dark Knight Rises is exciting, creative, and dark-and well
worth a few hours of your time.
Source: https://www.wikihow.com/