Reflection #7

Can Non-fiction be a lie?

I think that in order for a book to be considered non-fiction or a memoir, they need to be 100% true. I don’t want to hear an exaggerated story or the twisted truth, when all along I thought it was real. If it wants that title, it should stick to the facts.

I think half-truths can make great stories. I think that’s where a lot of books come from- something happened to the author but they changed it to make it more exciting and worth the read. Books shouldn’t be considered non-fiction, if this is the case because the author is lying to the audience.

There should be a break between fiction and non-fiction. It’s like in the movies when they say, “based on a true story.” You can tell when that’s said, not everything is going to be true. In the book world, they could create a subsection under non-fiction, informing the reader what they’re about to get in to.  It lets you know that while some things did in fact happen- others did not.

 It can still be a great story despite the added scenes or lies - it’s just a matter of clarifying where the information came from.

Review

Where does 13 Reasons Why Fit?

I don’t think I could classify 13 Reasons Why as just one genre. It’s a tragedy and a thriller mixed with romance and mystery. There are just so many things happening throughout the book that you can’t just stick it in one section and define it completely.

It’s a tragedy because we’re dealing with a girl’s suicide letter (or tapes, in this case). It’s the story of why she decided to end her life and all the little things that piled up over time. Each tape tells a different story and is its own mini tragedy in itself.

It’s a thriller because it keeps you guessing. On the edge of you seat. It’s one of those books that you can’t spread out over weeks or months. It has to be read in the fastest amount of time possible because you have to know what happens. You want to know the ending.

It’s a romance because she tells about the first guy she kissed and talks about how- even though most of it was a rumor- her life was changed because of boys trying to take advantage of her. It’s also told from Clay’s point of view and he really liked Hannah.

Finally it’s a mystery. You want to know why Clay’s name is on the tapes. You want to know who else contributed to Hannah’s death. You have to figure out what contributed to her finally deciding to kill herself.

So where do all these genres fit? In the broadest section. Inside realistic-fiction. This is a story that could have happened to anyone. It just happens to be filled with complex stories that help build the book overall. That’s one of the reasons I think 13 Reasons Why is such a good book. You can’t define it in just one word. It’s a little bit of everything.

Reflection #6

My Favorite Genres

Some of my favorite genres that we discussed today are the thrillers and even though we didn’t really talk about it too much, romance. I tend to lean towards these because both are exciting and normally are books that you can’t put down. I like books that keep you wanting to know what happens next and I normally find that with the thrillers and romance books. I don’t think my reading taste has changed too much over the years because these are the books I’ve always picked to read. The only difference is that I don’t stick strictly to these genres anymore. I’ll branch out and try others, like the Hunger Games or Harry Potter, but I always find myself going straight back to these two. I normally stay away from the science fiction or fantasy novels because those just don’t interest me. I like stories about things that could actually happen. I find genre labels extremely helpful because I know what I like to read and what I don’t. If I had to start a book just to find out it’s about magic or science, I would be frustrated. I like walking into Barnes and Nobles and going straight to my section, and knowing that I’ll like what I find.

Review #2

The cover of 13 Reasons Why

I think that the publisher choose the colors of gray and black for 13 Reasons Why because it’s a dark book. It’s about a girl’s suicide message and if the cover was happy and cheerful it wouldn’t fit the tone of the book. The cover also shows a girl on a swing, and I never really got it until today. It’s from a couple of parts in the book, but the main character, Hannah loved the swings at this nearby park. Many of the people she talked about in her tapes and her shared a memory there. The summary on the back is really good at getting the audience’s attention. It introduces Hannah and that she killed herself, but it makes the audience want to know why she left the tapes and especially why Clay received one. It does a good job at not giving too much away, but also at drawing the reader in. If I could change anything about the cover I would probably show a couple of tapes because that’s what Hannah used to record herself. Another cool option would be to show a 13 faces, each looking guilty or upset. They could represent the people who Hannah mentions on the tapes. I would still keep the gray tones or have everything in black in white in order to keep the dreariness that comes with reading this book. I don’t think 13 Reasons Why was the best book I’ve ever read, but it definitely made me think. I feel like I could reread it and still feel the emotion I did the first time. I finished the book in one day, so that just shows that it was something I couldn’t put down. I had to know what why Clay was on those tapes. This was a great read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

Reflection #5

Judging Books by Their Cover

I know I shouldn’t do this, but I judge book by the covers. I most likely won’t read something if the cover doesn’t interest me. Certain book covers that look futuristic or look like a fantasy novel, I stay far away from. Anything that has a vampire or werewolf, I tend to move right past as well. The things I do like the read are books with realistic people on them. Not a scene from the movie, I don’t like those covers, but maybe a cover with people flying a kite or running away. I like things that look like they could actually happen. The book cover for Two Way Street is a good example because it extends over both sides. On the front, is the main character and on the back is her boyfriend. I like it because it gives you an idea of what the book is going to be a about – a couple on a road trip, going through some trouble. Another cover I like is the cover of Along for the Ride because while it does show the cropped feet that Karen Heller talks about, it has bright colors and just looks like a fun read. I feel like the cover of a book can say a lot about it and that’s why I have specific things I look for on the cover, to guarantee that I’ll like the book.

Review #4

Adapting 13 Reasons Why

I think since most of Thirteen Reasons Why is an “audio recording”, it would make it difficult to be put on the big screen. The filmmaker would probably have trouble finding someone who could capture the emotion and draw the audience in all with their voice. A way to make this work is to have Hannah Baker narrating the flashbacks, but also show them as well. Instead of just following Clay around town, they could cut back to the scenes to show what she’s talking about. One scene they’d have to keep is the opening scene where Clay receives the tapes and how he reacts to hearing her voice for the first time. I feel like this was one of the most important scenes because it’s just days after her death and he’s hearing her voice for the first time since. It’ll be eerie and sad, but if they find the right actor to play Clay he can show just how important it is for Clay to keep listening. Another scene I think is essential to keep is the scene where Hannah cuts her hair. It’s a big thing for her and it’s the point where she decides that she’s going to commit suicide. I think that the hair cutting symbolizes her last cry for help and it’s important to show that she really didn’t want this to happen. Another important scene to include is the where Clay finally learns from Hannah’s messages and runs after the girl in the hallway. It’s the turning point for the book because Clay learned from Hannah’s death and you can see that with his actions. I really can’t decide on anything to cut from the book. Each of the characters was important because they contributed to her death and the audience needs every reason to hear why Hannah decides to kill herself. If they make a movie out of this book, it would be important to include just about everything.

Best and Worst Film Adaptations

Best and Worst Film Adaptations:

A small collection on which movies I thought were really great interpretations of books and some that weren't so great.

Good Interpretations:

Harry Potter Series -

Harry Potter was not only a fun read, but also an interesting movie series as well. Seeing the spells and the places the students would travel to, really made the books seem much more clear. I do think the movies missed out on key points from the book, but overall they did a nice job at making the highly loved fictional characters become real.

A Walk to Remember -

When I first saw the movie I remember thinking that the actors chosen to play Jamie and Landon were spot on. A good actor choice can really make or break a movie. Even after reading the book and knowing exactly what was going to happen, the movie captured my heart as well.

Hunger Games -

The movie was good at showing intense fight scenes and things the author had invented in a new way. I had my own idea of what they would look like, but when the movie came       out, it made everything much more clear. 

Bad Interpretations:

My Sister's Keeper -

My Sister's Keeper had such a great twist to the ending that you'd never see coming. In my opinion, the ending made the book. The producers changed the ending and I think it ruins the movie entirely. Now, if I hadn't read the book, I'm sure I would have thought the movie was just fine. But having those great expectations from the book only made the movie look bad in my eyes.

Dear John -

Dear John had the same problem as My Sister's Keeper. The book had a great ending, only to be changed when the movie came out. I didn't like the new ending and thought it really took away from what the book had to offer.