The picture of Dorian Grey

Title: The picture of Dorian Grey

Author: Oscar Wilde

Publishing house: Lippincott's Monthly Magazine

Place and date of publication

The Picture of Dorian Gray was first published in July 1890, London.

Genre: Gothic; philosophical; a comedy of manners

Story setting

The novel is set in London at the end of the nineteenth century, various places in London, outside and inside: Dorian Grey's house, Lord Henry's, Lady Monmouth's, streets, bars, etc.

Brief description of the story

This story begins when a painter named Basil Hallward had a very young model, this painter loved his model, he gave everything for it, until he thought how happy this could be if he was always young and full of vitality exactly as he was in those moments.

This desire of that painter made Dorian include himself more in this theme of youth and eternal beauty, this made him commit all kinds of crazy things from the simplest to the crime. The Picture of Dorian Gray kept that youth full and beautiful so that his painted portrait would carry those years.

When he realized that the beauty he had maintained over the days would gradually fade away.

Why would you like the story?

The writer Oscar Wilde has an incredible way of writing which through his words catches you with the story, is rich in its descriptions, mentioning that the story is very good too. The ideas that one has about beauty and ugliness, life, good and evil, love, are exquisite, although at times a little heavy. Suddenly, a curse hits the perfect to remind us that there is not enough money to buy happiness and that beauty fades away leaving our soul exposed. I liked the ending because it gives us a good life lesson, we can all see the beauty in different ways.

To whom or why you recommended it

I recommend the book "The Picture of Dorian Gray" to an audience of teenagers and upwards as it is a philosophical novel that represents the obsession with the power of youth and beauty. It is, at the same time, a reflection on the nature of art and aesthetics. It is worth reading it to know that there are different ways of looking at things and their consequences.

Written by Marissa Fernanda García Jiménez

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Title: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Author: John Boyne

Publishing house: David Fickling Books

Place and date of publication: Ireland, 5 January 2006

Genre: Historical/postmodern novel

Register: Colloquial and formal language

Story setting: Nazi Germany

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE STORY

The book The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was developed at the time of the Holocaust, the story is about a 9-year-old boy, Bruno, who lives in Berlin with his family: father, mother, his sister Gretel and some servants, including Maria. Bruno is sad when he receives the bad news that he has to move to Auschwitz.

The new idea does not like Bruno at all, because the only entertainment he has is a swing made with a tire or talking to his sister's unpleasantness. There is nothing special about the house, until through the window of his room he discovers a kind of farm, a perspective that he and his sister have. One day he went out to explore the forest near his house, and discovered the long fence that he had seen from his room; he discovers a young boy his age, Shmuel.

Shmuel is the same age, but they lead totally different lives, Bruno is the son of a high office, while Shmuel is the son of Jews, and therefore he is there. Both child boys become very close friends, to the point that Bruno begins to like living in his new house.

After a year, Mother decides to return to Berlin, that day Bruno had gone to the fence with the intention of helping Shmuel find his father. Bruno puts on the pajamas Shmuel has obtained for him and goes through the fence. When they enter they are pushed by the soldiers and grouped with the others, they are taken to a room with many more people dressed in the same uniform, Bruno and Shmuel do not know what is going to happen, but both believe they are living an adventure in which the purpose is to find your friend's father.

INTERPRETATION

I liked the plot of the book a lot, but I found it a very sad story, since this story, in a way, is real, to think that people could do so much damage just because they thought they were superior to the rest of humanity is really horrible. Books like this should help us reflect on the condition of the human being. We are all equal regardless of religion, race, customs, or thought.

Writer John Boyne is capable of giving characters a life of their own, that is, when reading this book, the reader becomes sad when the character is sad and laughs when the character is happy. Furthermore, no character feels, thinks, or is the same. I liked the book a lot and I wish more people could enjoy it.

 

TO WHOM OR WHY I RECOMMEND IT

I would recommend it because the book shows you the innocence in which a child lives, who do not understand differences or the monstrous work his father does. This book shows you how strong the fantasy with which children live different events can be. The end shows how Father truly rethinks what he has been doing, and that losing his son has been a strong stick for him, a commander, and with great charges. One of the best books I have ever read, since it makes you feel tender for each page you go through, without a doubt highly recommended for all kinds of readers, since there is no way you will not like this fantastic book.

Written by Pamela Magaña Custodio

The shack

Title: The Shack

Author: William P. Young

Publishing house: Hachette Book Group USA, Hodder & Stoughton

Place of publication: Canada

Date of publication: February 2007

Genre: Christian literature

Story setting (when and where the story develops): There are several scenarios in this book: first it tells us about the place where he lives which is a pleasant place, but at the time it was told it was in winter. Then it takes us to a forest with a huge lake and finally to a shack in the middle of nowhere, near the forest where they went.

BRIEF description of the story or plot: A family trip turns to tragedy when Mack's youngest daughter Missy disappears. After hours of searching, they find evidence that the daughter was brutally murdered in an abandoned shack in Oregon, the father will react by rebelling against God.

After four years, Mack, still full of sadness, receives a suspicious letter, apparently from God, which asks him to meet Him at the cabin where his daughter died.

Despite the apparent absurdity of the situation, he goes to the appointment and has a peculiar encounter with a man and two women, personifications of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, who take him on a journey that helps him to heal that scar.

What I liked this book: The book speaks of the encounter between a man who believes in God in his own way, with much leeway. His wife instead has a much closer faith relationship with God. He feels let down by God after his little girl lost her life at the hands of a kidnapper. The author of this book, says that there is nothing harder than losing someone you love and that it is the greatest lesson in learning to love God.

One of the strongest parts was when he meets a girl, who tells him that now because he judges God, he has to make a difficult the decision, which makes him realized that God is love and that he suffers as much as we do.

To whom or why you recommend it: I think it's a book for people who are feeling some kind of hurt from the loss of a loved one or who are going through a difficult time. And then by reading it he/she will realize the power of God in one's life, that we should not hold on to pain forever. Of course, to read it well, one must believe in God even if it is vaguely, and I assure that in the end he/she will want to seek God in another way.

Written by José Antonio Acosta Castillo

Pretty Little Liars

Title: Pretty Little Liars

Author: Sara Shepard

Publishing house: HarperCollins

Genre: crime, drama, literature, romance.

 

Place and date of publication

Was published in the United States on October 3, 2006.

 Several books from the saga have appeared on the list's The New York Times Best Seller.

 

Story setting

The setting for Pretty Little Liars is in the fictional town called Rosewood, Pennsylvania. It's about 20 miles from Philadelphia. It's based in the real town of Rosemont, PA. It may be a small town, but it has a lot of rich people living there. They also visit the neighboring cities, Brookhaven and Ravenswood. Several homes of the characters are near forested areas. Though it is strongly leaning towards the rural end, Rosewood appears to be a fairly large town. The town also has an upscale shopping mall called the King James Mall.

 

Everyone has something to hide, especially the high school girls Spencer, Aria, Emily, and Hanna. One night takes a wrong turn when the queen bee and leader of the group, Alison DiLaurentis, goes missing, unexpectedly. A year after her disappearance, the stranger friends reunite, still unknowing of what happened to their best friend. The four friends, Hanna Marin, Emily Fields, Aria Montgomery, and Spencer Hastings, begin to receive texts from an anonymous messenger containing their deepest, darkest secrets. First, they think it's their missing friend, but when the police find her body, they must discover who this nameless, faceless, dangerous stranger is and find out what happened to their best friend while protecting their secrets and loved ones.

 

This is a very complex book, it has so many stories and it manages to captivate whoever reads it.

 Throughout history, liars receive messages that threaten to reveal their secrets of the present and past, including a terrifying incident that the girls refer to as "The Jenna Thing. This leads them to believe that she is their missing friend, Alison because she is the only one that each of them trusts with their darkest secrets.

 One of the most eye-catching Aria y Ezra’s stories: Aria and Ezra met at an Old Hollis bar. After they have sex in the bathroom, they exchange numbers. The next day, they find out he's their new Advanced English teacher. As they try to protect themselves from taking their relationship further, eventually Aria enters their house and they hook up again. She used Noel Kahn, also an advanced English student, to make Ezra jealous and it worked beautifully.

 

If you like mystery and books that intrigue you all the time, you should read this one.

 Too many things happen at Rosewood that need an explanation.

 The mystery will be present in all the chapters and will make you be part of the book creating your own theories.

 The mystery is what gives it the definitive point, but the true attractions of the book (and to those who spend more time) are the love relationships that also touch on all possible topics. We have the prohibited relationship between student and teacher, the lesbian girl who looks for her better half while coming out of the closet, the infidelity of the parents of one of the Liars, and much more. Without a doubt, it is a book that will leave you wanting more.

Written by Yarely Pérez Noslasco