kailey_luminouslibro's Reviews (3.79k)

I liked this one pretty well, although it's definitely not for children and had some mild language. The plot and characters are complex and deep. The pacing and the writing are good. There are way too many characters to keep track of, and the politics bored me. But I liked the basic story. It has a lot of potential, but falls short.

I expected a lot from this author, since they are a Tolkien expert and one of J.K.Rowling's editors, but I was disappointed. The plot is predictable and slow, the characters one-dimensional, and the writing nothing special. I think if I were 10 years old, I would enjoy this book, but you know what they say.... "A children's book that is only enjoyed by children is not a good children's book."

This book was okay, but not great. There was far too much superfluous description of unnecessary details, and the bigger picture (motives, backgrounds, loyalties) was left largely unexplained. The end left me completely confused. The world is imaginative, and the characters interesting, so it did have some good points.

I really enjoyed this play! The dirty politics and shaky alliances really describe the time period well, and I loved the flowery speeches full of pomp and bravery and even a little sass. Love me some Shakespeare! I don't find the historical plays dry at all. Full of action and some really delightful characters and dialogue.

I was surprised that King John was written with any conscience whatsoever. He's the villain in every story ever written about him, and although he IS a bad guy in this play, he seems to have a heart in there somewhere and a little honor. Weirdness. I expected him to be way more evil.

Phillip Faulconbridge, usually named the Bastard, had some wonderful comic relief, but not in a clowning sort of way. His dialogue is sarcastic and sassy and in-your-face. He's bold and derisive, and no matter how insulting he is to nearly everybody, everyone just smiles and says that he is "so like his father, Richard the Lionheart." He gets away with it every time, which is the funniest thing of all!

Lady Constance got on my nerves so much, just as her character is supposed to do. Whenever someone basically told her to shut up, I was thinking, "Yes please, shut your stupid mouth!" She's so whiney. I've read other histories of her and Geoffrey, and she was not portrayed as the shrew she is here. I expected her to be quiet and withdrawn, but also with strong opinions and determination. But in this play, she just whines all the time and I hated her, even though she's the victim and a good person.

Queen Elinor definitely lived up to her reputation as the mother of all those quarreling princes and kings. Strong and influential without being too overbearing. She is a strong voice in the play without taking the spotlight.

The interaction between the Dauphin (Lewis) and Princess Blanche was certainly interesting. The whole time I was reading their dialogue, I was thinking how fake it must really seem to them, although they might TRY to feel and truly mean the things they say. Who can know what was truly in their hearts? but their actions later on, especially Blanche's decisions, seem to indicate at least a resolve to stand by their previous words. (I'm trying not to give spoilers here, so this might not make much sense unless you've read it.)

I really had to use my imagination in the battlefield scenes, but the dialogue helps pretty well.
I liked the ending, but I wish there had been more explanation about the last events there.
Another wonderful Shakespearean play!

This Spanish play is the original work on which Verdi based his opera, Il Trovatore. It is very tragic, and half the main characters are dead at the end. It is like reading Shakespeare; the language is archaic, but easy enough to understand. The story is set in Spain, and there is a lot of political change going on, with small battles and traitors to the crown forming a rebellion. It makes for a great background in the story.
The love between Leonor and Manrique was strange to me. They are so passionate and wild. One minute they despise each other, and then forgive each other, then yell and scream and cry, and then love each other again.
The old gypsy is very creepy and weird. Perfect writing for her character!
The villain of the story, de Luna, is wonderfully full of rage and jealousy.
I liked this play very much!

Esta drama española es la obra original en el que Verdi basó su ópera Il Trovatore. Es muy trágico, y la mitad de los personajes principales están muertos al final. Es como leer a Shakespeare; el lenguaje es arcaico, pero es bastante fácil de entender. La historia se desarrolla en España, y hay un montón de cambio político en marcha, con pequeñas batallas y traidores a la corona estan formando una rebelión. Se convierte en un gran fondo para la historia.
El amor entre Leonor y Manrique era extraño para mí. Son tan apasionados y salvajes. Un minuto que desprecian entre sí, y luego se perdonan, entonces gritar y llorar, y despues estan enamorados de nuevo.
La vieja gitana es muy espeluznante y extraña. Escritura perfecta para su personaje!
El villano de la historia, de Luna, es maravillosamente lleno de rabia y celos.
Me gustó este drama mucho!

This is a great book, refuting arguments that are sometimes used by college professors against the validity and truth of the Bible , especially focusing on answering the teachings of Bart Ehrman (who is apparently a famous guy who rejects Christianity).

The book provides answers for many of the mistaken reasons people give for rejecting Christianity, clears up a lot of misunderstandings and objections, and answers plain honest questions too.

I loved the structure of this book! Everything is clearly and concisely explained with plenty of solid historical documents and good old common sense to back it up. The writing is articulate and humorous, and shows how ludicrous some arguments can be. Always the questions are addressed with respect and an honest desire for truth.

I would recommend this to any student in a secular school, or to anyone who has ever had questions about their Christian faith. It's wonderful to have reasonable answers to questions or doubts, and to know that your faith has its basis in an intelligent searching for God.

I cried like a baby at parts of this book. What an amazing testimony of God's work in people's lives! I loved how the book tells a true, gritty, and real story of God changing people, actual people, not hypocrites with a perfect, shining life. They don't just have little flaws, they have awful sins. they don't just lose their way, they get mad at God. And they come back to Him again, and get cleaned up some, but they are still gritty and real, and clumsy in their faith, and struggling to make sense of it all, even at the same time that they are proclaiming God's glory.
Read it now! It will change your life. Well, actually God will change your life.