Change is always scary and sad. Once you get used to a particular change, there will be a new one. I dislike change and would like life to go on as it is now forever. But reading the Anne series by L.M. Montgomery has changed my mind a little. Maybe change is not always bad? I will leave that for you to find out. The series follow spirited, imaginative, hot-tempered, headstrong, red-haired (please do not judge her based on this) Anne, from the day she arrives at Green Gables to her life as a mother of six children. Anne Shirley, an orphan, is brought to Green Gables by the Cuthberts, but she realizes that they do not want her. They want a boy to help them in the fields, and a girl would be of no use. Anne is bitterly disappointed for she had been so happy to come to the lovely, cozy farmhouse and excited about the prospect of a nice, loving home. As a reader, I had gotten acquainted with Anne in the past chapter, and I felt so sorry for her at this point. Fortunately, after a surprising turn of events, Anne stays on at Green Gables to be brought up by the crisp, stern, and practical Marilla and the kind and shy Matthew. The first two books portray her childhood, the third one is of her in college, and the last ones are of her as a young mother and wife. Her scrapes, adventures, stories, “kindred spirits,” and “bosom friends” all make these books friendly. One of the many reasons I like the books is that Anne seems to be as weary of change as me, and the way she gets over them make me feel better about what lies ahead of me too. I feel like anyone of my age should actually try the books. It is certainly worth it! Another reason I like it is because I see myself in those pages, and I am sure you would too. My favorite book of the series is the first one because as Anne often says herself “there is a scope for imagination.” I feel I too can share Anne’s whims, fantasies, and flights of imagination in the first book. In the other books I felt that this was not possible. Another reason I did not like the later books is because that it seemed pretty tame compared to the first book. On the whole, however, the books are awesome, and I recommend them wholeheartedly for absolutely everyone!! Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. Puffin Books, 2014. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
book review
Shakespeare Translated into English of 2024
This week, I finished A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. This play follows the plot of lovers, royals, and fairies, who each begin with separate challenges, especially with their love lives, and who come together in the woods. This was my first time reading Shakespeare and at first I found it challenging. Much of Shakespeare’s wording was tough to understand and a lot of the vocabulary was unfamiliar to me. At the same time, I think Shakespeare, were he still alive, would have a tough time understanding the way I write. Shakespeare was used to writing in Elizabethan English, using parchment paper and a quill, while modern English exists on screens with text messages. Take for example, Puck’s final monologue. What would it look like if written today? Let’s compare! Shakespeare’s words: “If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended, That you have but slumber’d here While these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, No more yielding but a dream, Gentles, do not reprehend: if you pardon, we will mend: And, as I am an honest Puck, If we have unearned luck Now to ‘scape the serpent’s tongue, We will make amends ere long; Else the Puck a liar call; So, good night unto you all. Give me your hands, if we be friends, And Robin shall restore amends.” How it would be written today: “If we actors have shook u, think about it this way, & everything will be: u just here & we lived rent-free in ur head for the night. This silly plot is done as soon as ur . Ladies & gentlemen pls don’t be a hater. If u forgive us, we will make everything. & since I’m Puck, am honest, I’ll pRoMiSe to make everything ✨better✨ if we can escape ur . Otherwise u can go full Karen on Facebook. So to y’all. If we’re besties, pls give us a round of applause & we can be BFFs again. A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Simon & Schuster, 2004. Buy the play here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Scythe, Reviewed by Emily Ke, 12
I know. To think about the end of life, death, is a topic that everyone is scared to talk about. It is depressing to be honest, but after I read the sci-fi page-turner Scythe by Neal Shusterman, I wasn’t scared anymore. In fact, it made me appreciate life more. Through this book, I went into a temporary escape to a world governed by two corporations that run MidMerica (Future USA): Thunderhead, the governing body, and Scythedom, the army. Here, people don’t die of old age, or anything that involves physical damage to the human body, like jumping off a skyscraper. The only way for a life to end is to have a Scythe glean you. I love this word, and this is the alternative synonym from now on. So what does this mean? It’s a chosen method, a ritual, by the Scythe, and how you glean tells a lot about who you are. Now enter the two main characters, Citra and Rowan, who are to be chosen by Scythe Brahms, an honorable old (probably the oldest) sage, to be his apprentices. The funny thing is…neither of them WANTS to be a scythe, so they’re agitated deep inside. Only one of them can become a true Scythe, and they work to NOT be the chosen ones, but let’s not spoil the book about who becomes the ‘unlucky’ one. I could write a whole new book review about what it means to run away from your fate but come to accept it. Sometimes we have to be courageous and rise up to the situation, but this book review is about gleaning, and an equally thought-provoking question came to mind as I was grabbing the pages tighter. That is, who determines the gleaning—us or the ones with power? In this world, they might not have the freedom to choose how to be gleaned, and in the real world, I think we have similar limitations. Then, I started asking my family and friends around me. How would you like to be gleaned (after explaining what that meant)? Everyone had different answers. One said going into a deep, happy sleep where pain is no longer felt, and then drift off into another dimension. I like that one. The other said having one big party with everyone you love with an unforgettable feast, and then entering a door that says ‘Yay, you made it to the other side!” What I realized is that when you give people freedom as to how they want to be gleaned, it’s positive, which makes us positive creatures. When we think about the end, we want happiness and joy not only for us, but for the people around us. As soon as there is control, then we turn into negativity. This is always the central message of dystopian novels, it seems like. The reason I love this book, and why everyone should read it is because thinking about gleaning is a part of life and what it means to be free. We live on this Earth not knowing what’s going to happen next, but we know that we are more likely to suffer psychologically if we get gleaned in a way that we dislike. This is also important in difficult areas like capital punishment or euthanasia rights or just giving people the right to close the life chapter with a smile. So, don’t be afraid to give this book a try. You’ll see that the end of life is just as important as how you live the best life now. Scythe by Neal Schusterman. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2017. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
