Gaston Leroux's The Phantom Of The Opera, 5 cups of tea

What did I think of it? Good question.
I've seen the 2004 movie first and then I wanted to read the book, thinking that the movie would be based on it (of course).
I must say this first; despite the horrible ending, I hate it when the story doesn't feel 'finished', it is a fun, terrible, romantic story to read.
I'd expected that you would read from Christine's perspection as well, which would be tremendous, but then it wasn't. I didn't like it at first but as I went on, it added some sort of thrill and in the end, you did find out what had happened.
I like that the author has written the book like it has all happened for real and he's the journalist that's reporting it.
Even though I found Raould de Changy a bit whiny in the beginning, you cannot doubt his actions and his devotion towards Christine and even though she is a very naive girl in the beginning, she has faced terrible things and remained strong, which made her also some sort of heroine.

What can I say about the Phantom? I've loved him in the movie (honestly, who wouldn't love Gerard Butler?) and even in the book, in which he seems different, to me at least, he has something that is drawing you in and wanting to feel pity for him and go and comfort him.
The characters are honest and very well described, they are a part of the story, everone even the minor ones. The different perspectives also give you the hectics of an Opera house and you feel like you are a part of it.
Conclusion: a confusing book in the beginning but when it has seized you, captured you by the powers of the Voice and unheard but imaginable music, you can't let it go and it stays with you, wherever you go.
So yes, it will go on my favorites list with 5 cups of tea.

My rating system:
I use cups of tea (I told you I was obsessed ^^)
1 cup of tea: not my cup of tea, I didn't like it.
2 cups of tea: it was okay
3 cups of tea: that's more like it, I like it!
4 cups of tea: I really liked it
5 cups of tea: That's for sure my cup of tea, I loved it.    

Review: The Host, 4 cups of tea!

Review: The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

Summary by Goodreads.com
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.


-------------------
The big question is, what did I think of it?
To be honest, this book has been on my shelf since it was published in 2009. Somehow I never felt the urge to pick it up and start reading.
Now, with the movie hitting the theaters next year, I felt that urge, plus I had a friend who was almost forcing me to read it. ^^
And I simply love her for forcing me into it, I owe her brownies and a cup of tea I guess. :)
When I started reading at first, I was completely confused. I didn't get the story and I really had to be sucked into it. But then the story started going and it was as if I couldn't stop any more, as if someone had cut the breaks. I have been speechless for a whole day after I'd finished it. My first thoughts, after 5 minutes of being completely numb, were: "chocolate, I need chocolate".

Firstly, I must point out how well written all the characters are, everyone has his story and his own character.
All the characters were so well expressed and I felt like I too got to know them. Of course the setting is hard for them but it shows that together, and with a dose of craziness, you'll stand strong.
The writing and the story are very clever, with both Melanie and Wanderer being the leading ladies and you can relate to both of them. Of course, Wanderer isn't human but her thoughts are pure, being a soul and all. And it is very interesting to read their conversations and discover that those girls really don't look alike but then in the end have one thing in common. Their relationship is an adventure alone in the book.
Secondly, though the whole setting might be a little unbelievable, you can do nothing but believe it while you are reading. It is so well described (though I only began to understand everything after the first part of the book) with a dosis of humor and sensation.
I also must add that I cried my eyes out in chapters 57 and 58. I just couldn't believe it but when those chapters ended it was like; "yeah it's supposed to go this way". So I must say I was absolutely shocked with the events after those chapters.
Maybe I'm a bit prejudiced because I love Stephenie Meyer's books and I am really sad that some people can't seem to do the same, tastes differ, I know. But in my opinion, books must always entertain, is a book entertaining, than it has succeeded in its duty. And 'The Host' definitely is entertaining. I have been stuck in this book with my nose for 6 days at every free possible moment.

I rate 'The Host' 4 cups of tea. I really liked it a lot and the book has ended on my favorites list and The Host will definitely be read many, many times. The one thing I thought that wasn't so good about the Host, was the trouble I had in being sucked into it. It has some starting issues, but like oldtimers, when it finally runs, it runs good :)

So if you haven't read it yet, please do, give it a shot -yes all those pages-, it's worth it.

My rating system:
I use cups of tea (I told you I was obsessed ^^)
1 cup of tea: not my cup of tea, I didn't like it.
2 cups of tea: it was okay
3 cups of tea: that's more like it, I like it!
4 cups of tea: I really liked it
5 cups of tea: That's for sure my cup of tea, I loved it.       

Oh and another thing...

One thing I might add to what I've just written. Why the name of this blog?
Well let me explain something first. One of my "books" has a theme of an arch, the other books have that theme too, a little, but it's more important in this book. It's the symbolic of an arch that appeals me. An arch is a place where things cross. And in this blog it will be my thoughts that cross the arch of the world wide web. And since I spend a lot of time in my worlds of ink (I love those series by Cornelia Funke, they've changed my life) I thought it would be an appropriate title.
I sometimes believe, but then again, I am a bit crazy (but who isn't eh ;)), that if I'm bleeding, I'll bleed ink. The amount of fantasy that sometimes gets into me brain is crazy.
I shall immediately explain another thing. I'm a Dutch girl, writing a blog. Then why is it that you write in English? You could question that. It's just that this is an international thingy, you could say and that could reallybe an explanation. In this case it isn't, and this another crazy thing about me, not everyone can understand it so I try to hide it an awfully lot, but English is like my second language. I write all my stories in English and I find that when I'm kind of stuck, I can express myself better in English. Plus, everything sounds better when I put it in English.

I hope that later this week, I'll put up my review of The Host. I've finished it like a few hours ago and I'm still in awe and can't really think straight.

Another warning for future readers, my mind is silly and I write when I feel the need to. So somedays, like today, I will post two times a day and then again I will not for a few days.
So I hope I can keep it up and post frequently.

A start

After a very exciting e-mail from one of my dearest friends, I decided to start a blog.
It's a strange thing to do and very obvious actually.
Strange, because I said once that a blog was nothing for me.
Obvious, because it actually is something for me.
I am a writer, as I call myself very convincing and proud. Not that I have published anything yet, I'm still in the phase in which I have 5 stories in my mind and about 8 written down.
Though people, friends, say that I have a talent, but I guess it's their duty to say so.
I've asked them several times to honestly say, without any prejudice, what they think of it.
But they remain enthusiastic and encouraging.
So when my dear friend, whom I've known since the first grade - that was like 15 years ago since I turn 19 this summer - said to me that a blog was a good way to give people reviews of books and tell them stuff.
I'm obsessed with books and the world of the written. Though I enjoy a good movie, like, every night. I seem to have no mind of my own, my mind is completely filled with song lyrics, quotes from books, quotes from movies and above all, conversations between my own fictional characters.
It is amazing that there is still space left to stuff with all the information a speech-therapist needs. For I am learning to become one at the moment. I'm in my second year of college at the Hogeschool Utrecht in the Netherlands.
I don't know yet what to achieve with this blog, maybe it's just another way to let my voice speak with the hope to be heard. So enjoy my reviews, my thoughts and everything else I want to tell.