BOOK REVIEWS
Reviewed by NewGate Secondary Students
are when they each go back and forth, trying to control the situation together, but not having enough trust in each other to do any one thing.
These comas last for days and make him look dead. After being diagnosed, he starts to look into cases where somebody was buried alive. The more he researches cases, the more his paranoia grows. He starts to prepare, just in case he is mistaken for someone deceased. This fear of being buried alive starts to limit what he does. Will he ever overcome his fear?
Edgar Allan Poe Classic Stories Written by Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe had an incredible talent when it came to turning the truly disturbing into something beautiful. This book shows some of his more famous works. Personally, Edgar Allan Poe appeals to me because of the more poetic aspects of his stories. I decided to choose two of his works, but if I could have, I would have done a review on the entire book. The Premature Burial Although there are many unfortunate events that occur in our world (often romanticized by the media), being buried alive is one of the most terrifying. In the 1800s, they didn’t have as much technology as we do now. Seeing if somebody had died was based on appearances, and there were a few problems with that. When someone is extremely ill, they can sometimes resemble a corpse. Take a coma for instance. We now have ways to tell if a person in a coma is alive, but back then, all they saw was a pale, sunken face, the lack of warmth, and the faltering pulse. The narrator of “The Premature Burial” has a medical condition that puts him in danger of being buried alive. This rare condition puts him into comas at random.
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The Cask Of Amontillado In “The Cask Of Amontillado,” the narrator, Montresor, has a secret. Although, on the outside, he seems to always smile around his friend, Fortunato, he only smiles when fantasizing about killing him. He truly despises, Fortunato, and he starts to plan his murder. Fortunato is a man very proud of his ability to taste wine. Using that fact, Montresor plans to lure Fortunato to a place where it will be just the two of them. “I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts,” said Montresor. Hearing that, Fortunato, flattered that Montresor would go to him for help first, follows him back to the Montresor House. Of course, Fortunado, who can’t see past the smile on his dear friend’s face, could never predict that the real reason that Montresor is smiling is because the plan is going perfectly. Edgar Allan Poe has many more works than just these two, each one unique but fitting his overall gothic theme. I would recommend this book to anyone who is at least 13 years old and has an interest in poetry or horror. Reviewed Spring 2021 by Mia Morales, 8th grade, NewGate Montessori School, Sarasota, FL
Five Total Strangers Written by Natalie D. Richards Mira is traveling home to Pittsburgh to see her mother over the holidays. Since her Aunt Phoebe passed away, her mother has been trying to keep herself together, and Mira knows she needs her now more than ever. But there’s been an unexpected setback; her plane must land due to turbulence and forces Mira to find other means of travel: hitching a ride with four complete strangers. It was fine at first, but after many of their things go missing along the ride, it becomes evident that someone is sabotaging their plans. Mira’s panic makes everyone seem more sinister, yet she must put all her trust into them, because there is no other way home. Five Total Strangers, shows the phrase “stranger danger” at its finest. This suspense/mystery/thriller is one of my favorites for many reasons. I love how the whole story is told from Mira’s point of view. You only know what she is thinking, and you are never really sure whose side to take because of it. The book is mostly dialogue. I thought it would be hard to keep track of who is talking, but each character has such a clear personality that it was a very enjoyable read. Some of my favorite parts of the book
Richards has a way of keeping you on edge in the best way possible. It’s a fairly quick read, but it just made it all the more exciting and fast-paced. I don’t want to give too much away, but the reveal at the end will definitely change your perspective. This book is great for teens, but a slightly younger audience can read it, too. If you find yourself intrigued when you read the first paragraph, you may want to give Five Total Strangers a try. Reviewed Spring 2021by Veda DiPiero, 7th grade, NewGate Montessori School, Sarasota, FL
The Giver Written by Lois Lowry In 1994, Lois Lowry won the John Newbery medal for the book, The Giver. Ms. Lowry has won this award twice in her career. The Giver is the first book of a four-part series, called The Quartet. The collection includes: The Giver, Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son. In this book, the reader will quickly connect to the characters and want to read more. The writing style
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