BIBLIOTECA E.O.I. DE ALBACETE

By VERLYN KLINKENBORG

The handwritten words on the page, round and legible in blue ink, are the marks of a mind that has already settled itself to composition.

'Rebecca'

One of the best books I have read recently was “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier. It is a thriller and I read it because twenty-five years ago, I saw the film about this book and I liked it very much.

It is set in Manderley, in England, before the Second World War, more or less, and it is about Rebecca. She was Maxim de Winter´s first wife and he was the man who owned Manderley.

The story follows the events that take place in Manderley when Maxim and his second wife are living there.

The main character is Maxim´s second wife. At the beginning of the book she talks about her dream of Manderley. After that, she begins to talk about how she met Maxim de Winter. While you´re reading the book, you don´t know her name: it´s a mistery.

Also, another important character is Mrs Danvers. She was the housekeeper of Manderley and she was a mysterious and creepy woman. When I was reading the novel I really felt frightened of this woman.

I found the book gripping and emotional. I think Daphne du Maurier is a great and gifted writer. If you like a good thriller, You will love Rebecca. The ending is amazing!

Maribel Rodríguez Delicado (2º Intermedio)

'All I want'

Margaret Johnson wanted to tell us a story of a normal girl, and this is why she wrote “All I Want”.

The main character is Alex, a 30 year-old girl who is in love with her new boss Brad, and has to talk to her boyfriend. Alex is a very ambitious girl that wants a lot of things for her future and a change in her life. However, when she spends some days at Brad´s house, she realizes that she has all she wants.

The book isn´t just a story, It makes you think and you realize that the most important things in your life are always next to you.

The book is also available on CD and you can listen to it. If you like romantic and funny stories you will love “All I Want”. The ending is thoughtful and unexpected. You will not be disappointed by this book.

Verónica Fernández Escobar (2º Intermedio)

“The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” by John Boyne

“The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” is the story of an adult conflict from the point of view of a naïve young boy. Written by John Boyne in 2006, it is a cautionary tale of a surprising friendship set on both sides of a fence at Auschwitz Concentration Camp.

Set during the Holocaust, the tale is about two boys, Bruno (a nine-year-old boy whose father is appointed Commandant by Hitler) and Shmuel (a Jewish boy), who come face-to-face at a fence that separates and, eventually, intertwines their lives. The novel explores themes such as friendship, injustice and humanity, often through exploring their opposites, and the author uses Bruno’s innocence and naivety as a foil to expose the hatred and injustices of the Holocaust.

There is also a movie based on this book, but I strongly recommend reading the book instead of watching the movie, because the real essence of the novel is lost.

If you like a light reading but a good book, you’ll love this novel. The ending, though predictable earlier than desired, is so emotional and well-written that you cannot put it down. Your mouth will not make the shape of an O, but this book deserves to be read, to be discussed, to be recommended.

David López Vilela, 2º Intermedio

Can an apparent mystery turn out to be a realistic and ordinary story? The novel “The curious incident of the dog in the night time” by Mark Haddon, set in Swindon (England) in 1998, is just the story of ordinary people but seen from a very special child´s eyes. The child´s mind, almost unable to sympathize with, is extremely logical. Consequently, his father´s life, sad and dull, ends up being even a great deal more painful.

Christopher, the main character, lives only with his father, owing to his mother death two years ago. However, he has no idea of how it happened. One day he finds a dog killed with a garden fork. Lots of questions about the killed dog make up the plot of this novel. Who and why killed the dog? Who owned the dog? Where is the other dog´s owner? In the meantime, Christopher´s life goes on going to school and making questions in order to reveal the dog killer.

Christopher, affected by Asperger syndrome, although this is not mentioned, tends to understand everything in a highly logical way. For this reason, he is particularly good at Mathematics. However, he is unable to show pity for his mother´s death, and to sympathize with his father´s problems. Christopher daily attends school, a special school, where is assisted by Siobhan. Siobhan, a psychologist, is the person who Christopher trusts the most, apart from Toby, who is his pet rat. Christopher´s father kept a good relationship with Mrs. Shear, one of the dog´s owners, but their friendship finished no long time ago.

The author simulates that the book has been written by Christopher. For this reason, it is unusually structured. Furthermore, it has some pictures which help us to understand Christopher´s feelings and sensations. Moreover, Mark Haddon uses the language properly, making the novel straightforward. Nonetheless, the novelist keeps the reader´s attention throughout the novel.

In my opinion this novel is bound to reward you, especially if you are either a teen reader or an upper-intermediate student of English. Besides, if you are a student of English, the author shows a wide range of daily and useful expressions, what makes the novel even more suitable for you.

by Faustino Alfaro (1º Avanzado)

'Wilt' by Tom Sharpe

This is the most hilarious novel I´ve ever read. It´s gripping plot leads you from different nonsensical situations to other really funny ones. In fact you won´t be able to give it up from the beginning to the last page.

These situations are focused on Henry Wilt, the main character, who works as an assistant lecturer en an English Tech. Every day he has to deal with his apprentices´ lack of interest and he has to bear their disrespectful behavior. And he isn´t very fortunate in his marriage because his wife Eva is always waiting for a better life. She dreams of meeting wise and rich people and becoming like them. And the worst part of all is that Henry is always being critized and patronized by his wife because he doesn´t know how to assert himself.

But suddenly everything turns into a mess when Eva meets a cool, attractive and cultured American couple, Sally and Gaskell Pringsheim.

One night Henry and Eva invited to a party in Pringsheim´s house and they realize that these cool hosts aren´t the kind of people the pretend to be.

An embarrassing misunderstanding makes Henry want to kill his wife with the help of an attractive inflatable doll.

From here on everything goes from bad to worse because Henry is charged with the murder of his wife by the absent-minded and stubborn police inspector Flint.

In spite of what you would think at the beginning, all of these events unexpectedly change Henry and Eva´s lives for the best in the end.

This is an amusing novel but sometimes it´s difficult to follow because of the vocabulary and the slang inside it, but I would highly recommend this rewarding book because it would make you feel closer to the real English.

by Mª Dolores González Castillo 1º Avanzado