Friday, January 28, 2011

Coffee For The Brain Book Tournament - Round 2 Decision - Maximum Ride vs. Absolutely True Diary of Part TIme Indian

Maximum Ride –by James Patterson





vs.



The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian –by Sherman Alexis




Winner: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian –by Sherman Alexis

I found The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian to be very entertaining. I enjoyed the relaxed style that the author wrote the book in. The main character, Arnold, was very relatable. For most of the book Arnold is trying to exist in two different worlds and is not totally accepted into either one. This gives him a unique perspective on the positive and negative aspects of each culture. He is trying to make his own path and navigate through adolescence. He's figuring out who he is and how he fits into the world. His humor kept the story moving forward and his thoughtfulness and insight were endearing. This was a quick read and enjoyable story, a thumb’s up from me!

I have read several of James Patterson’s adult fiction books and usually enjoy his work.  However, I can’t say the same for Maximum Ride. Admittedly, I am not a huge fantasy/sci-fi fan. But I do enjoy this genre on occasion.  I found this book to be WAY too violent and too repetitive. The bad guys chase the good guys, the good guys defeat the bad guys. Then a short while later the bad guys chase the good guys, the good guys defeat the bad guys…repeat, repeat, repeat. I did enjoy most of the characters, especially the main character Max.  She was easy to empathize with and I admire her bravery and leadership. Also, the book did have a good cliff-hanger at the end. However, I will not be reading the sequel.

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