Sweet and Deadly by Charlaine Harris

Image from Shelfari

To be honest, I did go in with an optimistic view, don't get me wrong I love her work. But it's something, maybe in the plot, that I just didn't quite take a fancy to. Perhaps I'm skewed to reading about the paranormal world which first introduced me to her writing (the Sookie Stackhouse series). Like I said, open-mind. Most of it was forgettable, sad to say. The characters and even what happened in the beginning of the book is all foggy to me. If I recall it enough, there's something about a dilapidated house (picture..) and the main character walking through the door only to find .... ??? (see my point!) And then something about a chopping block and a whole swarm of flies. Merit: the book's descriptions here and there were vivid, especially about the crime.
So, unfortunately, I didn't even have the want to finish the story, though I usually continue to the end (in case I miss out some merit points). Against every fibre of my being (v. exaggerated, I know) I put it through the book drop. I'm used to a grin on my face when I finish one of Miss Harris's books - just not this time.

Romeo and Juliet – the play (240 words)

For our holiday homework, we were told to also write about a highlight for the other book we read. It was to be at least 200 words long.
Seeing as I'm really terrible at keeping to the limit, it did go over, though I tried to confine it! :)

Images from Google

Romeo and Juliet – the play (240 words)

During the first stages of the act, it said that Romeo was actually commanding Paris (the other suitor to Juliet) to leave him alone or else they would surely fight. I find it sweet that even though Romeo believes that Juliet is dead, he most likely still fought in honour of her memory. He wants to be alone – subjected to grief, showing that he cares deeply for her. And soon after, Juliet finds Romeo dead himself and kills herself, unable to bear the pain that was in her heart when she saw him lying with a cup clutched in his hand.

That is why the highlight of Romeo and Juliet is, I believe, in Act 5, Scene 3. Firstly, it is the most commonly known moment of the entire play as it shows Romeo and Juliet’s deaths. Because even though it evokes the immediate feeling of grief and possible stupidity for ending their lives early, I find it symbolizing that it was a true strength and test of how they loved each other – by willing to kill his or herself in thought that there was no reason to live when the other half (their significant other) is dead. As it also brings out the fact that even though their families were mortal enemies they can seek to concur with love. It shows significance in both that brings about that ‘fighting only leads to death’ and that ‘true love concurs all’.