Some Brotherly Advice About a Fake Alzheimer’s Patient

[SPOILER ALERT {like, every spoil possible}]

In the book White Cat by Holly Black, Cassel discovers he is a worker. A worker is a criminal who can change something about or for someone else. There are Dream, Memory, Luck, Body, Death, Emotion, and Transformation workers. Transformation workers are one in a thousand and the most powerful, and Cassel just discovered that he is one. His brother Barron has been memory working him so he doesn’t remember anything under the orders of his other brother Phillip, and their mom. Cassel and his brothers have a really messed up relationship, and it’s mainly because Cassel is the strongest of the three of them, but doesn’t know it.

Cassel is very strong, for someone who thought he was “the only straight person in a crooked family”. Cassel felt like he didn’t belong, and I think that was really hard for him, especially since his brothers were so distant from him.  Barron always looked up to Phillip, and Phillip acted like Cassel was a waste of time. Cassel tried to prove himself to them, which is really heartbreaking considering how much they had deceived him. I think that although his relationship with his brothers isn’t the best, it helped make Cassel stronger, and eventually strong enough to work against his brothers.

At the end of the book on page 298 Barron drives over to Cassel’s school to have pizza with him. Barron is a memory worker, but the downside is that whenever he works someone, he looses his memories too. Cassel had changed some of Barron’s notebooks that held memories, and one of the memories that Cassel changed was that he and Barron went out for pizza every Tuesday. Cassel says, “Memory is funny. Barron seems relaxed, like he really likes me, because he doesn’t remember hating me. Or maybe he remembers the feeling of dislike but he assumes that he liked me more than he hated me.” I feel really bad for Cassel here because he remembers how his brother tried to kill him; while they are sitting together eating pizza, Barron is acting like he cares about Cassel. Barron hated Cassel because he felt that transformation work was wasted on Cassel. It must be really hard to see both sides of your sibling, and know that they are both partially fake. 

Sandy Hook: Demolish or Renovate?

I read an article on how people are debating on whether we should demolish the Sandy Hook Elementary school, or renovate it. People have very strong feelings towards the shooting that happened at Sandy Hook elementary school, and it reflects in the quotes from parents. One mother said "We cannot pretend it never happened, but I am not prepared to ask my children to run and hide. You can't take away their school." Another mother with surviving children thinks that the building should be crushed because she can't come to terms with sending her kids back to that building. One mother thinks that it should be up to the victims to decide because the incident had the most impact on them. Additionally, there are facts about aftermath of past shootings. For example, Virginia Tech decided to renovate the classroom where the shooting occurred. 

The author tries to make you feel sympathetic yet open-minded about the fate of Sandy Hook Elementary School. The author does this by showing lots of different perspectives of families that may or may not have been involved in the incident. The author incorporates the quotes really well and includes facts that are thought provoking because you can see what happened in past situations. The author wants you to form an opinion based on facts not bias. For example, the article ends with the quote "I think we have to start that conversation now. It will take many, many months to do any kind of school project. We have very big decisions ahead of us. The goal is to bring our students home as soon as we can."

My opinion on Sandy Hook is that they should demolish the building because the memories are very tragic and traumatizing and it would be hard for the students to return. One mother says that she had very good memories there, her kids are older and previously attended Sandy Hook, and she thinks that they should renovate. I don't think that's a legitimate argument because she wasn't a primary victim. I didn't have an opinion prior to reading this article because I wasn't aware that this argument was being discussed. After reading the article, I strongly think that Sandy Hook should no longer be a school because I can't imagine returning to the scene of such a traumatizing event. 

The fate of the world, decided by a twin's fight

[SPOILER ALERT-ISH]

In the book The Enchantress by Michael Scott, the two main characters Josh and Sophie are about to make a decision that could end the world. Josh and Sophie Newman discovered that they are the twins of an ancient legend, and they learn that they can do magic. Their auras are pure silver and gold and they are naturals at elemental magic, but that makes them valuable. Sophie and Josh have lots of fallouts, and learn that trust is difficult. They learn throughout the book that they can only trust each other, or the world could end.

In the end of the book before this one, Josh joins John Dee and Virginia Dare (the bad guys) because they led him to believe that they were good. Sophie is heartbroken and wishes that Josh could see straight. When they see each other next, Josh tries to show Sophie how the side she is on is bad. While Josh is being influenced, and trying to influence Sophie, they put their trust and lives in other people. This proves to be dangerous when Dee repeatedly tries to use Josh or Sophie's auras while killing them.

Later in the book Josh and Sophie are kidnapped by their "parents", and are taken back in time. Everyone there knows them, or has heard of them, and are very dangerous. They only know what Sophie can remember, but that still isn't enough. Powerful Elders (gods) surround them, and most of them want to kill them. Josh and Sophie start to realize that they can only rely on each other after they understand the danger everyone that they have trusted gets them into. Sophie says, "I wish someone were here who could advise us what to do," and Josh responds, "We don't need anyone. We've never needed anyone else. We are going to do whatever we think is right."

Josh and Sophie always love each other, and whenever they choose sides, they are thinking of their sibling. But they have to understand and completely trust the other for their world to be saved.

Long Distance Relationships (Stretching to the Underworld and Back)

[SPOILER ALERT]

In the book The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan the two main characters, Sadie and Carter Kane, loose many people they care about. Their mother died when they were kids, then their father turned into the Egyptian God of the Dead. One of their really good godly friends had his soul taken, and each of their potential girlfriend/boyfriend got possessed by a god. These examples can show how Sadie and Carter learn to keep a difficult relationship.

Sadie and Carter's mom died closing up a portal, and ultimately preventing the end of the world for some years. In the first book, which is held years later, their dad gets possessed by the God of the Dead, then becomes his permanent host. The Kane kids then make trips to the underworld, as their quests require them to. Down there, their father is portrayed as a big blue man in egyptian clothes, and their mother is an intangible ghost. The Kanes still love their parents, but they have to focus on the task at hand. They will do anything they can for them, and their parents still look out for them. In the second book the parents try and warn them against someone dangerous, and in the third book the kids save their mom. While they are on missions, they sometimes think of their parents, and the times they had when they were alive.

In the second book, Sadie and Carter loose a bet against a god, who in return takes the soul of their friend Bes. Bes is the god of ugly, as weird as that sounds. When the god takes Bes' soul, he leaves the body intact, just leaving them like a hollow husk. In the second and third book they promise to bring his soul back. Sadie especially cares about Bes, ever since he saved her life in London. Sadie's other friend Walt likes her, and she likes him, but he is destined to die at a young age. Until Sadie's other crush, the god Anubis takes him as a host, Walt is cursed. But instead of feeling joy that she can be with the two guys she can't choose between, she is angry. She doesn't feel as if she can forgive them, until later in the book. Carter's almost-girlfriend is also hosted by a god, and not just any god, the god. The egyptian sun god, Ra. Carter doesn't know how to respond to this, because anything he does for or to the girl, he also is doing to an immortal, buff guy with a voice deeper than his.

Although these weird and sometimes disturbing things happen to the people they love, Sadie and Carter Kane still care for the people, and show how love can stretch any distance.

Never underestimate a girl

[SPOILER ALERT]

In the book The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, Frankie poses as Alpha, her boyfriend's best friend, in emails in a duel for control. Alpha and Frankie don't really like each other, and they both feel like they have to compete with each other for Matthew (Frankie's boyfriend) and control over The Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds. Alpha is the senior 'alpha dog', hence his nickname, and Frankie is the sophomore Matthew drags around for whatever they do. Matthew genuinely likes Frankie, and Alpha don't have a very good reason to dislike Frankie. Well, until she poses as him in some emails. Frankie only does this because she is upset with Matthew for lying to her, and because Alpha kept pulling Matthew away from their dates. Frankie uses the emails to have the Bassets do her bidding, all in good nature.

When Frankie poses as Alpha she uses her own ideas for the Basset's annual prank on Halloween. She feels like she can do it because Alpha is gone for 4 days, and no one would guess that it's her. Frankie is expecting a certain reaction from Alpha when he hears about the prank, but instead he takes credit and Frankie isn't satisfied. Frankie emails Alpha at his real email, and tells everybody in The Order of the Bassets what other pranks to do through him. I believe Frankie is just trying to put a spin on something so serious. She could not become a member of the Bassets because it is a boys only group, so she tries another way. Frankie already feels lucky that Matthew is dating her, but she realizes that she will never be a part of their group. The book quotes, "Sure, they like Frankie fine, found her attractive and didn't seem to mind her hanging around; but if Matthew had dumped her, none of them would ever have given Frankie a second glance. None of them." Frankie wants to show them that she's no one to underestimate or tamper with.

I read a whole series that is about girls being underestimated. The four main characters all go to the Gallagher Academy For Exceptional Young Women, which is an incognito spy school for girls. Only members of the CIA and MI6 with the right clearance know the truth of Gallagher and it's students. The main character Cammie mentions the looks that she and her best friends get when the go out as a school group, but then enjoys it when she's on a mission. Because if you see two fifteen year olds walking around town, you wouldn't think for a second that either of them could paralyze you with their bare hands. At Gallagher, the girls learn how to defend themselves in P&E (Protection and Enforcement), and are taught how to infiltrate and take information from buildings armed with top security. They are taught how to pin down a man three times their weight, and no one would suspect it. People think Gallagher Girls are helpless, spoiled rich girls. This relates to Frankie because Cammie believes that underestimation is a girls best weapon, but Frankie wants people to know what she is capable of doing. 

Popularity Isn't Easy

In the book The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart the main character Frankie, is a seemingly normal girl in a not so normal boarding school. By not so normal I just mean a very competitive Boarding School called Alabaster. In her freshman year, Frankie is mildly geeky, someone you would look over and not think much of. She wasn't the best looking, but she still got a secure enough position in her school because of her sister Zada. But in her Sophomore year Frankie had gone through a change, and has filled out in all the right places. Frankie gets her second boyfriend, Matthew Livingston, and gets accepted into the "Alpha crew" (led by a guy called Alpha"). Although positive changes were made in Frankie's life, I think her boyfriend and his friends are negatively influencing her, almost like peer pressure. In middle school or high school most students feel like they want to fit in, and generally want to be liked.

In Frankie's sophomore year, she gets a name within Matthew and Alpha's group, and starts to become popular. But Frankie is still an outcast in the in-crowd. When Frankie first officially meets Matt's friends, they all start by saying things like, "hey look, Livingston has a girl!" or "Livingston, who's that girl?" Frankie had also met Alpha over the summer, and he had flirted with her, but acted like he had never seen her before when Matt introduced her. Frankie asked her friend about it later, and she said that Alpha was only pretending that he didn't know her because Matt so obviously liked her. Another way Matt and his friends influence her is when Frankie asks Star about her invitation to a party. Frankie  was invited to a party, and before she got the invite Star asked her if she had gotten the blue envelope. After Frankie got the blue envelope and after the party, she went to Star and asked her why she asked if Frankie had gotten one. Star had said, "did I ask you about it?" and acted very confused. Frankie wrote this off as the same thing Alpha was doing. It was "intended to discomfort another person who was in some way perceived as a threat." Frankie felt like Alpha and Star weren't making an effort to like her, or even to be polite. This influenced her emotions in the way that she felt like an outcast within her boyfriend's friends.

In most stereotypical books or movies placed in High Schools there are the kids that strive to be popular, or liked. Frankie is not striving, she just gets it using wits. But once she has it, she doesn't feel very inclined to keep it, especially with Matt's friends confusing her. People in books who usually want to be liked are those people you don't see very often. The people that are there, and you don't think about it much. Reading this book I thought of the book, The Clique. In the book The Clique, the main character Claire has to fit in with a rich, fashion designer world, coming from Orlando. It's hard for Claire, and she pretends to be someone she's not to get popularity, but she ends up being friends with the girls. This reminded me of Frankie because Frankie gets accepted, but doesn't know what to do with it. Claire has it in her reach, but she has trouble finding out how to get it. Frankie is influenced and confused by Matthew's friends about her place in their group.

Don't Abandon Love

In the book Numbers by Rachel Ward, the main character, Jem, can see when people are going to die. When she makes eye contact with someone, a number appears in the back of her mind, for example, 10102001 would appear. That means that that person will die on October 10th, 2001. That also happens to be the number that Jem saw in her mother's eyes. Ever since her mom dies Jem has been living in foster homes, and going to a school for troubled kids. Jem is smart enough to know she can't share her gift with anyone else, much less tell them their number. But Jem starts to change when she becomes friends with a boy called Spider, and the London Eye blows up. Jem and Spider go on the run when police think that they blew up the London Eye. This story is about how Jem accepts her loss of her loved ones by learning how to trust and love other people again.

Jem has to learn how to trust other people, and she starts with Spider. Spider has been wanting to get to know her better, but she hasn't let him in. But because Spider is so persistent Jem finally decides to give him a chance. Jem ends up hanging out with Spider a lot, and they become closer and closer, especially when they to run away from the police. [SPOILER ALERT] Jem and Spider eventually fall in love, erasing Jem's prior belief that she would never trust anyone ever again. Jem also starts to trust her foster mom, Karen, more near the end of the book. Jem wasn't prepared to love her foster mom, probably because she didn't want to feel the pain of loosing her mom again. It isn't clear whether Jem loved her mom or not but after her mom left she felt alone.

I have not lost anyone near to me to death, but I was adopted when I was 9 months old. I never knew my parents or possible siblings, so the yearning I feel for them is different than the ache of someone you knew well, and loved. I also have no idea whether they are still alive or not, so I don't know how to feel. They are missing from my life, but at the same time, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because I never knew them. My parents told me that my 9 months (4 months with my birth parents, 5 months in the orphanage) was a really long time, but I know adopted kids who were abandoned at 13. My friend told a story about how her parents took her on a car trip when she was 13, then left her at a gas station. It's not the same idea as being adopted from birth, but it had the same abandoned feel. Sometimes I'm glad I don't know who abandoned me, but in the situation of letting myself love again, I have accepted that and moved on, similar to Jem.