It’s Sunday afternoon and you see that you have a 75 page reading you must conquer before having a reading quiz tomorrow. Distraught, you pull out your paperback and try to assess how much pain the assigned reading will cause you. Well, look no further than this article for your answer!
Phoebe and I have ranked and reviewed every book we have both read for an English class during our time at LFHS–based on a combination of the book’s plot, our class experiences with the book, and its overall likability. By comparing our reviews, you can see how our perspectives differ and determine whether you might enjoy the book or agree with our opinions!
A special shout out is in order for Cry, the Beloved Country, Brave New World, All the Pretty Horses, and Diary of a Part Time Indian: Phoebe and I did not include these books in our rankings as one of us was not assigned to read them. Moreover, there will be spoilers throughout our reviews. You have been warned!
Freshman Year (English 1H):
Odyssey
Sydney’s review: ⅗. Reading this book was an odyssey in itself. With less than a month before the final, our class had to cram in 13 chapters of reading to finish on time. As a result, the amount of information I can still recall from this book is severely limited to the battle with the cyclops and Xenia. By far the most memorable thing about reading this book, though, was the drama that ensued when the essay prompts accidentally got leaked a week before the final. I liked the adventure story, but the rushed reading schedule brings this book down to three out of five stars.
Phoebe’s review: ⅖. This book was definitely a challenge. Even by the end of the book, the character’s names wouldn’t stick with me. I got my first ever F in high school from our reading test because I couldn’t figure out who said what quotes. We did skip around chapters which helped, but even the important chapters I had to re-read to fully understand what was happening. Fitting this book into my backpack was difficult enough–I think this book should be given to upperclassmen.
Romeo and Juliet
Sydney’s review: 5/5. Before reading this, I didn’t understand the hype around Shakesphere, but this book thoroughly entertained me. Despite officially being called a tragedy, I thought it was super fun to read a romance book at school: it was a change from the books we read that often have a heavier subject matter. I’m also awarding bonus points for having easy reading quizzes, time to read in class, and getting the chance to watch the movie in class! This book also inspired one of my favorite book series–These Violent Delights–and essentially invented the enemies-to-lovers trope. Its undoubtable cultural impact compels me to give it a five.
Phoebe’s review: ⅘. Our first of many Shakespeare plays. I really liked reading Romeo and Juliet. Reading the book in class was key to understanding the plot and getting a feel for the tragedy. Romeo and Juliet is just one of those classic books you have to read, so I didn’t mind reading it. We ended the book by acting out a play and watching the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio, which–of course–boosts the rating.
Maus
Sydney’s review: 5/5. My class had the time to read both books in the series, and I’m super grateful for that as these were my favorite books I’ve read in high school. Maus showed me the power graphic novels have to tell stories through their complex illustrations while shedding an important light on the horrifying challenges people endured during the Holocaust. This book gets a five from me due to its incredible storytelling, and I think everyone should give it a read.
Phoebe’s review: 5/5. My class didn’t spend much time on this book, but it was an easy read and different from any other book we had previously read. Being a graphic novel, it was easy to follow even though it covered complicated historical events.
Sophomore Year (English 2H):
Catcher in the Rye
Sydney’s review: ⅕. You will never “catch” me reading this book again. It is so unbelievably boring. I should really be compensated for having to listen to Holden complain about his life–which is really only bad due to his choices–for over 200 pages. His red hat, weird obsession with Sally, and outlandish behavior got old very quickly. I’m awarding negative points for having to write two essays on this book when I struggled to find anything of substance in the first place. Easily one out of stars.
Phoebe’s review: 5/5. My all time favorite book I’ve had to read for school. Especially because of my teacher Mr. Lubliner, I was always so impressed by all of the hidden meanings and symbols we uncovered during class. The plot felt relatable and dug deep into simpler topics we don’t typically cover in books.
Death of a Salesman
Sydney’s review: ⅖. This book was the death of me. The plot didn’t really make any sense to me, and the characters were random and crazy in the worst way. The only aspects I remember are Willy cheating on his wife, something weird with pantyhose, and a ghost lingering around: these do not help the book’s case. I have to award an extra point, however, because the book was short and I didn’t have to write an essay, so my final ranking comes to two out of five stars.
Phoebe’s review: ⅖. I was not a fan of Death of a Salesman. Even the play was a painful watch. Willy wasn’t a likable character and Linda was kind of annoying. The American dream themes felt tiresome, but at least the book wasn’t crazy long and our readings were short.
Junior Year (AP Lang):
The Narrative of a Life of Frederick Douglass
Sydney’s review: ⅘. Honestly, I feel weird ranking this book, along with Maus, because they both deal with personal experiences and it doesn’t feel right to rank someone’s life story. My ranking ultimately comes down to the activities our class did related to this book: other than a few class discussions and writing an essay, we didn’t do a whole lot else. The story, notably, drove important conversations in my class and educated us on an influential figure in history, so I’ll give it a four out of five.
Phoebe’s review: ⅘. Along with Sydney, I am reviewing this book based on how our class’ experiences with it. The class discussions were very interesting, and I learned a lot about such an important era of American history. Reading this book also aligned with what we were learning in my history class so I felt like I was able to get more out of the book.
Macbeth
Sydney’s review: 5/5. With a combination of supernatural forces, murder, and crazy yet intriguing characters, this play was bound to be an interesting read. Lady Macbeth being the evil mastermind was such a refreshing choice after so many of our previous stories being male-centered, and seeing Macbeth’s guilt swell throughout the play was captivating yet sad at the same time. The unjust murder of Banquo–he deserved better–and the takeover by MacDuff–along with watching the prophecy come full circle–were super engaging to read. If I can remember this much from the play due to all the emotions it sparked, it certainly deserves a five.
Phoebe’s review: ⅗. The plot and elements of this book made Macbeth more interesting to read, but it was my least favorite Shakespeare book I have read. Since we read this book in AP Lang our discussions were more focused on the author’s stylistic choices than the plot itself. The murders and intense characters were entertaining but this book didn’t stick out to me. So, I am sticking with my rating of a three out of five.
Slaughterhouse 5
Sydney’s review: ⅘. The main thing I remember from reading this book was how much fun I had creating our final project: a video encapsulating a central theme of the book. I loved that we were able to show what we took away from the book in a creative way. With the wacky aliens, time travel, and interesting phrases, it seemed like an unconventional project was the only way to reflect on reading an unconventional book. While the book was great, the challenging reading quizzes and the 60-page reading we had to complete over spring break (thank you chapter five) certainly knock it down a peg: four out of five stars. So it goes.
Phoebe’s review: ⅗. I agree with Sydney on how fun our final video project was, one in particular was definitely unforgettable. This book jumped back and forth and took on some creative liberties. The quizzes were a challenge, and the long spring break reading might have been the most memorable part of reading the book.
Senior Year (AP Lit)
Beowulf
Sydney’s review: ⅖. Beowulf is the oldest surviving text written in English, and it certainly reads like that. The plot line is boringly, painfully simple: the villain is defeated twice by the hero, and when the hero then dies in battle another one rises to carry on his legacy. The characters certainly don’t make up for the lack of plot: Beowulf literally just brags about how strong of a warrior he is, and his soldiers’ incompetences–besides Wiglaf–is downright infuriating. With one extra point award for being less than 150 pages, this book receives two out of five stars.
Phoebe’s review: ⅗. I have to disagree with Sydney, because I actually liked the simple plot line. While some parts were a little predictable, it made it a little easier to transition into AP Literature. I also enjoyed seeing the evolution of the villainous characters and the journey Beowulf had to take. This book wasn’t my favorite but also certainly wasn’t my least favorite, so it sticks right in the middle with a ranking of three out of five stars.
Hamlet
Sydney’s review: 5/5. There is no other way to describe reading this book other than it just being fun. Hamlet is page-turning in a way that makes you eager to read who will be murdered or betrayed next. Along with watching a movie while reading the play, I remember our class having the best discussions about the crazy plots we anticipated. To top it off, I was able to understand the references in “The Fate of Ophelia” from reading Hamlet, and anything Taylor Swift related deserves five stars from me.
Phoebe’s review: 5/5. Hamlet was my favorite Shakesphere play I have read. The ideas of revenge, madness, and betrayal kept me eager to keep reading. We spent our block days watching the play which helped deepen my understanding of the readings and gave me a nice break in my day while still connecting with the material. The dramatic irony throughout this play built suspense and kept me intrigued from beginning to end.
The Things They Carried
Sydney’s review: ⅘. This book was definitely one that grew on me. Despite being very confused at the beginning, the frequently changing perspectives, quick and shocking stories, and the unique writing style drew me in. Examining the levels of truth behind each story was a fun challenge, and I especially enjoyed our final project where we each made a visual representation of a key element of the book. Unlike any other book I’ve read from class, The Things They Carried was told in a way I had never seen stories be relayed before, earning it four out of five stars.
Phoebe’s review: 5/5. The Things They Carried was a book that made a lasting impact on me. The short stories within the book were heavy but was also a crucial topic to learn about. Going through the characters’ trauma and physical burdens all while deciphering between what was real and fake was both engaging and interesting. This is a book I would easily come back to and read again.
Frankenstein
Sydney’s review: 5/5. This book was literally painful to read: 10 pages would take me around 25 minutes to read just because of how complex the story was. With the story being so engaging, though, I have no choice but to give Frankenstein five stars. Seeing the story from both perspectives was so captivating and it unraveled in a way I wouldn’t have predicted. The cherry on top was doing a mock trial where we had to argue about Frankenstein’s innocence: the prosecuting team–despite only finding him guilty for one of the chargers–definitely deserved to win.
Phoebe’s review: ⅘. Frankenstein is just another one of those classics you always hear about and just have to read. The plot was nothing like I expected. It took me a few weeks to get used to referring to the monster as the Creature instead of Frankenstein. This book makes it hard to decipher who you are rooting for and who you feel bad for. We did a mock trial with this book which made it fun to hear every character’s side of the story and who’s side they were on. It ended up being a tie between the charges, but I think the defense team made the best case.
