Thomas Harris, (1988),The Silence of the Lambs, St. Martin’s Press

By Lorena Davis Mosquera, 2 ESO B

A serial killer called Buffalo Bill is killing females and skinning them. Jack Crawford, head of the FBI division sends FBI trainee Clarice Starling to question Hannibal Lecter, cannibal and former psychiatrist, attempting to gather information on Buffalo Bill. Clarice and Hannibal form a “quid pro quo” relationship where he gives her useful information on her case in exchange for her personal information. This leads her to getting closer to Buffalo Bill, who has kidnapped a senator’s daughter. Hannibal, during this time, has killed two security guards and escapes the cell wearing one of the dead men’s skin to cover his identity. Clarice found out that Buffalo Bill skinned the women he killed in order to ... ... ...

I really enjoyed this book and it is one of my favourites by far. It was interesting throughout the whole story and fast pace so it was easy and pleasant for me to read. Although the story tells of a crime, it isn’t too gruesome and doesn’t go into unnecessary details. The story is well written and I really liked it, which was unexpected because I don’t like horror books. The main reason I liked this book so much was because it ‘awoke’ my emotions. I felt fear when I read about the incident with Buffalo Bill, I laughed at some of Hannibal Lecter’s witty remarks and I cried when I read the story of the lamb. I just thought it was an outstanding book.

To conclude, although I did really like this book, I have to recommend it to people who are fifteen or older because it had some intense swearing and violence was involved. I definitely recommend this book; it has a great plot, fantastic characters with intriguing personalities and entertaining dialogue. It is a remarkable read for anyone who likes crime stories or fancies a bit of mystery.

J.R.R. Tolkien (1954) The Fellowship of the Ring, Del Rey mass market edition 2012

By Andrew Hutchison, 2ºESO B

 

This volume, one of the three books in the trilogy, tells the story of how four young Hobbits go (along with two men, a dwarf, an Elven prince and a wizard) out on a quest to destroy the one ring. In this book, the fellowship of the ring is divided, one group going to war against the enemies of good, while another smaller group, composed of the two very brave Hobbits Frodo and Sam go to Mount  Doom (a volcano in the land of the Orcs where the ring was forged) to hurl the ring into the lava, utterly destroying it and wiping evil from the face of the middle earth.

My favourite part was when the fellowship encountered the Mines of Moria, as there was a lot of action as well as humor.

I recommend this book and think it should be read, because the way the story is written is ingenious and although the language is a bit hard it is written in a way that anyone at least in their teens can get the basic meanings

317 Portobello Road

London W10 5SZ

Wed. 17th April 2013

Dear Students,
Syria is in the middle of a civil war. It is in a terrible state; bombs going off every few hours, sounds of machine guns and many cries of pain. Our class, ESO 1B, have come up with the idea of setting up a fund raising sale, to help the innocent people survive the war.
The British Red Cross Charity is probably our best option. They support the Syrians by sending volunteers willing to help with all the equipment and resources needed such as food, medical equipment, clothes and many more vital resources. This sale will have cakes, cookies and cupcakes, which will raise a lot of money. The bake sale will take place at 11:30 am, 2:35 pm and 3:30 pm, respectively.
These innocent people do not deserve to be in the middle of this disaster. It should end. Sadly, we can't end it, but we can help. This fund raising sale will hopefully save a lot of lives.
Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing you at the bake sale.
Yours sincerely,
Alex Constantin

London

A Metaphorical Poem

by Alex Constantin 1 ESO

London is a jungle,

People are always busy

Life is not easy!

People are ants,

Living in a hot pot.

The tube is a worm

digging its way underground

that takes the ants around.

I love London!

By Samuel Manning Sánchez, 1ºESO B

Eagles are bombers.

They drop live charges

With intent to kill.

They  prey on slow, strong tanks

And agile jeeps.

They  are precise

Weapons of destruction

And dominate the battlefield

Devastating all in their path,

To eat a splattered tortoise or a

Dismembered rabbit, yum yum.

Cat Patrick (2011), Forgotten, Egmont UK Ltd

By Manny Lago, 2º ESO B

London Lane, the principal character in the book, is a sixteen year  old girl who lost her baby brother when she was six because she unlocked the car door while her father wasn't there. This event ripped her parents apart.  Whilst chasing after the villains responsible her father crashed and London technically died. Luckily, her doctors were able to resuscitate her. However, the experience left her with some type of memory disorder in which her mind would "reset" itself, leaving her clueless to the previous day's activities. Every night at precisely 4:33 am, while London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can recall are events from her future. 

          What I like most about the book is that the author wants readers to consider whether  knowing the future is really important or if learning from the past and accepting what was is what we should be thankful for. The book encourages readers to enjoy and embrace the past because, “…what I need to remember most is this: I can always change the future.”   A person’s past is what shapes their character and without those past memories and experiences life is hard and very mysterious with plenty of unanswered questions. The future is being rewritten all the time because of our past.  This makes the reader sympathetic with London and her illness.

What I also liked is that the events that occur through the novel depict situations that could very well be real and happen to anyone who struggles with memory loss.

             What I least liked about the book was the constant reference to the fact London took a long time to forgive Luke.  I thought this was exaggerated and boring.

             I would recommend this book because it is teenage romantic fiction and the romantic themes throughout the novel make it interesting for teenage readers.

Michael Curtis Ford (2007) The Fall of Rome, Thomas Dunne Books

By Elías Ferrer, 2º ESO B

It’s a great story about how one of the sons of a commander of Attila has to escape from the successors of the Huns’ chief after his death. The fugitive, Odoacer, and his brother Onulf have coincidences between them and their enemy, the Germanic-Roman general Orestes, the father of the last emperor of the Roman Empire. Their personal fights made Rome fall.

Rosemary SUTCLIFF (1957) The Silver Branch, Oxford Univ. Press (2007)

By Hugo Ferrer, 2º ESO B

I would like to recommend you the book The Silver Branch.  It is a sequel of the novel The Eagle of the Ninth, written by Rosemary Sutcliff, an acclaimed writer of children's books, especially historical fiction, which is the genre of this book.  I especially like this book because of the action and thrill there is in it. The two main characters, by forming a band of men, are trying to save the Roman emperor of Britain from a plot and also from the Saxons that are invading. There is a lot of suspense so it's very difficult to put it down.

George RR Martin (2000) A Storm of Swords, Bantam Dell

By Elías Ferrer, 2º ESO B

It’s a book you would like. It tells how a kingdom is falling into the hands of seven kings, who claim the central throne. It’s the third volume of Game of Thrones, and it’s a point between mystery, traditional literature, fantasy and other genres. There is some violence in the book but I think the story is good.

Lauren WEISBERGER (2003), The Devil Wears Prada, Harper Collins

By Estefanía Pinilla, 2º ESO B

The Devil Wears Prada is about a young woman called Andrea Sachs, who wants to become a journalist. She gets hired as the second assistant of Miranda Priestly, a ruthless executive of the runway fashion magazine. Miranda’s first assistant Emily advises Andrea about the behaviour of their cruel boss. It will be a challenge for Andrea when she has to drastically change her clothes and image, with the help of Nigel, the magazine’s art director. The job becomes really hard, because of Miranda’s tough working rhythm and impossible tasks, which leaves Andrea without a private life with her boyfriend Nate, family and friends. In the end the old Andrea has gone and the new Andrea is now more preoccupied about her image and her future in the magazine.

What I liked best of the book is the beginning where you realise that although you’re not good at fashion and you don’t know what it is or means, you can still improve and reach the top. I also enjoyed how two assistants realise that although they are competing against each other they can still be friends and work together.

I would definitely recommend The Devil Wears Prada to my friends because it has a really good plot which combines drama with humour. The book keeps the audience interested and there are no slow sections in it. Once you pick it up and start reading you won’t want to put it down. People who are interested in fashion and drama should read it because these are the two main concepts of the book.

Ray Bradbury (1951) Fahrenheit 451, Flamingo Modern Classics (1993)

By Elías Ferrer, 2º ESO B

In the future there will be three supreme dictators in the world. Each one will control people by TV, cameras, microphones, advertisements, etc., making all the world’s population think like the dictators want.

Lewis CARROLL, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Wordsworth Classics (2001)

By Ann Rose Layosa, 2º ESO B

This book was written by Lewis Carroll and this version was introduced by Michael Irwin. It is about a girl called Alice who was on a tree branch listening to her sister's book. She then saw a rabbit with clothes and a watch (very uncommon for a rabbit) and she decided to follow it until she fell down a rabbit hole and entered a world full of many uncommon things called 'Wonderland'. She then met a caterpillar who smoked and who gave her some advice. She also met Pig and Pepper (two brothers), a cat that appears and disappears and the Queen of Hearts, who played croquet. She also went to a mad tea-party, where she found a talking rabbit and an old small man.

I think this book is interesting because it contains many unusual things such as a smoking caterpillar, a rabbit with clothes on, etc., and because as you read, you find yourself in another world full of crazy things, and it's actually interesting to read something that is out of this world.

Sue Townsend (1982) Secret diary of Adrian Mole aged 13 ¾, Harper Collins

By Elías Ferrer, 2º ESO B

It’s a funny book which you will enjoy, if you read it. I had a lot of fun reading it, because it is about an ‘intellectual’ boy, aged 13, who lives with his family but his mother goes away with a man and the boy is left with his poor father, his diary and his friends.

Suzanne LaFleur 2009), Love Aubrey, Puffin Books

By Estefania Pinilla Taylor, 2ºESO B

Love Aubrey is about an eleven year old girl who was abandoned by her mum. A few months before, Aubrey's dad and her younger sister Savannah, died in a car crash. She thought it was fun at first playing house, eating cheese and crackers every day and night. Until her grandma showed up, Aubrey was taken to her grandma's house in Virginia. She made friends with the girl next door called Bridget. She was put into school and was convinced to go talk to the school's psychiatrist. Making friends was easy for her but it made her sad every time someone asked her about the scar on her forehead. At the end her mum comes back for her, but it was too hard to go back and live with her after everything that had happened. They all thought that it was best for her to stay with her grandma. However, her mum did come and visit often.

I really like this book because the author expresses Aubrey's feelings as if they were real, and keeps the reader wanting more. The story is written and told very well, and I think that more people should read it because they will enjoy it and want a second book by the same writer. 

H.P. Lovecraft (1999) The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories Penguin Modern Classics (reprinted 2002)

By Elías Ferrer, 2º ESO B

A compilation of terrifying and full of suspense stories. People spit on the author’s tomb because his novels are too scary. Until the end of each story you will not know what’s going to happen next.