Asylum

     As everyone in the country knows, Halloween is coming up very soon. Because of this, I thought why not read a scary book? So, after I finished The Fault in Our Stars, I started reading a book that better fits the season: Asylum by Madeleine Roux.

     David Crawfors is said to be an extraordinary student who excels greatly in the subjects of history and science. He is goinng to a summer program for gifted students: The New Hampshire College Prep program (NHCP). This is a fantastic cant-miss opportunity for David and his educational career. There is one twist however to the build-up of the story...

     The program is for those who are acedimically gifted and would regularly be treated with great honor to its attendees, but the housing for the summer has been closed, as they were being renovated, and now the students must stay in a former mental hospital (Brookline), or a Dan explains, an asylum. The building is more of a hair-raising, goosebump-bringing creepy rather than a hold-me, scream-for-your-life scary. There is not a well-paved road on the way to the asylum; trees formed a tunnel over the bumpy gravel road, the sunshine peering through the gaps in the leaves. There were overgrown bushed along the path. The inside wasn't so bad, Dan was directed to his room, where he found suitcases zipped up and tucked under the nearest bed, neatly organized clothing hanging in the closet and books organized on a bookshelf. Next to the unclaimed bed was a bedside table and a decent desk. Inside the top drawer of the desk was a photo of a man, likely a doctor  with the eyes scribbled out.

    So far, within the first three chapters, nothing too out-of-the-ordinary has happened besides the picture. Granted, Roux does seem to mysteriously build up the level of creepy printed on the pages. Nonetheless, I'm sure something lies within the pages ahead that could give nightmares to a Marine.



Above is the a picture of the cover page. I"m not necessarily sure whether this displays how creepy the novel is going to be, or something else but...

Here is a website that reviews the book:

http://www.harperteen.com/books/Asylum-Madeleine-Roux/?isbn=9780062220981

Conflict in The Fault in Our Stars

     The Fault in Our Stars is so full of conflict that its comical. The book, like most else is completely revolved around the conflict the goes on in Hazel's life. I guess it's a girl thing to get so deeply rooted in the conflict of your life that it consumes your life, but I'm not going to get into that. Anyway, from what I gathered from reading the book, there were three main types of conflict.

     As soon as, or even before if you read the back cover of the book, we learn the main character (Hazel) has a form of cancer and tumors in her lungs. This represents a self vs. body conflict because she has no choice but to live with and fight the cancer. Her cancer pretty much controls every aspect of her life: she has to go to the doctors for treatment, she has to go to support group, she has to drag an oxygen tank everywhere.  Every aspect of her life. She doesn't like going to get treatment all the time and despises the need to have an oxygen tank all the time so she can breathe, well, not even breathe, but replenish her lungs with oxygen. Support group was something that Hazel didn't even like going to until she met Augustus.

     When Hazel is introduced to the perfect specimen that is Augustus Waters, she is instantly intrigued by his approach and ignorance to the cancer that he has and how he doesn't avoid her, and her cancer. After going to his house for dinner, Hazel and he exchange books and begin to hang out more and call eachother to talk as often as they can.