Over time, we grow out of them. We see that life is not what the books said it would be. Life is not predictable. Life does not consist of beautiful and yet strange drawings and creatures with equally interesting people who think you are interesting. Life cannot be mastered and made to end perfectly just by giving it your all and studying.
Despite of all this growing up I had to do, I can still look back at those books and read them again for they reminded me what I couldn't have, what I wanted, what I hoped for, my dreams and my innocence. So, here is my "Top 5 Books When I Was Just Some Naive Brat".
5. Tamora Pierce's Tortall books
Alright, I know it's top 5 books but these series can practically be the same when you sum it up. Here, I'll summarise it and you check with all of them to see how true they are.
If first book of the series,
A) Girl wants to be something which others in her life had discouraged her to do.
B) There are a few people who encourage her to follow her heart.
C) She does it.
For all the books,
D) Stranger in a place with new and sometimes odd (to her) people.
E) While acclimating, she makes new friends and new enemies.
F) She establishes herself as someone useful who nearly everyone loves.
G) (If there is a love interest) The guy gets an admirer/The guy admires someone who will play a vital role later on.
H) (If there are two guys interested in her) There will be a male cat fight.
I) Bad Guy reveals him/herself.
J) Some random event happens that reveals part of Bad Guy's plot.
K) Climax! Showdown time!
L) Happily ever after.
Well? Sure, the details vary but the essential key point is you can do what you want as long as there are some who support you, courage and determination. It's cliche but what standards did you expect when you read the title?
4. Roald Dahl's Matilda
Roald Dahl is a famous writer who wrote so many books that I couldn't settle on one until I remembered this book's triumph card for me - The adoptive/step-mother figure is the saviour and not the villain. Ms Honey practically adopted Matilda at the end of the book so she can be considered the stepmother, right?
Anyways, this book just satisfies all the evil and bratty little desires I had. Parents does something you don't like a.k.a wrong in your eyes? Punish them. Teachers treat you badly? Punish them. A perfect teacher who is kind and understanding? Check. Genius protagonist? Check.
That's why this book is on this list. However, it's not great enough to beat this.
3. Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl : The Artic Incident
What kid wouldn't want to be a genius? Artemis Fowl is both genius and cunning. To boot with the fact that he is rich and knows how to use the money. In books and movies where the anti-hero/villain is the star, I love it when the protagonist stays the same and doesn't become some hero figure because it is just so satisfying and rare. Even though Artemis' father is gone, Artemis takes up the role as a criminal mastermind and an "entrepreneur". What makes this book the best out of the series? The fact that Artemis just kicks the school counselors out of their office just by being more intelligent than they are. I mean, I was a brat but somewhere in my mind, I already knew how rare and satisfying it is to be able to make professional counselors cry and be more intelligent than they are. Artemis did write the recommended book of the counselor after all, without him even knowing that Artemis is his highly acclaimed Doctor/writer. The discovery of the fake arm chair is just the finishing touch that makes the book make me feel "like a boss".
2. Anne McCaffrey's The Masterharper Of Pern
As my introductory book to the magnificent world that is Pern, I feel that this book deserves my number two spot. Pern is an amazing world where dragons are real. There are fire lizards. Music plays an important role. In fact, every job does.
In this book, I read how it feels to be a child of famous and talented people. Sure, some of us are but most of us just dream. I read not only what happens when the child is as talented and dedicated but also what happens when the child does not live up to expectations. Sure, Robinton was kind but the disappointment and the distance created can still be felt. I read the future when our parents pass away eventually. I read about how love was found and lost in just a few days' time. I read about a life that was practically perfect in every way.
Adventure, tragedy, humour, love, music and success. This book taught me what a Happily Ever After would look like in real life if it ever happened. It showed me reality's brand of perfect route to success and happiness. Sure, it was cliche and common but this book opened my eyes to a world that would teach me so much more.
1. Terry Pratchett's Small Gods
This thick and confusing book was the first that I read from the Discworld series but it didn't become my favourite in the first reading where I couldn't understand a thing. When I first read through it, it was like some sort of weird, adult book with strange terms and concepts. Once I was inducted into Discworld by Pyramids, my confusion became love. Have you ever felt confused and betrayed by the concept of religion? Well, this book shows the process one dedicated and loyal believer goes through in accepting that religion is not everything. It is not the ultimate truth. There are no set rules. Life is dictated by those who wish to dictate in an honest way. And gods? Well, they are beings that are bound by what we perceive them to be. As such, this neutral, witty, sarcastic, nonsensical (of sorts) book was my bible back in those days.
So, there's the list. And here's the ending. I wouldn't be surprised if no one reads this. After all, what interesting ending could a top 5 have other than the usual "It was hard to do, there were so many to choose from. I'm so Glad it came out alright. What's your favourite book when growing up?" Well, I'll be ending this article with a little geeky fact from YouTube : Xbox disc changer made out of basic robotics parts. Here's the link - http://youtu.be/9At79-XIR38?t=3m24s (if you're on iPad/iPhone) http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?t=3m24s&v=9At79-XlR38&feature=youtu.be&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9At79-XlR38%26feature%3Dyoutu.be%26t%3D3m24s
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