Friday Memes - 'Johnny Got His Gun' by Dalton Trumbo

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Billy at Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer. This week's question was submitted by Elizabeth over at Silver Review.

Have you stopped accepting books from either authors or publishers to try to catch up? Id not, do you think you would ever do that?

I kind of have, because ever since I've started University I have been incredibly busy. If, however, an author or publisher emails me with a really good book I will accept it for review because I would never deprive myself of the chance to read a really good book. What also helps is that most of the books on my TBR pile are books I want to read at some point in the future, such as classics. Before I reach my thirties I want to have read War & Peace, for example, but there is no real pressure to do it right now. With Netgalley books it's different because they have to be reviewed before the publication date, usually!

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. And this week we have an amazing question:

Change the Plot. If you could, of what book would you change the ending or a plot thread? Go ahead and do it...change it!

This is such a good question that I felt the need to answer it despite not really having an answer. I've been annoyed at the way that plenty of books turned out but that is more the normal kind of 'Why did you have to end at all? I want so much more!' kind of frustration. But I think I would have to go with New Moon from the Twilight series. The first book wasn't all that bad, I felt reading it at the time, and now looking back on it, although there is obvious things "wrong" with it, it still sort of holds up. But New Moon just completely ruins it by taking any kind of power or agency away from Bella. What I would have done is:


Edward still would have left, but not in the woods because that was strange as well. He would have told her at her home, saying she wasn't old enough, didn't know enough about vampires to get mixed up with them, etc. Bella would have been upset, would have cried, but also would have been angry at Edward for leaving just like that after she practically risked her life to save his. And then she would have grown a backbone and started researching vampires seriously, not just on the internet. I'm talking stacks of books at the library, dusty and old books. And she would have enlisted Jacob to help her because she does slightly thrive off of his love for her. And then when he started becoming a werewolf, he would have come to her, terrified at what was happening. And she could have helped him through his changes, thereby realizing that she was actually strong and capable. At that point, Alice would turn up and tell her about Edward getting into trouble by moping around the Volturi. Bella could then have used all her new knowledge and skills to defeat the Volturi, thereby saving Edward and preventing the strange boredom that was Eclipse. Edward would then have turned her because she was strong and capable, and then they could have maybe become something like supernatural "hunters" but without the killing. Rather, they could've helped people transition into their supernatural state, like Jacob.

...God, now I really want to write this story, but different from Twilight. How bad would it be if I did write it? Would that break some kind of copyright laws?

Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice. This week I'm using Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun for these memes. I'm now going to write a review for it for my Literature of the First World War series.

BB:

'He wished the phone would stop ringing. It was bad enough to be sick let alone having a phone ring all night long. Boy was he sick.' p.1

This novel has been quite challenging to read because Trumbo completely ignores all the grammar rules related to commas, full stops, colons, semi-colons etc. I understand why he did it, but it took some time to get into.

F56:

'He drowned without a struggle because he couldn't struggle. He didn't seem to have anything to struggle with. It was like a bad dream where someone is chasing you and you're scared to death only there's nothing to do about it because you can't run.'

I realize this is quite a long quote, but I loved the whole thing so it had to be posted. What really separates this novel from the others I have read is how incredibly emotive the writing style is. It is gut wrenching!

So, what are all your answers? Can't wait to find out!