Summer Blog Entry #4

            The reason I chose to read the book Ship Breaker for my summer reading was mainly because after reading the descriptions of many books, this one really stood out in my mind due to how similar it was to other books I have liked in the past. It is a book about a dystopian society which is the same type of books like The Hunger Games and Divergent. Also, the protagonist, Nailer, is a teenage boy at right about the same age as me which definitely makes the book easy to relate to. Another way I related to this book when I read it was because it is based in a future, drowned city of New Orleans. This especially made me want to read it because my parents grew up near there and I have been there many times and have always loved it.

            I would recommend this book to anybody who likes books based in Dystopian societies. I would also say that nearly any teenage boy would love to read it because of how easy it is to relate to. One day earlier in the summer a friend of mine asked what book he should read for the project and I suggested Ship Breaker. After describing it to him, he decided he will read it. Yesterday, he came to me and said he loved it and is now choosing to read the second one in the series.

Summer Entry #3: Hooking the Reader

A section of this book that really provides a good hook for the reader is:

“’I won’t let you die, son. Don’t you worry. We’ll get you taken care of. You’re my blood and I’ll take good care of you.’

And then he was gone and Nailer sank into forever.” (Bacigalupi 146).

     This part of the book is at the end of a chapter and is intended to make the reader want to go on to the next chapter and read on. At this point in the book, Nailer’s father had just found him and the wreck and Nailer is seriously injured in his back. He is fighting for consciousness while they negotiate and finally, his Dad joins Nailer and decides to support him and take care of him. It hooks you in by ending right when Nailer goes unconscious and you aren’t sure whether or not he will die. As a reader, you really want to go to the next chapter to make sure Nailer wakes up and has received medical treatment. Also, you aren’t sure whether or not his father will actually take care of Nailer because his father often beats him or doesn’t care for him. This greatly adds to the suspense that the author leaves at the end of the chapter.