I remember seeing this book in my elementary school library. I would always pass by it because it looked boring or too “sci-fi” for my taste. Why did I choose to read it now? I don’t know. I guess I just felt like stepping out of my comfort zone. I’m glad I did.
After having been attacked by aliens, humans on Earth have been preparing themselves for another assault. The government has started recruiting children to serve in the army, for they believe that the creative and innovative minds of young kids will help them in their goals. And now they have chosen Andrew “Ender” Wiggins; of his two other siblings, he is the one who shows the desired characteristics and is sent to the Battle School out in space. As Ender is put through psychological, emotional, and physical hardship by his instructors, he must decide whether he is truly ready to be the general that the army so desperately needs.
This short summary doesn’t do it justice. This book was amazing. By the time I reached the end, I was in tears. The trials that Ender faces tugged at my heart and the way everything was structured to be like a game was both extremely clever and extremely cruel. I’ve heard that the other books in the series aren’t nearly as good as this one so I haven’t decided if I want to continue reading it or not. If anyone has and can comment about whether I should or not, please do so. For those who haven’t ever explored the science fiction genre, you should definitely read this one because it is amazing and worth every minute!
Happy reading ~
This book is more classic in terms of plot devices, however it is very well done. What makes it a great read is the premises: the author has taken a lot of time to build the world of his novel, to develop his characters deeply and structure the story well. There is also a LOT of deep emotion in this book, so sensitive readers should prepare that tissue box and keep one spare (just in case…maybe). Ender is an amazing protagonist and I particularly loved reading his thoughts on battle strategy and how he was struggling to balance his desire for camaraderie and his demeanour as a commander. I also feel like I was able to use this book to develop my sense of empathy and my emotions further, which is bound to be helpful in the future.
Have you seen the movie? I’d like to hear your opinion on whether the movie was able to express the emotions in the way the book did