SSOJ Blogs

The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd is a book that follows Juliet Moreau, a maid who was once a rich young lady. Her father was a renowned doctor until he was found conducting unethical experiments on animals and assumed dead when he went missing. When Juliet meets Montgomery, an old childhood friend who worked under her father, she realizes her father is alive and lives on a remote island. Montgomery reluctantly decides to take Juliet to the island where her father is with a native he befriended called Balthazar. While on the ship, Montgomery and Juliet’s relationship grows. Then, they find a man named Edward Prince, a shipwreck survivor. Juliet immediately takes an interest in him and his feelings for her become obvious very quickly. Montgomery isn’t too happy about his sudden arrival. When they reach the island, Juliet’s father welcomes her, surprised that she’s on the island. It’s only as the story goes on that she realizes that he does conduct unethical experiments, bu...

First published in 1925, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald takes place in West Egg and East Egg Long Island, New York. The story is narrated through the perspective of Nick Carraway, a midwesterner who decided to head out east and become a bond salesman. The novel is concerned with Jay Gatsby, Nick’s mysterious neighbor that lives in the lavish mansion next door, and primarily focuses on Gatsby's affair and obsession with Daisy, who is Nick’s vain, second cousin once removed. Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s wealthy but also unfaithful husband, who has an affair himself. Throughout the novel, the reader learns more about Gatsby’s personal life and ambitions, which ultimately culminates to a tragic and shocking finale that leaves the reader with a sense of emptiness. The Great Gatsby is probably one of the most well written and intricate books I’ve ever read. A big reason why I thought it was so intricate is because I found value in reading it more than one time....