Lived One Thousand Lives

Overall: I loved this book. I finished it yesterday, but I had to wait a day to really compose my thoughts
enough to tell the world how good it was. Its like in The Fault in Our Stars, when she says there are some books you want to keep to yourself. This is one of those. Usually I HATE Science Fiction books, but damn, this book changed my mind. It was very good. The twist at the end was super crazy and unexpected! All of the characters had some sort of real quality. Like I could really relate to them. The author did an amazing job conveying each characters feelings and thoughts. The whole thing was a little hard to wrap my mind around, but once I got past that it was SO good. The only part that lacked a little was the very end. I feel like the author wasn't sure what to do. Was I the only one? Other than that, AMAZING book!

Characters: Ender was so cute and so troubled on the inside. He didn't want to hurt anyone and you could tell the whole time. I loved the progression of him transforming from a little boy into a soldier in very little time. He lost his childhood, they all did. It was quite cruel, but they all accepted it. I also liked Dink very much, and Bean, and Petra. They all were awesome. I especially liked Alai, and the idea behind Salaam. I'm adopting that as my farewell now, instead of goodbye, I now say salaam. It has a much deeper meaning, and I love it.

Quotes:
“Perhaps it's impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be.”

“In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them.... I destroy them.”

“I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth: the mythic truth about human nature in general, the particular truth about those life-communities that define our own identity, and the most specific truth of all: our own self-story. Fiction, because it is not about someone who lived in the real world, always has the possibility of being about oneself. ”

"No. Your face is the same, but I don't remember what beautiful means anymore.”

Recommend?: Yes, very much so. I give it 5/5 stars. This book had me en captured within its pages, and still does. I'm having withdraw and don't want to start a new book. You all know that feeling! I know you do.