Ender's Game

[sumvi3tgirl]

Ender’s Game Critical Review

Even though I am an honors student, I still dislike reading with a passion. I am a slow reader and have not really enjoyed any of the novels I have read for school. However, that was before I read Ender’s Game. My name is Thuy and English does not come very easily to me. Although this book was simple, it gets right into the plot and I enjoyed reading it.

I liked how the author, Orson Scott Card, makes Ender strong and unwilling to give up; despite the tough and rather difficult tasks Ender is given. For example, when Ender had outdone and defeated all of his commanders, he is put in charge of an Army with a bad reputation, and he works hard and trains them to be the best. I disliked how Card uses an allusion with Ender’s nickname Third because he does not explain what it means until later in the book; I prefer to know the meaning of a reoccurring word before I read any further.

Card develops two of his characters, Valentine and Peter, as being the opposite of each other. Valentine is too compassionate and Peter is too aggressive. Thus, he created a new character, Ender, which would have the perfect amount of each trait. Because of these qualities, he is sent to Battle School, and is unable to make any contact with his family. This made me think about all the soldiers in Iraq and how they rarely get to make any contact with their family.

Card uses a reoccurring motif with Ender when he makes Ender afraid of being a killer and most of all like Peter; this made me admire his character because if he did hurt someone, it would not have been on purpose and it shows that there is a kind and sensitive side to him. When he uses an allusion with Hitler to describe Peter, it made me understand how evil and tyrannical Peter’s character is; this provides the foundation for how and why Peter becomes the dictator in the novel.

This book is appropriate for a younger audience and science fiction fans because they will be able to relate to the characters and have serious yet immature minds. It is a perfect discussion book because the plot is interesting and simple. However, the violence and colorful language that the book displays may be disturbing to parents. Nevertheless, the images and ideas that the book leaves are just addictive as playing a video game and keeps one at the edge of one’s seat.