A Legend Comes to Life

Author's Note: In books we learn so many things, but in this novel you learn more than just life lessons. King Arthur was a legendary leader, but what if he's here right now. I wrote this essay from the bottom of my heart, true love comes to mind, while life might not always be fair. Get ready to read about one of the greatest legends of all time, King Arthur and his court.

From one generation to another people share stories of their life and legends they believe in. King Arthur is a famous legendary character in Europe, mainly in England. It is said that the king lays under the hill with his brave knights of the round table. According to poets, authors, and people who believe in this myth, King Arthur will reincarnate into this world, ready to ride forth and save his country again.  The chosen one is somewhere out in this world, and that person just happened to be A. William Wagner. The quarterback of the football team and class president, he’s practically the most popular guy in school. Besides the fact that he might be popular, inside he has a heart. Will is the type of guy who is down to earth and he isn’t like anyone you will meet. From the people he meets and the connections you can make to his life, the author does an amazing job of describing these facts. Meg Cabot writes a novel that takes you into a whole other dimension. Avalon High, is a book that takes your breath away by stating the reasons of life, the definition of friendship, and how one person can change the way you choose to step forward.

   

Will Wagner, he’s the kind of guy that doesn’t stick to the status quo. To everyone out there he’s the quarterback of the Avalon High Excaliburs. Will is not just a football guy, deep down he has a loving personality that is hidden under a tough-guy shield that blocks his true self, but most people don’t know about that part of Will. The kids at school have never known him as anything other than a champion jock. They never thought of him as anything else. What most people didn’t know was that he was into politics, but when they did hear it, they would try to talk him out of it. It was all football, football, and more football. You can’t blame Will for liking other things. Think about it, when you walk into school and there’s a new kid, you automatically start saying stuff about them. Maybe if you see a kid that is really smart, then they’re a nerd. Stereotypes go all around the place, you can never judge them by how they look or act. You need to get to know the person before you start saying things about them. This is something that everyone needs to know, people aren’t just who they say they are.  

Not only does Avalon High teach you about people, but it tells us why we are who we are. Everyone came into this world for a reason and Will’s just happened to be to save this world from the dark ages. The dark ages was an era of ignorance, superstitions, and social chaos. It was a hard time in history, and it might come back unless Will is there to help. King Arthur was a brave guy, with his knights surrounding him;  he didn’t have anything to be scared of. The same goes for Will, with his friends by his side, there was nothing that could stop him. Why am I here or why are you here? There’s a reason, but the time to know hasn’t come just yet. Years and years of work apply to the difference you make in this world or maybe in your community. The reasons of life are still unknown, but sooner or later it’ll make sense. An anonymous person once said, “Winners work and workers win". To me this motto is something applies that everyone, it’s part of the main reasons to why we stand right here. When you work hard, you get a reward and by having those fifteen minutes of fame and happiness in your eyes is amazing. The feeling of being on top of this world is something everyone has in their life. Just by winning a small game of basketball in your driveway or even the Super Bowl.

We learn many lessons from the book, but the movie can teach us a little more, friendship. Avalon High, is a Disney Channel original movie that is based on the book. During the movie, Ellie says to Will, “All great athletes have pressure on them all the time. You can’t be afraid of it, you have to embrace it. The way you do that, is to remember what victory felt like. That feeling when you lead your team to glory; if you can live in that moment and want it again with all your heart, nothing can stop you.” Those few words changed Will and his life. From one football game to another, they scored each and every time. “Ellie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful thing.” (173) Friendship is something that you can never give up; there are great times, but there are those that might need a little more work. The meaning of friendship is unraveled in this novel. People who look after each other and believe in one another, that is what friendship is all about. Will and Ellie have a relationship between each other like no one else could. It’s something that is truly special. Friendship is a gift, never let go, and always remember to have it close to your heart.

Friendship is a great thing, but betrayal is something that nobody can handle. There are so many twists and turns in the book that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Imagine loving someone with all of your heart for almost three years, but soon enough you see your best friend and girlfriend together. That is what happened to King Arthur and Will. King Arthur’s knight Sir Lancelot and his queen Guinevere were together, and he didn’t even know about it until Mordrid told him. Same thing with Will, Jennifer and Lance have been dating without telling him, but he figures out when Marco tells him. Will had a brave heart so he accepted the fact that both of them loved each other and he didn’t let it get to him. That is what we have to learn. No matter what happens revenge is not the answer. Don’t let something tear people apart. The United States is #1 for the divorce rate right now out of the whole world.  This is because of people not getting to know each other and having the smallest thing break them up. Having a heart like King Arthur is amazing, so never let something tear you and your loved ones apart.

There are so many parts of making this book what it is such as betrayal, friendship, destiny, and love. A roller coaster is a great way to describe it. The unexpected paths chosen make a lot of ends cliff hangers. Meg Cabot weaves through the novel with fantasy, romance, and history. There are so many intricate details in the book that will make readers not want to put the book down. As you read this novel you will realize a few reasons of life, the definition of friendship, and how one person can change you. Meg Cabot’s Avalon High is where a classic legend comes to life, inspiration comes to mind, and every word touches your heart.

To Learn and To Live

Author's Note: By reading a book we learn many things about ourselves that we might've never known. We are able to connect to the main character, and to parts of the book, but in this specific novel things aren't always realistic. It's hard to go through life, when you have a murderer on the loose. So get ready to learn and to live the life of a girl with a unique way to step forward.

The news just got out, a man is on a murderous rampage and heading east, close to your home town. Soon enough you hear that the man is your birth father, someone who you’ve barely remember and heard not much about. All you know is that he has killed his second wife and your 3 half-sisters, people that you have never seen before. People that you never knew existed. He’s coming after you and your mother. There are only three words that keep ringing inside your head: you are next! This is exactly how Willa’s life is in the novel Blood Wounds, by Susan Beth Pfeffer. It’s the book that gets more intense, as you keep on turning the pages. A novel that cannot be put down. Blood Wounds teaches about the love and compassion of family, important life lessons, and even the most ridiculous things comes out to be the most unforgettable moments.
            
Willa is the kind of character that nobody can relate to but she’s also the type of character that will get stuck in your heart. The pain she goes through is something that I can’t bear to imagine. Running away from her own father, the debt her family has to pay; it’s so much weight on her shoulders. To get through all of this Willa cuts herself, that’s the worst thing to do! Her family doesn’t even know about this, but because of all of the wounds she has, all of her memories are treasured within her. This is one of the many things Pfeffer talks about in this novel. Even with all of the pain and agony that goes on, she finds a solution. A solution that would not let her to get past it, but to remember it. The way she handles is not the way to go about,  but it gets her through life. Willa isn’t the type of person who you are going to see everyday, but she is a great example for those who don’t have the life they imagined. She’s a great role model, and to me Willa is a real person. She has problems like any other teenage girl, but the conflicts she is going through is not like something that you or me might be facing.

Even if Willa has a tough time getting through her problems, she’s learning so many things in this period of time. Having a murderous father means that you have got to hide so he doesn’t catch you. Everybody would have that fear in their eyes and the expression on their face, and yet this is typical. Willa, on the other hand, is someone who thinks around the problem. From what I read in this book, I believe Willa is inspired by one quote. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” President Roosevelt said this during the Great Depression. A time in history when everybody was scared, and didn’t know what would happen next.The same type of event is going on in Willa’s story.  Even though that everybody was afraid of what was happening, Willa was not as scared. She thought to herself, “Why should we be afraid when there are people that promise to keep us safe.” Soon after Willa learns that there is nothing to be frightened about, she regains her confidence. Willa ends up facing her fears, following her heart, and taking a step in the path she believes is the right one. This is one fact that truly took my breath away after reading Blood Wounds.

This novel does teach you many things, for example the love and compassion of family. Willa was always the one who thought of her family differently. The only real person in her family was her mom, Terri. Her step-dad, Jack and two step-sisters, Brooke and Alyssa aren’t necessarily her family. Towards the end of book Willa accepts the fact they are all people who care about her, and that makes them family. Along the way Willa figures out she has a half-brother, Trace and her birth father’s name is Budge. Both Willa and Trace soon figure at out that they have so many things in common. She does remember a few things from her past, the great memories of her, Trace, Terri, and Budge. She learns that no matter who they are, people who love and care for you are the ones that should be with you every step of the way. Even though Willa had problems with her step sisters, she loves them.

Love, amour, láska, and die Liebe are all the same, but in different languages. These words mean the same thing, but to know the real definition it takes people a long time to figure out. The same thing goes for Willa, she had people around her who loved her so much, but it took her time to realize that. From step sisters, they became sisters and from a step dad he became a father.  Everybody is always there for you, and family is something that you can never give up. When people let go so should you. This is a lesson that really touched me. Whenever I think about Blood Wounds, the first thing that comes to mind is Willa and her family. It taught me so many things, that will help me go on. No matter what happens, I have people who will be there for me and so does Willa.

So many questions about Willa’s family are revealed in this book. Readers will be brought into the book and live Willa’s life with her. You will learn about the love and compassion of family and that some things might be absurd and you might never imagine doing that, but they will always be the most remarkable moments of your life. By reading this book you can think of life in a new point of view. Follow your heart, dream of the impossible, and nothing can stop you on your way to glory. This is what Blood Wounds is all about. Willa may not be real, but in my heart she is. This book might be depressing and filled with sorrow, but it’s a book that can change you as a person. Susan Pfeffer’s Blood Wounds is mesmerizing and makes you speechless.