Reading Response #4

After Nicki was locked down in some island, the story flashed back to her mother, Elaine, who was trying to phone as many people as she could because she was worried sick and scared that her daughter would be lost anywhere. She checked her watch and the shuttle bus schedule over and over again. Her stomach was still churning. She couldn't stop thinking that something might happen to her daughter. Have you had this kind of moment before? This moment reminds me of the day that my dog was missing. It was a messy day in the summer year 2000. I and my parents went out to have some lunch in the afternoon, but when we got back home, we heard the bad news which almost made me cried. My old house was opposite to the canal and next to it was a hollow in a tree. If someone step inside, it's hard to come out. It's like a bunch of haystack that could completely block us. Someone saw my dog stepped inside this junk of haystack and they told me that my dog was gone. I wonder why they didn't follow my dog or even called my parents. However, we tried to go find it inside this haystack afterwards and went around to see if my dog was with some of our neighborhoods, but we found nothing! You know! We went to the police station to ask them to help us find our dog. My stomach was churning like Nicki's mother all day long. I was worried sick about it. About a month passed by, I still couldn't forget about my dog. I could easily understand how Nicki's mother feel. It makes me realize that worrying about someone is a hard process to get through. Only time will cure us.

Reading Response #3

When I read to chapter 18, I found out that those freedom fighters kidnapped a wrong person. Actually, they were going to kidnap Annika, Nicki's friend, and ask for a ransom but they kidnapped Nicki instead. This part reminded me of one series called Twin Peaks. This series was about an investigation in a city of Twin Peaks. One episode that was similar to Escaping Paradise was when a young lady was kidnapped by a gang. Actually, those kidnappers kidnapped a wrong lady. They didn't want this lady because her family wasn't rich as another one. They were trying to swap these two ladies but they couldn't, so they led this young lady called to anyone who could give her a million u.s. dollars. But meantime, a policeman figured out some clues that could reach to an old, wild building in the middle of nowhere where they kept a young lady. A policeman finally tumbled wooden wall down and found a naked body on a chair with a tape around her mouth and her wrists and ankles were tied. It was a scaring scene. A young lady was safe and those kidnappers were in jail. This episode made me wonder why this world is so cruel. Most think that money is one of huge reasons that can make people be happier but I strongly believe that money is one way that can make people become greedier and greedier.

Reading Response #2

How confusing it is!! When I read through chapter 10 of Escaping Paradise, I couldn't compile the story from the beginning till now because the story goes back and forth most of the time. First, it starts that Nicki was thinking to jump from the first floor window to flee from the freedom fighters who kidnapped her. It doesn't even tell how and why Nicki was kidnapped. Also in the chapter 2, when it goes back to Nicki and her mother, Elaine, who were in the argument which was about Nicki asking to go out with her friend again. However, it's hard for me to imagine and understand what is going happen in some parts because the story doesn't already in an order yet. Escaping Paradise's genre is my favorite but I'm not sure that this book is going to be fun. The reason that I still read this book is that I just want to know how and why Nicki was kidnapped, were Nicki and her mom safe, did her mom get back together with her husband?? These questions are still in my head, so I try to continue reading and take notes when I reach through some parts that go back like chapter 1 and 2. In the matter of fact, I just want to put it down and stop reading it. It's like me sitting on the chair and scratching my head over and over again!

Reading Response #1

My mom is like Nicki's mom!! When I read through a part that Nicki wanted to go shopping by herself in a strange place, Bali, it reminded me when I was thirteen years old. Before I stepped out of my house everytime, my mom liked to say that "you should be aware of everything around you." Sometimes, I'm bored to listen to these caring words and I used to say that "I have grown up, mom" but actually, I was still asking for the money. When I grew up, Irealized that most caring words that came out from my mom were very meaningful. I should be concerned with her words whether it's not my favorite but she was born first. However, Nicki got out from the hotel by herself and rushed to a shopping market. The crowd made Nicki scared and wished that her mom was around. After a long walk parallel with the beach Nicki found a shop with foreign customers. Nicki became a friend with one Dutch, Annika, and had a fun bargaining with the shop assistant. After she got out from a shop, one man was following her to sale those fake-brand watches, she was scared and thought of her mom once again. With this comming bad situation, I think Nicki should have her mom around. Kids are tight-lipped and confident like me and Nicki!