Friday, December 30, 2011

2011 Highlights

As 2012 approaches at lightspeed, it is time for me to reveal my highlights from 2011. So without further ado...

Favourite Book of 2011: Divergent by Veronica Roth

If you like dystopian YA but haven't read this book, I urge you to go read it now. It is often compared to The Hunger Games, but I enjoyed it much more. Tris is a tough, likeable character with enough spunk to defy everyone she knows and loves for the right reasons. There is plenty of action in the story to keep me happy, plus some good twists and turns in the plot. I am also impressed that the author was only 22 when she wrote this. I look forward to the next in the series.


Favourite Video Game of 2011: Portal 2

I cannot say enough good things about this game. It is just so darn fun. Portal is puzzle solving at its finest. If you've never played either of the Portal games, the gist is you have to use a device called a "portal gun" to teleport yourself around and get through the many levels. There are also additional elements in Portal 2 to make things more interesting--these include tractor beams, laser redirection, bridges made of light, and coloured goo that can make you bounce or slip and slide. I found the single player to be a lot more challenging than in the first game, which pleases me because it's so satisfying getting through the difficult levels. The co-op is also incredibly fun!


Favourite Movie of 2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Yeah... I'm a Harry Potter fan. Enough said. Well, okay, I'll say a little bit more. I liked this half of The Deathly Hallows a lot more than the first one, as I found Part 1 a little slow. I think this was a bang-up job for the ending of a wonderful, much-loved series. Though I also take this opportunity to complain about the death of a certain beloved, red-haired character.


Favourite TV Series of 2011: Doctor Who Series 6

Wow. That was a crazy ride. Want to know how show writers can kill off the main character and get away with it? While normally this wouldn't work, Doctor Who does it again and again. This time was a little different, with the Doctor dying at the beginning of the show, unable to regenerate. I loved the suspense built up throughout the season, the hints throughout the show, the revelation of who River Song is, and the clever twist at the end to bring it all together.


Favourite Trailer of 2011: The Hobbit

I'm not sure if I chose this as my top trailer because it is a really good trailer, or because I am just so excited to see this movie. I guess the two go together.

2 comments:

  1. Dr Who was certainly clever and entertaining.

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  2. I enjoyed it a lot. Though I still miss the feel of the first four seasons. The flavour of the show has certainly changed.

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