Confession #1: I shy away from Science Fiction.
Confession #2: I checked this out because the audiobook was readily available...
Confession #3: And maybe because there was a lot of buzz about the movie.
And you know what? I liked it. A lot. So much that I immediately started listening to another book in the series because I couldn't compel myself to finish my weekend housework unless my mind was in the universe of Ender Wiggin.
Admittedly, it took awhile getting used to young children conversing in such a mature tone, but the characters drew me in. Ender is unrealistically pure, a type of character that tends to feel a bit one-dimensional to me, but his cleverness and "wisdom beyond his years" swayed me. Its themes of manipulation and authority also parallel other favorites like The Giver and even 1984.
Unexpectedly, one of my favorite parts was hearing from author Orson Scott Card at the end of the eAudiobook. He talked about how this story evolved, his dedication to the characters in adaptations to the screen, and a preference for his works to be consumed in audio format. I definitely recommend it, and maybe I'll even watch the movie, too!