In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment, I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves. And then, in that very moment when I love them—”
Key Notes:
The way the author wrote this book is a work of art. Orson’s meticulous attention to making sure all the characters fit their motives based on human psychology impressed me the most.
Let’s start with his brother. He is the firstborn in a society where children are indirectly peer pressured to become commanders in order to save them from war. These children are tested at a young age, and as the firstborn and a boy, the pressure on him must have been tremendous. Then his sister was born, and logically speaking, the chances of him no longer being the only child might have caused him to act out to get attention. Later, he finds out that he did not make it into the program. As he grows older, he continues to seek attention to fill that hole and eventually makes his way into power
Ender’s sister, on the other hand, is the opposite of her older brother; she is kind and, regardless of what happens, she tries to protect her younger brother Ender from their older brother.
As for Ender, he is a combination of both his brother and sister. You can easily see that this is the result of growing up with his siblings, one of them bullying him and trying to remind him he is on his own, and his sister constantly being protective towards him. Later in the book, you see Ender standing up to his enemies and being like his brother had once been. When Ender sees the weak and vulnerable, he stands up for them like his sister once did.
I found it quite interesting that Ender is very observant of his surroundings. I personally have found that this might be a fundamental reason for his success in planning and adapting to his surroundings quickly. Countless people might not see this as important to catch in a science fiction book, but I have noticed that many successful people in their industries are often aware of what is happening in the present and what might happen in the future.
QUOTES :
Perhaps it’s impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be.
“One is never too old to be a student of the enemy.
Humanity does not ask us to be happy. It merely asks us to be brilliant on its behalf. Survival first, then happiness as we can manage it.
Any decent person who knows what warfare is can never go into battle with a whole heart.
Book Review 4.5 Stars
Erika Funny 
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