Accidental Death is a comical farce about a trickster who pretends to be investigating the death of an anarchist who was in police custody. As with ma...moreAccidental Death is a comical farce about a trickster who pretends to be investigating the death of an anarchist who was in police custody. As with many a trickster, he is the one to point out the absurdities and not only give the audience a laugh but also teach them a little something. The play is based on the story of a real person, but the events are made up. Read it.(less)
I read this because I am the faculty sponsor for the Gay-Straight Alliance, and we were putting on the play last Spring. Wow. The play (not in the tra...moreI read this because I am the faculty sponsor for the Gay-Straight Alliance, and we were putting on the play last Spring. Wow. The play (not in the traditional sense) is a record of the Tectonic Theatre Group's interactions and interviews with people who had a connection to the death of Matthew Shephard, a man brutally murdered because of his sexual orientation. Reading this play was powerful, and I must admit I shed a tear or two (and I am not a crying kind of gal). While the torture and murder of Shepard is certainly the focus, a very strong issue central to the play is the question: how did this horrible event happen in this town, and how do the townspeople come to terms with it? I definitely recommend this play.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It The mysterious drowning of Mathilda Neumann drastically alters the lives of her daughter, sister, and husband as they try to...moreThe Short and Sweet of It The mysterious drowning of Mathilda Neumann drastically alters the lives of her daughter, sister, and husband as they try to cope with their loss...and their secrets.
A Bit of a Ramble Flitting back and forth in time and between voices, Drowning Ruth's narrative structure is at once intriguing and annoying. The story is designed to slowly and carefully reveal the truth of what happened and the details of what is happening as each character gets a chance to talk only briefly, and at least one character is not exactly forthcoming about her life story. Also, the story moves in time with no clear indication of the chronological shift. While I enjoy this teasing method, I was occasionally frustrated, needing a second to determine the when of the events being narrated. I am not entirely sure if this frustration is due to a lack of skill in the writing, or just my overtired brain.
The story itself is rather tantalizing : the mysterious drowning, the unclear tragic events of one character's past, the mistaken ideas characters' have about the past, the possessive-to-the-point-of-obsession nature of the main character. The characters are psychologically interesting, but I was a bit disappointed that they didn't progress; all of them really end up in the same place they started mentally (and some of them really needed to grow).
I will say, however, that the psyche of the characters was more interesting to me than the mystery itself. The (arguable) main character, Amanda, displays an obsession with her niece, Ruth, that is disturbingly fascinating. Raising Ruth as her own after Mathilda's drowning, Amanda spends the next twenty-some-odd years building an umbilical cord between the two of them that not even a chainsaw could break. Carl, Mathilda's husband, and Ruth's quirks were just as fun to me, and these were the parts of the book I found most interesting.
If you are looking for a psychological thriller, it's a good read, but it ends up with only an Accept rating for me due to the overly complicated narrative structure and the lack of character growth.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It After killing the Iron King, Meghan honored her agreement - a must in Nevernever - and returned to the Winter kingdom with As...moreThe Short and Sweet of It After killing the Iron King, Meghan honored her agreement - a must in Nevernever - and returned to the Winter kingdom with Ash to be offered up like a sacrificial lamb to Queen Mab, a rather vicious fairy who happens to be Ash's not-so-maternal mother. But alas, her imprisonment is not to be as she must escape to once again save Nevernever from the Iron Kingdom - but who is sitting the vacated throne these days?
A Bit of a Ramble I just realized that I didn't even talk about Nevernever in my review of the first book. Maybe I was too concerned with the characters or maybe the land didn't stand out to me as much as it did in this one, but Nevernever is a seriously cool place. While it may be a bit trite, the separation of the fairyland into Summer, Winter, and the Wyld is pretty cool. I like the drastic differences between the three lands. And then you throw in the Iron Kingdom, and you have a varied cultural landscape which I found pretty intriguing.
Another thing I didn't talk about in my first review is the Iron Kingdom, which is ironic since killing the Iron King is like the main point of the first book. Anyway.... The mythology of the series indicates that faeries are born of human belief and sustained by the continuance of that belief. If humans stop believing in something, it ceases to exist. If humans start believing in something, it comes into existence - and hence the Iron Kingdom, a land filled with technology, infused with iron which is fatal to the other faeries of the kingdom. The Iron King wants (a bit in the first, and a lot in the second) to expand his kingdom throughout Nevernever, annihilating the iron-intolerant faeries. Bad Iron King. Bad.
I just ignored the love triangle as much as I could. I mean it was all over in here, but I did my best to blur it out and go to my happy place. What helped with this is the introduction of Iron Horse, who may be neck and neck with Grimalkin as most awesome character. He is blunt, he is loud (he talks in all caps), and he is loyal to fault. Seriously cool dude.
The Short and Sweet of It Meghan and Ash have been exiled from Nevernever because of their love, but certain people in positions of power rethink their...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Meghan and Ash have been exiled from Nevernever because of their love, but certain people in positions of power rethink their banishment when the two are needed to once again, kill the Iron King (seriously how many iron kings are we going to kill here?)
A Bit of a Ramble Meghan is finally interesting to me. She was a-okay in the first two books, but she wasn't exactly stealing the show (which, let's face it, could be in part because of the awesomeness of some of the other characters). In this book, I finally felt like she had truly grown, coming into her own and all that. BUT...But how am I supposed to believe that she picked up sword fighting to the point she could successfully defend herself against seasoned fighters? Ash must be one helluva teacher....
Anyhoos, little unbelievabilities aside, I am still enjoying this series quite a bit. There is enough detail in the characters, in the historical background, in the politics of Nevernever, and in the lore to keep me seriously intrigued with the world.
And there are some pretty sexy fighting scenes in here. And who doesn't like sexy fighting? Ash and Puck are both rather badass with the swords and daggers and punches and that whole magic thingamabob. Meghan is badass in this book too, but as I said earlier, I had a small problem with her remarkably fast transition from useless in a fight to kicking ass and taking names in a war.
The obstacles standing in the way of Meghan and Ash's sexy-ever-after are starting to actually amuse me. First we have the whole I'm mortal and you're not. Then we have the I'm a Summer and you're a Winter thing (which to me just sounds like they won't be able to share clothes and make-up). And of course our parents hate each other. And it's against the freaking law for us to be together. Now, we have the SPOILER ALERT I'm the iron queen and you die from iron issue. Wow. That's a lot to handle. Perhaps you two should just give up? END SPOILER. After typing that, I got to thinking - is what I said really a spoiler? I mean look at the title of the book.....(less)
The Short and Sweet of It A novella recounting Ash and Meghan's journey from the Iron Kingdom to Tir Na Nog, the center of the Winter Kingdom and the c...moreThe Short and Sweet of It A novella recounting Ash and Meghan's journey from the Iron Kingdom to Tir Na Nog, the center of the Winter Kingdom and the court of Queen Mab, Ash's mommy.
A Bit of a Ramble Honestly, I barely remember what happened in this one except that I met the Big Bad Wolf which was awesome. I want more Big Bad Wolf. I am not really sure I fully read this, like actively read this. I read it at night after baby nut went to sleep, and as she was a bit sick, I wasn't actually getting good sleep, so I was pretty tired while I was plowing through this novella.
Then again, my lack of focus may have been the result of reading this out of order. The story takes place between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter, but I had already read both (and The Iron Queen), so I already knew what happened next. This lack of chronology bugs me something fierce, so my interest in finding out what happened was almost nil. My bad.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It Told from Puck's point of view, Summer's Crossing recounts the adventures of Puck and Ash as they venture into the Summer kin...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Told from Puck's point of view, Summer's Crossing recounts the adventures of Puck and Ash as they venture into the Summer kingdom to steal back Leanansidhe's "violin" which was taken from her by Queen Titiana.
A Bit of a Ramble I think an entire book should be dedicated to Titiana. A fascinating character in A Midsummer Night's Dream, she primarily fills the bitter, adulterous, vindictive wife role in this series. More of her would be awesome.
Reading an installment from Puck's point of view was interesting; although it did feel a bit random after reading four stories from Meghan's perspective. Still, Puck is quite a unique character so hearing his thought process worked for me.
I found this novella much more interesting than Winter's Passage. I think I liked it more because it felt more outside the main story. WP merely got Ash and Meghan from the Iron to the Winter kingdom, something you already knew they had to do. SC, on the other hand, is a whole new story - something I find more appropriate for a novella shoved in the middle of a series. WP could have just been added on to one of the books, or honestly just forgotten entirely. (less)
The Short and Sweet of It Christine wakes up in a strange bed next to a man she doesn't recognize. Every morning. Her life is a mystery to her as she s...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Christine wakes up in a strange bed next to a man she doesn't recognize. Every morning. Her life is a mystery to her as she suffers from amnesia after a horrible accident left her incapable of retaining new information or remembering much of her past. But now she's keeping a journal, trying to tie together the events of her life and find out what happened and why her husband is lying to her.
A Bit of a Ramble The premise, an inability to make new memories, has fascinated me ever since I watched Memento, a well constructed film directed by Christopher Nolan. Like Memento, Before I Go to Sleep focuses on the construction of reality when the protagonist can't see cause and effect. And both film and book have their characters rely on notes to get them through (tattoos in Memento and a journal in Before I Go to Sleep). Where the two really differ is that Memento brutally shows how truth is practically impossible for someone with retrograde amnesia while Watson's book offers hope. Christine's journal really allows her to work her way through a mystery to get at the truth of her life.
Getting at that truth was tons of fun. Gathering the clues and piecing everything together along with Christine kept the book moving at quite the clip for the most part. The repetitive nature of the story - necessitated by the whole memory loss thing - did lose my interest enough towards the center to allow me to get distracted by the impracticality of the whole thing. I guess I'm more pessimistic about the possibility of someone suffering from amnesia of this sort actually making sense of her life. And then there's the journal. After all, with the amount of writing that woman did in her journal, plus reading it and processing it the next day, she clearly did not have time to actually do all of the things she writes about.
But those are small complaints that really were only an issue for a chunk in the middle where the story wasn't quite progressing as fast as I would have liked. Overall, I enjoyed the story and it certainly captured my interest to the point where I didn't have any trouble reading for long stretches of time.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It James Halliday, the eccentric, 80s obsessed, creator of OASIS, a virtual reality used the world over, left his entire fortune...moreThe Short and Sweet of It James Halliday, the eccentric, 80s obsessed, creator of OASIS, a virtual reality used the world over, left his entire fortune to the person who can win the devilishly clever game he created within OASIS. Years later, Wade Watts discovers the first clue. And the games begin.
A Bit of a Ramble First and foremost, may I just say how much reading this made me miss World of Warcraft. I stopped playing some time ago when I could no longer justify the monthly fee based on my availability to play (freaking work and sleep and family and the such not). I still hope to some day resurrect my character and start playing again. *sigh*
The world Cline has created is relatively miserable. Poverty is rampant with people going hungry and living in trailer parks where the trailers are stacked on top of each other. But who cares about all that when most of the people live their lives in OASIS, a virtual reality of infinite possibility. Oh, World of Warcraft, how I miss you....
But to the story... Fantastic. Seriously. I devoured this book, all 372 pages of it, in two sittings. I was totally engrossed beginning to end, and honestly I am a bit sad that it's over. This will definitely go down as one of my favorite reads of the year. Fast-paced action, intriguing characters, unique plot line, and then there's the awesomeness of continual 80s references. I was born in 1980, so while I can't make the claim to have truly LIVED the 80s, I was certainly alive and cultured by the 80s. Geek. Nerdgasm. Non-stop action. Technology. Nostalgia. I'm so freaking geeked by this book I can't even articulate properly. Okay, pause, breathe.
I could sit here and tell you more about the exhilarating plot or the unique characters or the complex setting, but instead I'll let you experience it all on your own. Now go read. Or maybe you should listen. I hear the audio version is fantabulous which makes sense as it is narrated by Wil Wheaton. And that choice makes perfect sense as who better represents 80s geek culture?!?! (less)
The Short and Sweet of It Quentin has what he thought he wanted - he is a king of Fillory - but he is still unsatisfied and soon finds himself embarkin...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Quentin has what he thought he wanted - he is a king of Fillory - but he is still unsatisfied and soon finds himself embarking on another quest. If he doesn't succeed, he may lose everything.
A Bit of a Ramble I must admit that the following "review" probably won't make a lot of sense to anyone who hasn't read the book. But there you go. I did at least try to minimize any spoilers.
The story alternates between the present, with Quentin et. al. on a quest to prevent the old gods from taking back the magic, and the past, with Julia fighting to become a magician after her rejection from Brakebills (which happens in book 1). The back and forth, I must admit, was a bit annoying at first, but by the middle of the book, I was getting into Julia's story more and more. Quentin's story isn't all light and airy, but Julia's is downright dark. Dark is intriguing.
Quentin does fascinate me as a person though. He has specific ideas of what will make him happy, but he is continually dissatisfied. In the first book, he was convinced magic would do the trick. Then he believed Fillory was the thing. Maybe being a king of Fillory? How about going on a quest? How about saving the universe? Nah. Nada. I am very interested to find out if Quentin's search for happiness will ever come to fruition.
Now let's forget about Quentin and think about the female characters. I read a few reviews which complain that the females in the novels are presented as weak, and then I've read a few which exclaim how kickass the girls are. Both opinions are valid. There were times in the novel where the female characters do feel a bit victimish with bad things happening to them, mostly involving sex in some way, shape, or form. But the times when the girls really come through, I think, far outweigh their victim status. Even when they are the butt end of some pretty nasty stuff, these ladies seem to pull through, rather stoically, and they take what comes to them, if not always perfectly, at least with less whining and poo-pooing than Quentin.
So now when does the next book come out cuz I'm really interested to know where all this is going.... (less)
The Short and Sweet of It Morwenna and her twin sister were raised by their insane mother who is also a witch. Recruited by fairies to prevent their mo...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Morwenna and her twin sister were raised by their insane mother who is also a witch. Recruited by fairies to prevent their mother from amassing too much power, the girls fight and in the process Morwenna is injured and her sister dies. And then the story begins....
A Bit of a Ramble I was very excited when this book made the short list for the Independent Literary Awards; after all, I had heard such wonderful things about the book from various bloggers and I adored the cover. And I must say I was not disappointed. But I was surprised.
It's not often I read a story where so much nothing happens. The plot of Among Others is very difficult to pin down. More than anything, this reads like an insight into a character, not a "story". Of course, this is in part due to the structure of the novel which is written in a series of diary entries. The real story has already taken place by the time the book begins. What readers get here is the aftermath, the healing. Mori, the protagonist, ran away from her mad mother to live with a father she had never met who quickly sent her away to a boarding school where, honestly, the most exciting thing that happens is she joins a book club at the local library.
As I'm writing this, I'm worried you may think the book boring because of a lack of action, but it's far from it. I was riveted by the three levels this story had going: the tale of witches and fairies, the coming of age of our main character, and the consistent focus on science fiction-fantasy novels. This is not a heart-pounding thrill ride, but rather a quiet stroll, a walk at dusk complete with profound thoughts and reflection.
I really must direct you to Carl's review of the book over at Stainless Steel Droppings and Ana's at things mean a lot for true reviews. They artfully state what I would love to say, and I highly recommend reading their reviews. (less)
The Short and Sweet of It When Jonas turns Twelve, his world shifts. He lives in a community of structure and discipline. Everything is in order. Every...moreThe Short and Sweet of It When Jonas turns Twelve, his world shifts. He lives in a community of structure and discipline. Everything is in order. Everyone is in order. But when he receives his Assignment, he becomes separate, singled out for training as the Receiver, the one person with memories, the one person with true feelings and knowledge.
A Bit of a Ramble I think I should absolutely love this book, and I did right up to the end, and then bah. I found the ending very unsatisfactory. Typically, I don't mind a bit of mystery at the end, a mild lack of closure, but to me, the end of this book is completely abstract. I don't feel like there is any resolution whatsoever and that just frustrates me.
But to the good parts: The world is simple enough to be easily understandable to middle schoolers, but detailed enough to lend weight to the plot. Jonas is a likeable character who comes to the realization that life is more than his world allows gradually and organically; in other words, readers can easily believe in his transition. There's enough side detail (subplots, other characters) to not only keep readers interested but to also add import to the overarching plot line. And some of those side details are pretty freaking serious for the intended audience by the way.
But damn that ending. I just didn't freaking like it. The ambiguity feels disingenuous, more like a cop out than an artistic choice. I get that readers can "choose their ending", which apparently fits along with the theme of choice which runs throughout the book; but no. When I read a book, I want the author to make the ending. I don't want to "choose" how a book ends. I really think this one would have received a Buy rating if not for the ending. Okay, rant over.
On a side note, I was trying to figure out if I had ever read this before. I'm sure I have since the copy I have on the shelves had most definitely been read (and many times), but I didn't have any real memory of the book. It was strange. Like I wasn't surprised by what was happening, but I didn't "remember" it either.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It Quentin is waiting. Waiting for something to happen to him, something grand and epic. When he finds himself unexpectedly at a...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Quentin is waiting. Waiting for something to happen to him, something grand and epic. When he finds himself unexpectedly at a school for magic, he believes his time has come, but he soon finds out that these adventures he's dreamed of are not the key to his happiness.
A Bit of a Ramble I spent a great deal of time thinking about whether or not this book is YA. On the YA hand, the story centers around teenagers, who divide their time between a boarding school and a magical land from children's books. Thematically, the story is a coming of age tale, focused on the growth of the main character from childhood through the teen years into the early twenties. On the other hand, the story is much darker and more richly told than the typical YA novel. Magic does not bring happiness in this story as it does in so many wizardy YA books. Our protagonist, Quentin, is not a hero fighting an evil wizard, sacrificing for the greater good with an unflinching optimism and a courageous determination. Not. At. All. The story is much more cynical than that.
Carl, over at Stainless Steel Droppings, said it perfectly: "If I were to look at stories like Harry Potter or The Chronicles of Narnia and wonder what it would be like for those stories to be entered into not by young children still in possession of some degree of innocence but instead by disaffected and socially awkward older teenagers, this is the book I would write. If instead of those worlds being everything you always dreamed they would be they turned out to have their own problems, what would that do to you? If you thought going to a magical world would make you supremely happy and yet you still felt empty and lost when you got there, what then?"
Another point which quite firmly places the book outside of YA, to me, is that it covers so much ground, so many years. And then there's the fact that the book more or less reads like a compilation and manipulation of popular YA stories. The boarding school is definitely Hogwarts and the magical land is obviously Narnia. The bridge between Earth and Fillory (the aforementioned magical land) is extremely familiar, but for the life of me, I can't figure out where it comes from. The City, as it is called, is a series of squares with fountains in them which lead to other lands. Help me out guys...where does this come from?!?! I know I've read it. Many other fantasy novels are alluded to or directly referenced throughout the pages as well. Personally, I enjoy this borrowing.
Okay, now I have to make my disclaimer which may seem to make everything I've written so far sort of pointless: I really don't care if the book is YA or not. I love YA and adult fantasy novels; I don't think one is more "literary" than the other; and I find that the distinction is quite blurry many times. But hey, I mention it because it was in my head over the week I read the book. Plus, it gave me a way to think about and discuss a quite popular, although not universally enjoyed, book.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It Catherine Morland, young, innocent, naive, and enamored of Gothic novels, finds herself embroiled in a love story not at all...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Catherine Morland, young, innocent, naive, and enamored of Gothic novels, finds herself embroiled in a love story not at all straight out of one of her favorite books. What follows is a sweet, sometimes frustrating, humorous, and entertaining coming of age tale peppered with a bit of romance.
A Bit of a Ramble When Catherine Morland accompanies her friends and neighbors, the Allens, to Bath, she finds herself in the middle of two quite distinct siblings: the Thorpes and the Tinleys. Isabella Thorpe is outgoing, forward, and self-centered, as is her brother John who has set his sights on Catherine. Eleanor Tinley is constant and sweet as is her brother Henry who has captured Catherine's heart. These two sets really provide the framework for Catherine to move away from her naivete to a more realistic view of the world. While the Thorpes overwhelm Catherine, she does not have the knowledge or experience to recognize their true intentions. They are exciting, flirtatious, over-the-top, and narcissistic. The Tinley's, on the other hand, are much more real, grounded.
This same dichotomy is seen in Catherine's impressionability regarding Gothic tropes. Her imagination causes her to see the world around her as a Gothic novel come to light, especially when she finds herself at Northanger Abbey, the "abbey" of it being so wonderfully Gothic. Her tendency to blur the line between fiction and reality, or reconstruct reality to suit a fiction, is oddly endearing to me, and felt pretty dang perfect for a seventeen-year-old. As is the case with all young people though, Catherine must come to realize the truth of the Thorpes, and so to must she come to realize the mundane quality of the abbey she has found herself in.
Most of the tale revolves around this idea: that Catherine needs to put aside childish fancy and see reality for what it is, much more simple and much less sensational than the stories she reads. I don't want this to come across, though, as a book that finds fault with imagination and flights of fancy. On the contrary, I think Austen has created a book that both stresses the importance of imagination and the necessity of not letting said imagination outweigh common sense.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It The fourth book in the Parasol Protectorate series, Heartless follows Alexia Tarrabotti Macon as she attempts to thwart the a...moreThe Short and Sweet of It The fourth book in the Parasol Protectorate series, Heartless follows Alexia Tarrabotti Macon as she attempts to thwart the assassination of the Queen, a threat revealed to her by a ghost. And she did all of this while very pregnant.
A Bit of a Ramble I have to admit that part of the reason I loved this book so much is that I am pregnant and I thought Alexia's complaints and attitude nicely mirror my own. For example, she refers to her growing baby as the infant-inconvenience. Love it. She complains of an inability to sleep, a ravenous hunger, and a body that has betrayed her. I'm so there. And she simultaneously needs and is annoyed by those around her treating her a bit like an invalid. Yep. This added a bit of extra flair to an already wonderful series for me.
As always, the world building is excellently done with just the right amount of back story, repetition of formerly revealed ideas, insertions of new elements, and character development. Carriger creates complex, round, dynamic characters in this series. Every person is multi-faceted and can still surprise four books in to the series. As a reader, I simultaneously feel like I know these characters very well and like they are shrouded in a mystery I can't wait to uncover. Like a recent friend or possibly more like a new significant other (one with a seriously saucy past anyway).
The next book in the series comes out in March, and I will definitely be buying it. I highly recommend starting this series if you haven't already.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It The third and final installment of the Leviathan trilogy, Goliath follows Alek and Deryn in their quest to end a war between...moreThe Short and Sweet of It The third and final installment of the Leviathan trilogy, Goliath follows Alek and Deryn in their quest to end a war between Darwinists and Clankers, two opposing ideologies which drive almost every country on the planet.
A Bit of a Ramble I have already discussed many of the issues I enjoyed with this book: the intriguing politics and the deceptively simple take on gender. But there is one statement I made in that post which I now whole heartedly disagree with. I said I was a bit disappointed that the book had strayed so far from action into a more character-centric focus. Specifically, I was referring not to overall character development and the relationships and personalities of the cast of characters. I was worrying that the burgeoning romantic relationship between Alek and Deryn would take center stage. While I appreciate a good romance, I prefer it to be secondary to the real story, a happy offshoot of a journey or adventure rather than the main focus. The last half of the book proved my suspicions wrong, and ultimately I believe that this story had the perfect mix of action-adventure and romance.
In my review of the first book in the series, I stated that the story is entertaining, with wonderful characters, intriguing themes, and a beautifully-described world, and now that I've finished the series, I believe that statement still holds true. If I had one complaint about reading this book, it is that I had to wait so long between Behemoth and Goliath. I really, really prefer to read my series from start to finish, first book to last book, back to back, in as little time as possible. That is one of the changes blogging has made to my life. Now, I keep hearing about these must read series with only the first installment out, and I just can't force myself to hold off on reading! I can't wait to find some time (that elusive bugger) and sit down and read the entire series back to back.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It Will finally is set off on his own, but not to fight the straightforward, frontal assault enemies of the past. This time he i...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Will finally is set off on his own, but not to fight the straightforward, frontal assault enemies of the past. This time he is up against a legend, an elusive sorcerer rumored to be poisoning the king of a northern fief, a land integral to the protection of the whole kingdom.
A Bit of a Ramble As with all of the Ranger's Apprentice books, I loved the characters, the battle tactics, the weaving of plot lines, and the setting. Seeing Will strike out on his own was almost poignant, like watching a nephew become an adult. I feel like I know Will, like I am somehow a part of his life, responsible for him or his therapist or something. I also enjoyed the pretext under which Will travels: that of a jongleur, a traveling musician, singing for his supper. This role is so different from Will the Ranger; as a jongleur, he is affable, outgoing, a bit goofy. It's nice to see this side of Will, pushed back because of his secretive, serious duties.
I do have one problem with this installment however. The ending. Or rather, the lack thereof. While I appreciate the fact that a series is a continuance of the same story, I like my books to have a relatively full an complete plot. Books, even in a series, which just end with no resolution whatsoever, or in some cases even a climax, drive me bonkers. Everything is up in the air at the end of this one, an unexpected development in this so-far-self-contained series.
This unsatisfactory ending is why this installment has received an Accept rating instead of a Borrow. While the story itself is just as entertaining as the rest, that one little travesty (in my opinion) really affected my overall judgment. I realize it's a quite specific pet peeve though, and not everyone feels the same as I do.
In a strange irony, I've been flying through this series prior to this book. And now, when I really have to read the next installment to see what happens, I'm putting it off. I'm weird, what can I say?(less)
In this prequel to one of my favorite series, readers are shown Viola's short trip to the new world her people expect to inhabit. The story shifts per...moreIn this prequel to one of my favorite series, readers are shown Viola's short trip to the new world her people expect to inhabit. The story shifts perspective between the last fateful moments of her and her parents landing and the time leading up to their departure from their colony ship.
The story artfully weaves together a plot line charged with Viola's fear of the undertaking and her parents hope. Hope is essential to our survival - and possibly more importantly to our enjoyment of life especially in difficult times.
And this is why I love Ness. Not only does he create a compelling, well written story but he manages to combine simplicity with astuteness and wisdom. If you have yet to read the series, do so as soon as humanly possible. If you have read the series already but haven't read this yet, I highly recommend doing so. It is a delightful addition. (less)
The Short and Sweet of It Johnson's first installment in her new trilogy introduces readers to Rory, a Louisiana girl attending boarding school in Lond...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Johnson's first installment in her new trilogy introduces readers to Rory, a Louisiana girl attending boarding school in London. Her life is irrevocably changed as she becomes embroiled in a mystery sweeping the town: a series of murders imitating the sensationalized Jack the Ripper killings.
A Bit of a Ramble I think my brain was fried when I sat down to write this review, so I'm going to do things a bit differently and respond to some of the other reviews I read.
What captures me most about this novel is the freshness. Pam of Bookalicious believes "Johnson has breathed life into a genre swiftly turning stale and blended thriller with paranormal with humor in a recipe that is guaranteed to please." I agree. It's odd, but I think what really lends this new life to the story is its serious lack of melodrama. As Amanda from Ramblings says, "[Johnson] makes her characters believable and real without glamorizing them. She makes them feel like teenagers without belittling or stereotyping them. She rides through drama without becoming melodramatic or letting anything get too big. She has a dry humor that helps to keep the book grounded even as tension builds." Even as things go wonky with paranormalcy, the plot, the characters, the setting, it all feels real, almost mundane.
The realness of the characters was especially pleasing to me after re-reading the Twilight series. Chris, over at bookarama, pointed out something I thought the whole time I was reading: "Rory doesn't get all "Whoa is me! Why?! Why?!" Her new abilities come as a shock but she knows she can do some good with them." This lack of self-deprecation, depression, and pessimism was sooooo refreshing. Chauceriangirl from Quirky Girls Read specifically points out that "Rory navigates everything with an air of befuddlement, but she also stands up when she needs to stand up." Complete opposite of Bella I might add.
Despite the realness of the characters (or maybe this adds to their realness), all of them are unique. Ashley from Book Labyrinth says: "I loved all the characters, which is very important to me. Our main girl Rory, Jazza (what an English nickname, gosh), Stephen, Boo, Callum, Jerome, Jo, the scarily field hockey obsessed 'call me Claudia', and even Charlotte because she goes to a fancy dress party as AMY POND (and a ginger girl who dresses as a slutty cop and calls herself kissogram Amy is somehow weirdly a-ok in my book)." Big props for Dr. Who references.
Steph of Steph Su Reads sums up how she (and I think all the above mentioned bloggers) feels when she says The Name of the Rose is "a freakishly delicious creepfest of a new series that had me gasping, shuddering, and turning pages almost faster than I could read them." I am not quite as adamantly in love as the rest of them, but I still really enjoyed the book and look forward to the next book in the series.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It (from Amazon) Still far from their homeland after escaping slavery in the icebound land of Skandia, Will and Evanlyn's plans...moreThe Short and Sweet of It (from Amazon) Still far from their homeland after escaping slavery in the icebound land of Skandia, Will and Evanlyn's plans to return to Araluen are spoiled when Evanlyn is taken captive by a Temujai warrior. Though still weakened by the warmweed's toxic effects, Will employs his Ranger training to locate his friend, but an enemy scouting party has him fatally outnumbered. Will is certain death is close at hand, until Halt and Horace make a daring, last-minute rescue. The reunion is cut short, however, when Halt makes a horrifying discovery: Skandia's borders have been breached by the entire Temujai army. And Araluen is next in their sights. If two kingdoms are to be saved, an unlikely union must be made. Will it hold long enough to vanquish a ruthless new enemy? Or will past tensions spell doom for all?
A Bit of a Ramble We meet a new set of characters in this installment: the Temujai, a warlike, communally focused race, intent upon destroying Skandia and moving on to Araluen. I am really enjoying the development of this world through the introduction of various countries. Araluen, Skandian, or Temujai, each nationality is distinct and intriguing. Like in many YA books of this sort, the "good guys" are most definitely better than the "other guys", and the "bad guys" are definitely "bad"; however, I am rather pleased that we do get to see a bit of the humanity of the Temujai.
As I said in my review of book 3, I am really interested in the creation of a community of characters, specifically in their loyalty to each other which in many cases trumps their loyalty to country. In this book, that theme is furthered as the Araluen and Skandian must join together against a new enemy. The focus of this book, however, is on War Strategy and Execution, and I was super pleased with this. The tactics used and the eventual battle itself really captured my interest.
I can't wait for book 5 (and 6, 7, and 8) to get here!(less)
The Short and Sweet of It (from Amazon) Kidnapped after the fierce battle with Lord Morgarath, Will and Evanlyn are bound for Skandia as captives aboar...moreThe Short and Sweet of It (from Amazon) Kidnapped after the fierce battle with Lord Morgarath, Will and Evanlyn are bound for Skandia as captives aboard a fearsome wolfship. Halt has sworn to rescue Will, and he will do anything to keep his promise—even defy his King.
Expelled from the Rangers he has served so loyally, Halt is joined by Will’s friend Horace as he travels toward Skandia. On their way, they are challenged constantly by freelance knights—but Horace knows a thing or two about combat. Soon he begins to attract the attention of knights and warlords for miles around with his uncanny skill. Even so, will they be in time to rescue Will from a horrific life of slavery?
A Bit of a Ramble What fascinated me most about this story was not the fighting scenes or the heroism, but rather I was struck by the loyalty portrayed. The first two books focus on Will's developing love and loyalty to his mentor and friends, but in this installment, the loyalty is returned. Halt purposefully gives up what he loves, dishonors his country and defies his beloved Ranger Corp, to save his apprentice. Horace bravely leaves his training and his home to save his friend. And Evanlyn finds a strength within herself she never knew she possessed to rescue her friend.
I am drawn to characters, and the people in this tale are not only intriguing in their own right, but their connections to each other really lends a level of believability and relatability I appreciate. The things we do for each other and because of each other define us as humans, and seeing this quality carried out in fiction is a real treat for me. I am enjoying the community being built in this series, and I sincerely hope this sense of togetherness and interconnectedness continues in the remaining installments.
The Short and Sweet of It (from Amazon) Bracing for a final clash with the evil warlord Morgarath, the Rangers rally the kingdom’s allies, and Will is...moreThe Short and Sweet of It (from Amazon) Bracing for a final clash with the evil warlord Morgarath, the Rangers rally the kingdom’s allies, and Will is chosen, along with his friend Horace, as special envoys to nearby Celtica. But the simple mission soon takes an unsettling turn – the Celticans have disappeared, their town abandoned. The scheming hand of Morgarath, it seems, has been far from idle. He has found a way to bring his legions over the once impassible eastern mountains and is planning to ambush the king’s army in a rout. Now with help many miles away, Will and Horace are the only ones standing in the way of the dark lord’s plans.They have shown great skill and courage in their training, but how will they fare in the face of true evil?
A Bit of a Ramble If you read my review of the first book in the series, you know that Flanagan's tale appeals to my geeky core. The story combines heroism, loyalty, battles, intrigue, and power in a way I find truly entertaining.
This sort of pseudo-historical epic story really gets my blood pumping, and I found myself thinking about and comparing other stories like this I've read. At their core, series like the Ranger's Apprentice, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, etc. appeal to me in a way similar to series such as Lord of the Rings and A Song of Ice and Fire. I am truly a nerdy teenage boy at heart. I adore the dramatic tales of adventure which are soaked in politics and magic and collusion and complication and subterfuge and swords and secret paths and.....errr...yeah, you get the idea, right?
While there are obvious and tremendous differences in reading adult and YA, these stories are the stuff of myth and legend whether written for a sixth grade jock or a middle-aged scholar. And I like it. I like it a lot. I love watching the characters grow, the plot thicken, and the setting come alive. I get caught up in the different generations and how each has its own story, its own strength, and its own weakness. My mind is fascinated by the detailed battle scenes and the strategic planning. My heart is torn by the loss and the glory that comes with battle.
I am so very glad I started this series despite the fact that it has put a serious hold on my more "academic" and "purposeful" reading. And it has completely destroyed my book buying ban. I fully intended on asking for the rest of the books in the series (11 total) for Christmas, but I couldn't wait. The next two are already on my shelf, and books five through eight are on their way in the mail. Bad Trisha. (less)
The Short and Sweet of It When his uncle dies, our narrator discovers a strange box full of weird art, newspaper clippings, "disjointed jottings, rambl...moreThe Short and Sweet of It When his uncle dies, our narrator discovers a strange box full of weird art, newspaper clippings, "disjointed jottings, ramblings, and cuttings." This discovery sets him on a path to explore the queer world of an ancient cult and its sleeping gods.
A Bit of a Ramble
Cthulhu is sort of the head dude of these sleeping gods, the one tasked with awakening them when the time is right. And he's a seriously messed up looking god with the whole octopus-like face, nasty talons, big old wings and the such not. My favorite passage is the first paragraph:
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but someday the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the deadly light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.
I do wonder if this is true. If we were able to combine the vast knowledge of the world into a cohesive whole, would it show more than we were ready to bear?
I think this a wonderful introduction to a story which is more about possibility than action. The narrative is simply a man telling us about his research into his uncle's research into the experiences of others, primarily the theology of a cult who worship gods whom they believe to be the oldest of the old and descended from the skies. Theirs is a hedonistic faith with orgiastic celebrations and dreams of an anarchic society after the second coming of their gods:
The time [of their second coming] would be easy to know, for then mankind would have become as the Great Old Ones; free and wild and beyond good and evil, with laws and morals thrown aside and all men shouting and killing and revelling in joy...all the earth would flame with a holocaust of ecstasy and freedom.
Sounds decadent for sure, and definitely gives a good idea of the foundation of the faith. The terror lies not only in the belief system but also in its alien nature. When a sailor finds himself in the gods once-sunken city, he describes the architecture as geometrically wrong. Everything about these gods and their possessions and creations reeks of otherworldliness:
They...belonged to something horribly remote and distinct from mankind as we know it; something frightfully suggestive of old and unhallowed cycles of life in which our world and our conceptions have no part.
Fascinating. Fear, as we all know, is greatly connected to the unknown. That which is separate from us and hence unknowable is terrifying by its very mystery.
See now, all that sounds absolutely fascinating, but as readers are being told about it instead of shown it in real time, I had a hard time appreciating the story. Instead of relating the past, I wish the story was set in the past and we could be taken through the events which are merely summarized.
In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.
I'd like the story where he finally shows up. I do want to say, however, that I was absolutely fascinated with the mythology - hence the whole "I want more" complaint. (less)
The Short and Sweet of It After being rescued from a death at sea, Edward Prendick is cast ashore with his savior, Montgomery, on an island run by Dr....moreThe Short and Sweet of It After being rescued from a death at sea, Edward Prendick is cast ashore with his savior, Montgomery, on an island run by Dr. Moreau. Once there, he finds himself immersed in a mystery as strange cries are heard from beyond his doors.
A Bit of a Ramble If anyone doesn't yet know, the main premise in this short novel is about playing god. The island is a medical compound-slash-dumping ground for Moreau's experiments which involve vivisecting animals in an attempt to make them more human, modifying both their physical appearance and mental workings. Moreau discounts the animals' pain and completely ignores his creations once he realizes they are not all he wants them to be, and hence he is slowly populating the island with animals which look and act primarily human. No matter the changes, nature overcomes and the modified creatures once again return to their natural habits.
I really enjoy thinking about the relationship between instinctual, more animal behavior and the civilized behavior of humans. The balance between our "civilized" and "animal" selves fascinates me. Looking at this issue through civilizing animals was a wondrous exploration, and while not explored in great depth, still touched upon the primary premise: our true nature will always win out.
The creation which forayed the furthest towards humanit was M'ling. He is the current servant/pet of Montgomery, Moreau's assistant. Montgomery alternately adores and abuses M'ling, in a sort of confused relationship which intrigued me as it confused me. He is, to me, the most pitiful of the characters in the story. Subservient, obedient, loyal, relatively intelligent, and rather adoring, M'ling seems to possess some of the best qualities of both human and animal. Caught between the two worlds, he seems more of a bridge than a confusion.
I read this alongside "The Call of Cthulhu" by H.P. Lovecraft (see yesterday's review), and I have to say this won out. I think it had an unfair advantage though in that I'm not a huge fan of short stories. Even this short novel felt rushed, and I wanted more depth, more time with the characters and the themes. I will say that Cthulhu is a much more fascinating monster, and a larger story based on the gods of that story would get my geek going more than Moreau did.(less)
The Short and Sweet of It Jacob grew up on his grandfather's stories of an orphanage where the children had special abilities. He even had pictures to...moreThe Short and Sweet of It Jacob grew up on his grandfather's stories of an orphanage where the children had special abilities. He even had pictures to prove it: levitating girls, invisible boys, and other peculiar children featured in his stories and his pictures. Then there were the stories of evil monsters with visages of horror. Eventually Jacob came to disbelieve these tall tales. A dramatic event shifts Jacob's beliefs, and he is faced with a life altering decision.
A Bit of a Ramble I have no clue why I am not in love with this book. Seriously. It seems right up my alley: time loops, people with strange powers, history, and gorgeously intriguing, vintage pictures. But for some reason, I ended up liking, but not loving, the book. And I wish I could give you a specific reason. I actually considered not writing up a review because I figured it would be relatively pointless, but I did want to get my ideas out there (as disjointed, vague, and probably useless as they are) because I still think it's a worthy read.
I finished the book in two sittings, so the pacing did keep me turning the page. But. Damn the but. But I found myself willing to do a bit of skimming, something I very rarely do. I am one of those strange readers who focuses on every single word. I do not skim. But from time to time, I found myself wishing thing would just progress a bit further. Maybe I was in the mood for a faster pace and should have held off on reading this. Maybe it's something about reading this right after finishing two John Green books.
The occasional desire to skim aside, I am glad I finished the book, and I will more than likely read the next book in the series.(less)
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