Friday, October 12, 2012

Eve: 90% Instalove, 10% Logic...100% Disappointment

Eve (Eve #1), By Anna Carey, Hardcover, 318 pages, Harper Collins, October 2011 
Genre: Dystopia, Sci/Fi, Romance
Goodreads rating: 1/5-2 Stars

Summary (via Goodreads):
The year is 2032*, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her. 

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

Review:

WARNING ALERT. WARNING ALERT.  From this point forward, it's not going to be pretty...

Dystopia is probably one of the hardest worlds to build because its entire foundation is based on the assumption of  what might be possible.  The biggest impact dystopia has on the reader is: Could this really happen?


In Eve, sadly, the answer to that question was "no." As I uncovered more and more to Eve's world, the only words coming to mind were "this doesn't make sense." The logic behind Eve's world is weak, and I couldn't connect our humanity with that of hers.  


When Eve is 5 years old, her mother is taken ill with the plague. Eve gets taken to a school for orphans where she is educated. Because most of the population has been wiped out by a deadly virus, the country becomes  governed by a "King" (Reminds me of North Korea.) But while Eve has been educating herself on Scott Fitzgerald and Frida Kahlo, its graduates have been taken to serve as baby machines--a fate that also awaits Eve when she graduates.


Here's are my issues with the world building:

1) The timeline: I'm not exactly sure where Goodreads got the 2032 date.* I can't find it anywhere else. But according to my timeline, the year is closer to 2037. (If Eve was taken to the school when she was 5 along with the note from her mother dated 2025, then stayed there 12 years, the date should be closer to 2037.) The date itself isn't really that big of a deal but the timeline of events is. The cover says "16 years after a deadly virus..." So within 16 years, our entire democratic nation has completely crumbled? Sorry, I don't buy that. And who is this Politician/King that has enough military power and resources to control the entire United States...some multi-billionaire with an ego complex? The most I know about him is this:


 "The King took over and then you had to make a choice. Follow him or be in the wild alone."

What made the wild so unappealing? Furthermore, what "wild" are we talking about here? Why couldn't you have set up your own community? What resources/power did the King have to force compliance? Let's say that 80% of the current US population (313 million) died off (and 80% is pretty high...I think the Black Plague only hit about 60% in Europe), that would leave us with 62 million people. That's still A LOT of people.  So shouldn't there still be groups of resistance, groups of scientists, groups of professors, groups of historians, groups of religion...Would the majority of people really concede to anarchy? Maybe. But--there would have had to be extreme extreme factors to force compliance. Unless the King had something to bargain with, I find it very unbelievable that our entire society would submit. With a smaller population maybe, but if you think about all the logistics that would go into governing a huge land area like ours, it's highly improbable..


2) Repopulating the Earth: Stories dealing with re-population seem a bit eccentric and unrealistic. Personally, I'm not really worried about humans recouping its losses. Humans have experienced several plagues and even genocide that have decimated our numbers, but I don't recall any institutionalized baby factories. Sure it might take hundreds, even thousands of years, to recover our numbers but what's the hurry? Again, if Eve's virus decimated 80% of the world population of about 7 billion, that still leaves about 1.4 billion people (which is just a little less than the total world population of 1.7 billion in 1900.) I'm kind of missing the point here. Again--what's the big rush to repopulate the earth quickly? And would people really jump on the baby band wagon?Also, if you want to get people to "breed," then why not use psychological tactics instead (i.e., speeches on 'it's your duty,' or rewards for birthing more children, etc...)


3) Why educate? Now, let's suppose we DO want to repopulate the earth quickly. Then, why educate the baby makers? According to the King's perspective:


"The King believed the science was the key to repopulating the earth quickly, efficiently, without all the complications of families, marriage, and love. He thought if you were given an education, you would be occupied and content. He thought that if you feared me, you girls would breed willingly without them."  

If I needed a baby factory, I wouldn't spend my time educating them on literature or the arts.  I would have girls start breeding as soon as they began menstruating. Maybe use them for domestic labor until they were able to breed. 


But aside from the technical aspects of the world building, I was also disappointed with:


1) The insta-love between Caleb and Eve: They went from 0 to 60 in about 2 seconds; she gets rescued, he teaches her to swim, they can't. live. without. each. other.

2) The helicopter hiding scene: Note to troops: when there's an abandoned helicopter in a middle of a field, you might want to check inside to see if maybe, just maybe that's where the fugitives are hiding...just a thought.
3) Eve's Radio Messages: I get it that maybe Eve didn't understand the danger she was in...but she CHOSE NOT to tell her host about sending out radio messages because "there was too much to tell." Was she so blinded by her love infatuation for Caleb, that she didn't consider the danger? Big mistake Eve.
4) Eve's almost rape scene: This scene came out. of. nowhere. Very uncharacteristic of the perpetrator--especially in light of his prior attitude towards Eve.

This book deals with a lot of holes and missing pieces. The logic is thin and the background research seemed nonexistent. The characters were flat and uninteresting. I had no interest in Eve; in fact, I was more interested in one of the minor characters: Arden (Eve's companion). Many times it seemed like scenes and circumstances were put together only for the purpose for pushing the story along--not because it was integral to the plot. Sadly, this one doesn't make the cut.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Outpost: Save me from the zombies!!!!

Outpost (Razorland #2)
By Ann Aguirre
Hardcover, 336 pages
Feiwel and Friends, Sept 2012

Genre: Sci/Fi, Horror
Rated: 3.5/4 stars on Goodreads

Summary: Deuce’s whole world has changed. Down below, she was considered an adult. Now, topside in a town called Salvation, she’s a brat in need of training in the eyes of the townsfolk. She doesn't fit in with the other girls: Deuce only knows how to fight.

To make matters worse, her Hunter partner, Fade, keeps Deuce at a distance. Her feelings for Fade haven’t changed, but he seems not to want her around anymore. Confused and lonely, she starts looking for a way out.

Deuce signs up to serve in the summer patrols—those who make sure the planters can work the fields without danger. It should be routine, but things have been changing on the surface, just as they did below ground. The Freaks have grown smarter. They’re watching. Waiting. Planning. The monsters don’t intend to let Salvation survive, and it may take a girl like Deuce to turn back the tide.


Review: I'm almost tempted to take my Enclave review from over a year ago, change a few points and call it done. I'm overdue in library fines...and it's basically identical to how I feel about Outpost (just add the romance part.) 

What this means is that what I thought about Aguirre's writing in Enclave is pretty much the same here...and I'm not yet sure if that's a good thing or not.

On the one hand, I very much enjoyed the background and thought process that went into the world of Outpost. Deuce has found herself in Salvation (a town based on fundamentalist/religious doctrine) and must figure out her role in it. The world building in Outpost is one of Aguirre's strengths in this series. She really tries to have you imagine what the world might look like if it went apocalyptic: there was the gang and underground life of Gotham, evidenced in Enclave and now in Outpost, another scene of life in a separate and guarded town much further away. Could this happen in reality? I think so. So in that regard, what Deuce tries to make sense of is real: how she was raised in her former life and what she is being taught now.

On the other hand, this would have made a much greater impression on me if there was more of a character focus. While the plot flowed smoothly (albeit slooowwwlly...), I didn't feel as connected to Deuce as I would have liked. And it really bothered me that I didn't; she's a strong fighter, loyal, and has a no-nonsense kind of attitude so why didn't I...like her? And then it hit me...she's a little too perfect. I'm not saying that she didn't make some really big mistakes in the story because she did, it's just that...as a character, she feels too flat, too good, too one-dimensional, too heroic. Sometimes I felt like Deuce's thought process was too mature:

"Whether there was any truth to it or not, I accepted that flaw in human nature. Topside or down below, they always needed someone to blame..." 

or

"...it broke my heart into a thousand pieces. But it wasn't time to be angry; I couldn't focus on how his behavior made me feel. I had to recall that self-doubt sliced at him like hidden knives."

I'm not saying it isn't a good idea to go through this type of thought process because it is, but sometimes it felt like I was listening to a therapist talk--not a 16 year old girl. Granted I haven't lived Deuce's life but all this self-regulating-I-know-everything behavior just doesn't fit right.

Because the focus of the story presents society in an emerging new world, I understand why Aguirre's writing is so plot-driven. I do think there could have been more "show-not-tell" scenes that might have picked up the pacing of the story. Outpost seemed to go on and on without much happening (at least to me) until close to the end. (Then my heart started pounding. Finally!) I guess for an apocalyptic world, I tend to expect more edge-of-my-seat reading.

However, I do find the concept of the story fascinating and can make for some enlightening discussion material. And it's really because of that, that I give this 3.5/4 stars. I do think Aguirre has very nice descriptive writing. But what I am most happy about was the romance between Deuce and Fade! Sheesh, I'm such a sucker for romance. I do look forward to Horde (Book #3) but I might not be as fanatical about it as some other reads.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

False Memory: Not very convincing...

False Memory
By Dan Krokos
Hardcover, 327 pages
Hyperion Books, August 2012

Genre: Sci/Fi, Thriller

Rated to Read: 2 stars on Goodreads.

Summary: Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability.


Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can’t remember loving.

Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter... when there may not be a future.

Dan Krokos’ debut is a tour-de-force of non-stop action that will leave readers begging for the next book in this bold and powerful new series.


Review: Oh! How I wanted to LOVE this. I was certainly impressed by Krokos' Q & A on the fabulous blog: the midnight garden. And quite honestly, it was this Q & A post that compelled me to check out his book in the first place. (He also makes some pretty insightful comments on author-reviewer relationships.)

So you see...I was so ready to love this.

It really pains me to say I don't. Right off the bat, I knew I was heading into rocky territory. The first few scenes didn't fit very well with what I expected of an amnesiac: a girl finds herself without any memory and she calmly tells a mall cop "Hello. I lost my memory. I was wondering if you could help." If I was in her shoes, I think I would probably appear frantic, confused, and more anxious about what was happening to me. Haven't you ever walked somewhere, like to the pantry to get something but then when you get there, you've forgotten why you were there in the first place? Well, sadly that happens to me A LOT. And I always feel out of sorts afterwards trying to remember. So it made me think: what if you lost ALL your memories? Wouldn't you feel a little more...unrestrained? Wouldn't you be scared? And in Miranda's case, wouldn't you expect her to manifest those fear waves immediately?

Then later on, I felt that some parts of the story seemed off: when Miranda meets Peter, it feels weird that there is so much drama and mystery of how he knows her. Why was he acting as if it was some kind of game to him? And if you just met a stranger, would you eat his mango chicken? uh. gross. And for someone who is supposedly a top notch weapon, why does Miranda make so many mistakes--like forgetting to grab the gun when she fights Grace?  I also completely missed the point of Miranda feeling like kissing these 2 boys all the time; she kisses one and then she immediately wants to kiss the other. If I had a better sense of her, I think I would have understood her motivations better. But the part that bothered me the most was that the Roses were created to cause destruction--just because. Very little light is shed on the creator's motivation for making them--aside from them being "mad scientists." I think that's an easy explanation but not a compelling one; I wished there was more background to the story to make it believable.


I do think the concept for the story is interesting: teenagers used as weapons, with amnesia as a side effect, and I admire Krokos's challenge for writing a female perspective. It seems like it's received good reviews so you might like it. But for me, I found the story to be choppy and flat in places. I would have appreciated more character development in such a plot-driven story. Unfortunately, I lost interest in the characters and plot by by the last 1/3 of the book, skimming and skipping to the end.



This marks Book 12 in the 2012 Debut Author Challengehosted by the Story Siren.
Challenge completed!

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Under the Never Sky: Perry, I want you...

Under the Never Sky
By Veronica Rossi
Hardcover, 376 pages
HarperCollins, January 2012

Genre: Sci/Fi, Dystopia, Paranormal Romance
Rated to Read: 5 Plus Plus Stars on Goodreads. Your shelf needs this.

Summary: Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.*

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.


Review: Finally. It's happened. Book after book, I'd been waiting for that ONE close-to-perfect story of 2 polar opposites: characters who hate each other--then grow to love. And while there have been some really great stories out there like Angelfall and Legend which share a similar element, I wanted something more: I wanted to feel more of their hate at the onset. (Of course, what you feel is completely subjective so that's not to say the other stories can't produce the same feeling. It's just that this one worked better for me.)

Having been raised on the inside of a metal dome (pod), Aria's life basically consists of visits to the Realms through her smarteye. The Realms are a multi-sensory, multi-dimensional place accessible through your brain. Think of it like the Matrix. But when Aria loses contact with her mother (who is a geneticist/scientist on a secret mission), she is determined to find out the cause. Her plan? Hang out with the son of the man in charge of the mission by sneaking into an empty section of the pod. Unfortunately, not the best plan for her as she ends up exiled to the outside world.

A world she has only heard stories about. "A world of nevers under a never sky." A place controlled by the Aether storms: a swirl of colorful clouds that strike fire on the ground. A place governed by Savages: tribes that survive together. Here, Aria must learn to survive or die.

First, I hope I haven't divulged too much. The beginning was a bit confusing so I hoped to give you a base to start from. And even as I was intrigued by this "new world," my interest really didn't pick up until about 100 pages in...right when Aria and Perry meet up. But then. Oh boy, did things start to get really interesting...

What I loved most about this story was Aria and Perry's relationship: their misconceptions and disgust for each other. It was raw hatred. Which made it all the more exciting and fulfilling to discover how, when, and why those feelings changed. And why they need each other even more now. Aria was especially an interesting character to me; I really enjoyed her sarcasm, optimism--even in light of dire situations, kindness, sacrifice, and naivety.  Oh! and how Perry rivals all the other male leads! He is both ruthless and gentle, loyal, and sensitive.

The other parts I loved were how so many ideas were woven so neatly into this complex world: the idea of nature being a catalyst for genetic change (our "senses" growing stronger), genetic modifications, and how a simulated reality can alter our nature. By the way, the Aether storms aren't fully explained--which I didn't have too much of a problem with...I assume it's an act of nature. But then again, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's the result of a nuclear bomb or something. So, yeah...I guess Rossi could have explained its origin better as well as how it contributed to the genetic mutations. 

Overall though, Rossi must have read my mind. For me, this book had all the right elements that made it one of the best stories I've read so far this year. I do still like the UK edition better *sigh* (I need this cover.) and the tag line makes better sense, too. The only bummer about reading this so late in the year (sadly, I had to wait that long for its library arrival) is that I missed all of her book signings! If I had only known...but at least now I won't have to wait so long for #2!



This marks Book 11 in the 2012 Debut Author Challengehosted by the Story Siren.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Graceling: A case of commitment...

Graceling
By Kristin Cashore
Hardcover, 471 pages
Harcourt Books, October 2008

Genre: Fantasy
Rated to Read: 2 Stars on Goodreads

Summary: In a world where people born with an extreme skill - called a Grace - are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of the skill even she despises: the Grace of killing. She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing anyone who displeases him.

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away...a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.


Review: Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe I thought the story would center on the adventures of a female "James Bond." Instead, all I got was a bad taste in my mouth. It's not that Graceling was so poorly written: I actually found the writing style and world building nicely done. It's just that...I think I was lied to.

First, Cashore refers to Graceling as growing "from her daydreams about a girl who possesses extrodinary powers-and who forms a friendship with a boy with whom she is insurmountably incompatible." So imagine my surprise when Grace meets Po (the insurmountably incompatible guy) and I end up waiting...and waiting...for the big "reveal" only to find out their incompatibility is due to her being a fighter and him being aware of his surroundings. Now how exactly is that insurmountably incompatible? See...incompatible would be an angel hater saving an angel (like Angelfall). Or a demon falling in love with an angel (like Daughter of Smoke and Bone).

Second, there's the problem of Katsa. Obviously, this girl is carrying around some childhood baggage because she's got some major anger management issues. In one scene she "swung at (Po's) jaw with the side of her hand" bruising his jaw because she didn't like what he was saying about King Randa's hold over her. Whhhaat?! In another, she refuses to understand Po's reason for keeping his Grace a secret. Is she really that clueless? Of course, she eventually comes to her senses and end up in his arms.

Which comes to my second point: a lover or a husband? While Katsa has her own view on what these two definitions mean: freedom or imprisonment, what it really boils down to is commitment. There's just something that doesn't feel right with Katsa and Po's relationship. Basically, she wants to be with Po but without being tied to him and all it requires..."For once she became his wife, she would be his wife forever. Her freedom would not be her own." and "How will you feel if I'm forever leaving? If one day I give myself to you and the next I take myself away--with no promises to return?" It just seems to me that if you are in a relationship (married or not), there should be a certain level of commitment: loyalty, sacrifice...If the tables were turned and Katsa were a man, he most certainly would be considered a player.

My biggest disappoint is that the messages of feminism are poorly characterized in Katsa. Does Katsa have to behave like a stereotypical man (or feminist) in order to further the feminist movement? If a man hit a woman or didn't commit to a relationship, would we honor him for using his manhood? So why should it be okay for Katsa to behave this way? That's not what feminism is about: it's about embracing womanhood and striving for equity between the sexes. 

Of course, there were also some minor character/plot development issues like: Katsa finding out that her grace is not actually in killing but in survival (which doesn't really make sense because how then is she able to inflict accurate pain on someone else when she's not being threatened?); or how Princess Bitterblue has the clarity of an adult when she's really only ten; or why the urgency to protect Bitterblue from her father (why she was so important to the King; if she died, then what? what's the consequence?); or why King Leck decided now (and not before) to spread his power across the kingdoms.

Overall, this was a desperately painful read but I was determined to finish...why? maybe I thought there was some redeeming grace at the end. But sadly, the entire time, I just begged it to be over.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

The Ghost and the Goth Trilogy: Don't Judge a Book by its Cover


I meant to solely (Oh, isn't that punny?) review Body & Soul, the last and final book in the series but my love for this series forces me to share the book love.

The Ghost and the Goth. By Stacey Kade. Hardcover, 281 pages. June 2010, Hyperion Books 
First we have The Ghost and the Goth, or in this instance, a case of "Don't Judge a Book by its Cover." Because you have to admit, the cover looks like a repeat of "Sweet Valley High." But the story sounded interesting (a newly dead cheerleader "Alona' who befriends a ghost-talking social outcast 'Will') even if it did seem cliche.

The Gist: After the first few pages, I almost put the book down. There were the typical stereotypes and I thought, "Oh, Great. What have I gotten myself into." But not to fear! The story evolves quite nicely and changes into a deeper story about unlikely friendships. It's a bit predictable but the dialogue and humor of the dual POVs kept me thoroughly entertained. Read the full review here.

Queen of the Dead. By Stacey Kade. Hardcover, Hyperion, May 2011. 

Next we have Queen of the Dead: Part 2 of the trilogy. Again...I somewhat cringe at this cover: did we have to make will's hair so...flat and goth nerdy? In this one, Alona and Will's friendship grows as they try to work and use Will's power for good. But Will meets another ghost talker and things get a little more complicated.

The Gist: Kade has a good thing going with this series. I wasn't planning on liking it as much as I do. The dialogue of the two characters flow very well with humor and sarcasm. I've laughed and laughed and laughed. And I love the "He said, She said" element of the story. The plot begins to get a little more twisty and ends on a very complicated note. Read my full review here.

Body and Soul. By Stacey Kade. Hardcover, 316 pages. Hyperion , May 2012. 

Which brings us to the last installment of the series: Body & Soul. I guess third time's the charm because they finally did something right with the cover! In this one, Alona is stuck in the body of Will's friend Lily. As they try to make sense of this situation, things get complicated when another ghost wants a turn in Alona/Lily/Ally's body.

My Review: This series has definitely found its place on my "books I need to own" shelf. As soon as I read the first page, I was hooked. Kade has this way of writing that is not only catchy and witty but natural-as if each character him/herself is telling me his/her side of the story. And how does she come up with all those lines?!

I really grew to love Will and Alona. They have both matured and become more selfless and caring. You can really feel their longing for this relationship to work out. And when this other ghost complicates things, I couldn't help but hope for that happy ending.

In the end, I was very happy. I was actually surprised by how well everything in the story seemed to work out. I still shed a tear or two when I said good-bye to Alona and Will. I had some pretty good times with those two. I can't wait for Kade's next series: The Rules. Also seen on Goodreads. (Content Advisory: some language.)

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Masque of the Red Death: Anyone else thinking Darth Vader mouth pieces?

Masque of the Red Death
By Bethany Griffin
Hardcover, 319 pages
Greenwillow Books, April 2012

Genre: Dystopia, Steampunk, Gothic, Sci/Fi
Rated 4/5 Stars on Goodreads 

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.


So what does Araby Worth have to live for?


Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.


But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.


And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.


Review: Plagued with guilt over her twin brother's death, Araby tries to escape her subconscious at the Debauchery night club. Outside the entire world is broken. The "weeping sickness" is only kept at bay through porcelain masks (I can't help but imagine "Darth Vader" type mouth coverings), worn only by the wealthy and prestigious. Araby's father is the inventor of these masks and as Araby's world begins to crumble by those that seek power, she must decide who or what she's capable of fighting for.

Based on the short story by Edgar Allen Poe of the same title, Griffin took an idea and grew it into a fascinating and complex story. This is one of the very few, if only, steampunk stories I've ever really held onto. Carriages that run on steam; new inventions with a feel of the 19th century. The world is spot on for gothic dystopia: dark, dreary, foggy...so Edgar Allen-painted with so much imagery and feeling that I could clearly picture the devastation and turmoil. 

Also, try saying debauchery without getting the chills.

But what really struck me were the characters. Talk about complex. To explain, let me refer to a post I came across by Laurie Halse Anderson in which she discusses characters who have dimension and depth. Masque of the Red Death is a perfect example of those characters. Araby, Will, and Elliott all behave both admirably and despicably. Which if done poorly can make a reader go crazy but here Griffin balances their character traits so that you realize no one is absolutely good or absolutely evil. Mind you, there were some parts that made me go "huh?" but for the most part, it kept me on my toes. At times I couldn't help but wonder if given the choice, what I would decide.

My only discontent or puzzlement I have with the story is that the "Red Death" is not introduced into the plot until much later. I was a bit confused because I thought the masks were to prevent the "Red Death." I'm not so much bothered that it stopped me from enjoying the story but I think it would be an interesting idea to discuss.

If you are in the mood for a dark and captivating story, check this one out. I definitely think it's one  to put on your to-reads shelf.

Monday, August 27, 2012

The Obsidian Blade: A case for keeping it simple stupid

The Obsidian Blade (The Klaatu Diskos #1)
By Pete Hautman
Hardcover, 320 pages
Candlewick Press, April 2012

Summary:
The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished — only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing — one right on top of the roof — hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he’s launched on a time-twisting journey— from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker’s actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever.


Pricky's Review
1 Deteriorating Star on Goodreads

There is a delicate balance between a story that is too simplistic and a story that leads to information overload. Too simplistic and the reader falls asleep; too complex and the reader is left in the dust wondering what just happened. Unfortunately, The Obsidian Blade falls into the latter category.

I should have known from the first chapter that I was heading into a bad mix of Star Trek vs The Twilight Zone. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy both. I'm just not sure they work well together...well, at least in this setting.

At the start, we are given a brief historical account of the Klaatu Disks (or time portals) invented by one discorporeal being in the postdigital age but made by Boggsian corporeals. Is your head spinning yet? It took me a few minutes to come to grips but I had to put that aside because then comes Tucker and his Reverend dad who finds themselves drawn to these time portals. And well...the adventure  confusion begins.

From there, we discover that the Reverend has lost his faith and his wife is slowly heading into mental instability as a result of playing Sudoku. (Beware all you Sudoku fans!) The Reverend wants to cure his wife and disappears into the disks. But Tucker suspects this and eventually follows them.

In his journey, he meets such bizarre beings as futuristic autistic medical attendants (medicants) who use you in their product assembly line, futuristic priests who sacrifice pure girls to the disks, the last day of earth with a single mysterious woman who has secrets, a retelling of the crucifix of Jesus (who instead of dying and returning to earth, actually got delivered to the medicants who repaired and returned him in 3 days), discovers that the Reverend got "cured" of his belief in God, references to the Digital plague, maggot disk eaters, and then being reintroduced to the Reverend as now Father September who will somehow return every one to a state of grace (from technology).

Wait a minute, I was under the impression I was going to read a time travel novel. Instead, the time traveling aspect is just a set up for introducing new bizarre circumstances. From what I can gather, the point of the story is about how we eventually become corrupt from technology???...but why all the religious references? Is there a subtext I'm not understanding here. It's just all too complex and unrealistic; is there such a thing as unrealistic science fiction?

Sadly, I felt like I was reading a foreign language half the time. I didn't feel anything for the characters and the story was just bizarre. Then a few days ago I was watching "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and ironically discovered that the main character is named Klaatu... coincidence? Why name the disks after one of the most popular sci-fi characters? I'm not sure, but I'm already too confused to think about it any further.

Also, I have no idea what the "Obsidian Blade" is, since it wasn't even referred to until the last chapter.

Sadly, a recommendation I can't make to anyone. If anyone has suggestions on a true time traveling novel, please let me know.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Unfinished Collection...

Start. Stop. Drop.
Pick up. Skim. Put down.
The End.

At what point do you finally say "It's over?" I'm not talking about relationships...although...there may be some truth in the matter. But no, I'm talking about that book you were excited to pick up and read...only to realize a few pages into it, that it's just not-gonna-happen. But how long do you give that book a fighting chance? 10 pages in? 100? Half-way point? What makes you stop? The plot, the characters, writing style, mood, lighting? There should be an entire field devoted to literary psychology.

With Summer almost over, here's this season's unfinished collection:


Switched. By Amanda Hocking. Paperback, 304 pages. St. Martin's Griffin. 
I was SO looking forward to reading this one (a paranormal girl switched at birth! Sounds promising!) but when I finally sat down to read it, it was all sorts of disappointment. It all started with Wendy's first dance/encounter with the mysterious Finn-where out-of-the-blue, he starts insulting her. Afterwards he tries to apologize and later on, we find out he acted that way because he didn't want to get too "involved." Okay, uh...Can we please move beyond the "I'm going to be mean because it's for your own good" plot phase? I was also under the impression that the story was about faeries because well..uh, Wendy is a changeling (and isn't that a Fey type of thing to do?)...but it's actually about trolls...and so, I got all confused and just couldn't keep going. Tried and Died around page 114.

Enchanted. By Alethea Kontis. Hardback, 305 pages. Harcourt Children's Books, May 2012.  
I learned a lot about myself with this one: my days of fairy tales are over. I just can't get into them like I used to. I think I'm becoming more of an urban fantasy kind of a girl. In Enchanted, Kontis weaves together all the fairy tale stories into one with the story of the frog prince as the catalyst. While I admire her creativity and imagination, I felt that her world was very confusing with too much information and fairy tale adaptations thrown at me. Also, each of the 7 children are named after the days of the week, which while unique, somehow made it equally distracting. Likewise, the backdrop of the family's history and magical source had so many explanations and reasons that I couldn't keep track. And at that point, I decided it was better that we part ways. But WHAT a beautiful dress! Tried and Died around page 100.

Partials. By Dan Wells. Hardcover, 468 pages. Balzer + Bray, February 2012. 
Oh, how I wanted to love this one: apocalypse, engineered organic beings, dystopia...it was everything I ever wanted in a story...Unfortunately, the only thing I got out of this was a good night's sleep. The main challenge I had with this story was its pacing. It just took too long to get going. I also felt like the writing was somewhat bland for my taste...in an apocalyptic militarized world, I expected more suspense, more action, more snide remarks, less talking. There just wasn't enough to keep me going. And after meeting Dan Wells, I felt even worse for not finishing. Tried and Died around page 70.

All 3 books do have some pretty decent ratings on Goodreads so you may end up enjoying them...even if it wasn't my cup of hot chocolate.

So I'm curious...what was your summer's unfinished novel and why?

Speak: I'll Listen...

Speak
By Laurie Halse Anderson
Hardback, 198 pages
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, October 1999
Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Summary:
The first ten lies they tell you in high school

"Speak up for yourself - we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows that this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. In this powerful novel, an utterly believeable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself. 

Speak is a 1999 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature.



Pricky's Review
4 Heartfelt Stars on Goodreads

It has been HIGHLY unusual for me to be reading so much contemporary/chick-lit fiction. Typically, I'm all about the paranormal fantasy world...so I've been pleasantly surprised that I've liked what I've read so far: Story of a Girl and How to Save a Life. Although I may need to take a break from such emotional themes...

I love the uniqueness and creativity in which Speak is written. Anderson took a difficult and sensitive topic and was able to balance it with the humor of high school life. There's "Mr. Neck" the teacher, "Principal Principal," and "Hairwoman." Each section is also divided not by "chapters" on a new page but by "headings" that continue until the final "Report Card" at the end of each "marking period." In this way, Melinda's voice really carries you through to the end.

And it's this voice that goes right to your heart. As a rape victim, Melinda's cynicism, sarcasm, fear, hurt, pain, sadness are all evidenced in her experience. In how she now views her world and how she copes to survive. What she can say and what she can't. And the consequences of both.


Principal Principal: "Melinda. Last year you were a straight-B student, no behavioral problem, few absences. But the reports I've been getting...well, what can we say?"

Mother: "That's the point, she won't say anything! I can't get a word out of her. She's mute."

....

Mother: "She's jerking us around to get attention."

Me: [inside my head] Would you listen? Would you believe me? Fat chance.

As a parent, it is always particularly hard for me to watch how some parental characters treat their children. I'm somewhat sensitive to this because I never ever want to become the characters that I read about: how Melinda's parents think they know the reason for their daughter's behavior. I wonder what the parents could have done differently. And so at the end, I did have a wish for a better resolution with her parents: Would they have acted differently if they had known what happened? And if Melinda had a closer relationship with them, would she have spoken sooner? However, given the parent's behavior, as a teenager, I wouldn't have talked to them either.

The only other part that I thought was a bit unrealistic and somewhat uncomfortable was when the male teacher offered a ride to Melinda. Could this have happened in 'real life?' I'm just not sure. But aside from that minor "hmm...not sure about that" moment and the previous parental non-resolution, I very much enjoyed Speak. My favorite quote of the book is: "You can't speak up for your right to be silent. That's letting the bad guys win." I highly recommend this for both parents and young adult readers alike. Definitely one for your to-read list.

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Erebos: Beware the Addiction...


Erebos
By Ursula Poznanski
(Translated from German by Judith Pattinson)

Hardcover, 440 pages
Annick Press, January 2012
Genre: Science Fiction/Thriller

Summary:
An intelligent computer game with a disturbing agenda.

When 16-year-old Nick receives a package containing the mysterious computer game Erebos, he wonders if it will explain the behavior of his classmates, who have been secretive lately. Players of the game must obey strict rules: always play alone, never talk about the game, and never tell anyone your nickname. 

Curious, Nick joins the game and quickly becomes addicted. But Erebos knows a lot about the players and begins to manipulate their lives. When it sends Nick on a deadly assignment, he refuses and is banished from the game. 

Now unable to play, Nick turns to a friend for help in finding out who controls the game. The two set off on a dangerous mission in which the border between reality and the virtual world begins to blur. This utterly convincing and suspenseful thriller originated in Germany, where it has become a runaway bestseller.


Pricky's Review:

3 Stars on Goodreads

As a story, I wasn't that impressed. The plot line was pretty simplistic and fairly predictable. Only a third of the way through and I already had a lingering suspicion of who the culprit might be. There were also a few unrealistic moments. For instance, when the target is finally revealed, I kept wondering why they didn't just google "Ortolan & video game," a hundred pages ago instead of just "Ortolan." Which by the way is evidenced when Nick says, "We should have done more research...Then we would have found him a lot earlier." Yes, my thoughts exactly. I also didn't feel that much for any of the characters: an eyeroll every once in a while and an exasperated sigh. The pacing was also somewhat slow for a thriller and quite honestly, I felt like it was consuming up too many hours of my time. And when a book makes you wonder if "it is ever going to end?"...well, that's not a good sign.

HOWEVER, I really did like the writing style. And while I wasn't impressed by the plot, I was impressed by the way the characters became totally consumed by the game. I'm not a gamer myself so I can't fully understand the draw...but I've always wondered what keeps them hooked. As the story switches back and forth from the gaming world and the real one, I began to get a better feel for what keeps them going. There's the secrecy of the game and its rewards. Once Nick gets his hands on Erebos, he becomes completely consumed by it: just one more level...just one more reward... My favorite parts were when Nick must accomplish a task in "real life" in order to obtain a reward in the game: Nick acts nearly psychotic and desperate.

AND I did appreciate the fact that the story is more multicultural than most high school settings. Erebos takes place in London, and I expected a completely homogeneous group of people, so I was pleasantly surprised to read references to descriptions and names from different races. It made London feel so real!

But towards the end, I just wanted the story to be over. The romance with Nick and Emily was too forced...like the author just had to make it work. The pacing was too slow for me, and I expected more plot twists and more suspense. Also, I'm a bit surprised that Nick's parents never mention a word to him about Erebos.  It is an interesting read but not as entertaining as I would have liked. I would have to recommend this as a "Maybe" read.