Well, I didn't get through very many books this month. The first one was super long, and then I abandoned one that I was plodding along with because I just couldn't bring myself to read it, and then I read a really good one pretty quickly, but then I decided to write a whole post about it, which led me to start another post that required a whole lot of updating and formatting of my book lists, and then I've had a whole bunch of days where I haven't even had time to read at all. So here it is: a measly four books (I won't be able to finish the one I'm in the middle of for at least a week).
I really enjoyed And I Darken by Kiersten White. It is an alternate history book set in the 1400's, and follows a brother and sister from the time they are children, through being given over as political hostages to the Ottoman sultan, and into adulthood in the Ottoman court. What I liked about it: characters, characters, characters - this book is all about developing characters, and the author did a superb job with it; the writing - very well done. What I didn't like about it: the pace - at times it was a bit boring; the alternate history - this wasn't alternate history in the sense of a steampunk novel; it took the life of Vlad the Impaler and turned him into a girl. Now, considering how I feel about messing with history (see my earlier posthere), this added a whole new dimension, as it is taking history with a lot of knowns and purposefully changing it in a big way. I am kind of forgiving here, though, because having him be a girl instead not only made a fantastic story, but allowed the author to explore themes she otherwise couldn't have. On the other hand, the true history and characters are fascinating in their own right, and I'm sure the author could have made a fantastic story with great themes while staying true to history and keeping him a boy. What I both did and didn't like about it: the action - the (very) few action scenes are GREAT, but she didn't include nearly enough of them. Hopefully book two in the series will remedy that. (Reading Level: 5.7 / Upper Grades)
Red Riding Hood, by Catherine Hardwicke, was really not so good. It was really pretty shallow, and really pretty dumb. It read like a book written by someone who watched a movie and then sat down and turned it into a book. Oh, wait, that's because it was written by someone who watched a movie and then turned it into a book. Now I know why I always avoid those like the plague - because they do. not. make. a. good. novel. (I've never actually read one before, but I feel vindicated at having my suspicions confirmed.) I actually abandoned this at page 63, after wondering for twenty pages or so if I should keep reading or not. Seeing as how I am eleven books behind schedule on my 2017 reading goal with only about seven weeks left to go (probably from starting and then abandoning 25 books already this year), I figured I'd better not waste any more time on it.
I loved All Good Children by Catherine Austen! The quote on the back cover by Tim Winne-Jones says, "It's important and riveting. And somehow, miraculously, it manages to be deeply scary and funny at the same time." For some reason I thought the book was supposed to scary, scary-like-Halloween scary. But it isn't at all. It's frightening in the OMG what-if-we-become-like-that sort of way. This is the first book in quite a while that I've felt like I had enough to say about it to write a longer review, so . . . click hereto read it!(Reading Level: 4.1 / Middle Grades+)
I actually have quite a lot to say about Amelia Anne Is Dead and Gone, by Kat Rosenfield. Some of it is good, and some of it is bad. The two balanced out to make me give it just a plain 3 star rating. If you want to know the details, see my upcoming post here. (Reading Level: 5.9 / Upper Grades)
So that's it. I thought about combining my November and December reads into one post, since this month's is so pathetic, but I am having a hard time acknowledging that I probably won't meet my 2017 reading goal (I've got 20 books to go in the next 30 days), so I will probably try to make it happen even though I should be smart enough to know that it is an impossible task, which means that my December list might have more books than usual anyway. Check back at the end of next month to see how many I manage to read!
Back in August I posted a "Read This, Not That" review in which I told you all about two dystopian novels (see post here). Unfortunately, I couldn't recommend that you read either one of them, because they were just so full of dumb-ness that I couldn't stand it. I promised that I'd let you know when I finally found a good one, and now, twenty-six books later, here it is! A book that is funny, heartwarming, heart wrenching, eye-opening, and suspenseful all at once: All Good Children by Catherine Austen.
Quick-witted, prank-pulling graffiti artis Maxwell Connors is more observant than the average New Middletown teenager. And he doesn't like what he sees. New Middletown's children are becoming frighteningly obedient, and their parents and teachers couldn't be happier. As Max and his friend Dallas watch their classmates transform into model citizens, Max wonders if their only hope at freedom lies in the unknown world beyond New Middletown's walls, where creativity might be a gift instead of a liability. - excerpt from inside book cover
So, the story is about a 15 year old boy who lives in this perfect town, created and run by a pharmaceutical company, while the rest of the United States is falling apart outside its walls. He is not genetically engineered, but he was genetically scrutinized as an embryo so that his parents could choose the best out of multiple choices. His classmates are pretty much all genetically engineered, so they are all at least six feet tall, and muscular, and handsome, and smart. They get to go to an academic school and will one day get a nice career and make good money, while most American children have to go to a trade school to learn a mindless job. And then, as the blurb above tells us, someone decides that schools would be better off with a bunch of Stepford children and the story really gets rolling.
Now, most dysopian novels that I've come across are based on concepts that, although interesting, are not really very relevant. You know, like girls being sent to baby making factories or the government outlawing the emotion love. That's one of the things I liked about All Good Children. But it didn't only focus on one relevant topic, it wove together a whole bunch of issues that our society is beginning to struggle with today: the obsession with technology, genetic engineering, the TSA and their pat-downs, the emerging problems surrounding pharmaceuticals, an aging population, etc. I found myself nodding my head again and again, thinking I can see that happening. Building on this framework, the book explores the topics of family dynamics, stereotyping and bigotry (not racial, but bigotry nonetheless), ethics (both corporate and individual), individuality vs conformity, the rights and freedoms of Americans and how many of those should be given up for the sake of safety. Dystopian at it's finest.
But do you know what the best thing about the thought provoking messages in this book is? It's that they are all wrapped up in a deceptively simple package - it is a book of deep issues masquerading as a lighthearted, entertaining read. That means the reader gets to have their thoughts provoked while enjoying a fast-paced novel with great characters, great dialogue, great action scenes, and great writing. That's a win-win situation for sure.
So, as I read, I stuck a bunch of sticky note tabs on the parts that I found so fantastic that I wanted to share them with someone. I've got a whole bunch. But then I was worried that if I shared too many, I'd be like one of those movies trailers that give away all the good parts and spoil the movie. So I'm just going to share a few.
First, I loved the author's writing. It had a way of describing things that was fresh and unique, sometimes quirky, and sometimes bizarre. Here's an example:
Down the hall, Mr. and Mrs. Lavigne hover inside their doorway. You have to use your imagination to see how Xavier and Celeste turned out so beautiful. The Lavignes are unusually large, white and old, like Vikings gone to seed.
Or how about this:
Brennan and Kayla stare at me like I'm an armless dwarf who's been beaten up by kindergartners.
And here's another one. I especially like this one, because the main character, who is an artist, is describing his friend, who used to be the most handsome, exuberant teenager anyone has ever seen:
He has a Christ-on-the-cross sort of beauty that dazzles me. I want to offer him a cup of water, sling him over my shoulder, carry him somewhere safe.
What a great way of describing how shocking and heart-wrenching it was to see the change in him.
Second, I loved the way the author describes the action scenes (and some other not-exactly-action-y scenes, but ones that still have the same feel):
I come up fast and furious. Instead of struggling away, like they expect, I lean into Washington to get some leeway for my arm, then I elbow him in the throat. He lets go fast, freeing my hand to grab the head of the grade nine goon and jerk it forward into the spot where Tyler's next punch is aimed. Kapow. I'm like a movie star. Then Ally's umbrella trips me up so I take another shot from Tyler.
It's almost like being there, watching it in real time.
Third, I loved how clever the author is. For example, there are several times throughout the story that characters are discussing a movie or story and one character will be like I don't get it, and the other one is like, It's a metaphor. Almost like the author is nudging the reader with these hints to see that her own novel is a metaphor, a cautionary tale (as all good dystopians should be) with parallels to events in the past and present.
Fourth, I loved the characters and their dialogue, especially the main character, Max, but all of them, really. Even the ones we aren't supposed to like, I love the way she describes and portrays them. Even the ones who are a complete stereotype, she still does such a fantastic job making us see and hear them. For example, every time I read the football coach's words, I heard the voice of the P.E. teacher from The Goldbergs in my head (if you don't know what I'm talking about, watch this clip.)
(Sorry the window is so big and distracting in the midst of my post!)
This is a great book for everyone; adults and teens, guys and girls, people who love to read and those reluctant readers out there. It is great for those who love dystopian novels and also for those who don't, for those who have a lot of time to read and those who have to make the most of their limited time by picking great books. It's great for regular schooled kids and home schooled kids. (There are so many lessons to be learned from it!) Heck, it's even great for teachers and school administrators (how about this lesson - yes, our 15 year-olds are still children). I liked it so much that I'm actually going to buy a copy. And if I'm going to squeeze it into the precious limited space of my bookcase, you know it must be good.
Rating: 4.5 Stars Reading Level:4.1 Age Appropriate: Upper Middle Grades Page Count/Word Count: 300/73,559 Genre: Dystopian, Thrillers/Suspence, Science Fiction, Home School Recommendation Keywords: dystopian, family, friendship, genetic engineering, teen boys
