This morning, I answered a message here on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ about what it means when a book is "good." I told the inquirer that "good" books tell great storiThis morning, I answered a message here on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ about what it means when a book is "good." I told the inquirer that "good" books tell great stories, regardless of the length, setting, characters, topic, language, author, or any other qualifying characteristic. Great stories help us understand what it means to be human.
And oh, man. This is a great story. It's about life and death, friendship, parenthood, faith, kindness, and perseverance. It's built on characters as people, in all of their random, failure-ridden glory. It reads more like a movie than a book, with dazzling dialogue and just enough environmental detail to create smooth forward motion in the story without bogging down in the detail. The relationships are beautiful, as is the deep and abiding realizations the characters come to at the end.
Don't get me wrong: I was uncertain in the beginning, because there's only so much sarcastic-teenager-drama I can handle (not because they're teenagers, but because teenagers aren't unremittingly sarcastic and dramatic, as some adult authors seem to think). As the book progresses, though, the freaking hilarious and the crushingly sad intermingle in a glorious, realistic way.
The main character's size is a bit gimmicky, as I would have liked to see an average kid overcome the things Neanderthal overcomes, but overall, this is truly an outstanding example of a young adult book. If you're an adult, and you "never read YA," sit your pretentiousness down and read Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe. You won't regret it. ...more
So few books show young men of color as complicated people with difficult decisions to make. They tend to focus on a weird mashup of trite events and So few books show young men of color as complicated people with difficult decisions to make. They tend to focus on a weird mashup of trite events and Twilight (sorry, people, but that's The Hate U Give) or attempt to show a young person of color who is a "good kid" in a did he/didn't he situation (and that's Monster). Not that those kinds of books can't be interesting and absorbing, it's just that there are a lot of them out there.
And then there's Long Way Down.
In the beginning, you may think that it's another stereotype book, but it's not. First, there's the poetry, which is not only powerful and interesting, it's an important addition to the story. Then there's the main character, who you care about and want good things for. And thus ensue the ghosts. Every one, including the ghosts, is a triumph and a tragedy, and very much worth reading. Its not that the elements of inner-city poverty aren't there (gun violence, petty crime, murder, drug dealing, etc.), it's that the story only uses them as a setting, not a character description for everyone who walks across the pages.
Soooo close to really good... think steampunk Harry Potter.
My quibble would be that the main character's personality wobbles from immature to overly mSoooo close to really good... think steampunk Harry Potter.
My quibble would be that the main character's personality wobbles from immature to overly mature, which sounds right for a person who is 15 or 16, but the wobbliness inherent in Joel feels almost like split personalities. He does, says, or thinks silly, immature things, then lets out a string of mathematical theory that is rock-solid logic. I'm a high school teacher, and I see this depiction of teenagers quite often. It's not that teenagers are inherently unintelligent; they are simply uninformed. I don't mind a character who doesn't know a thing someone older would know. I do mind a character who is depicted as being ignorant about things that someone his age would know.
The almost brilliantly written character in the book, Melody, is very nearly hilarious. Many of my students have Melody's bite in their words, and one of the conversations (about whether Joel is following Melody or whether she is following him) could have been recorded in my classroom, but Melody is presented as really believing the things she says instead of saying them for their shock power. That annoys me, and is but one example of the missed opportunities. Intelligent, aware teenagers have the same kind of bantering relationships that intelligent, aware adults have, especially when they're receiving the kind of education that the school in the book supposedly provides. Melody also suffers from the patriarchal system in the book. Sigh.
Here's my wish list for the author and the editor, because there are supposed to be more books (probably two)(WHEN will the era of the trilogy die?)(Can it be SOON?): 1. Tone Joel up. He's not an a idiot or a fool. He's a teenager. He lacks information, not intelligence. Those are different. 2. Tone Melody up. She's not an idiot or a fool. She's female. Those are different. 3. Stick with the "They're better together, and don't have to have a romantic relationship to be complete people and good partners" idea. 4. Professor Fitch lacks confidence in battle. Yeah. We get it. Let him shine in other areas. 5. Stick with the math and drawing. Both of those kinds of young people get the short end of the stick. 6. LOVE the steampunk inventions. Stick with them. 7. If you're going to bring in a villain, don't be so melodramatic about it. Teens understand subtlety in plot and character. Because they're people. Like all of us. 8. Either make York a villain or let the heavy-handed hints go. 9. Not every joke needs to have a subtext that goes, "HAR HAR HAR! Wasn't that a GOOD ONE?!?!?" I would refer you back to #7.
I'll definitely read the next one in the series, as will my students who like drawing (the book is illustrated!), math (with a lot of math!), and Harry Potter.
OK. Generally, I don't like this kind of book (teen angst/girly romance/action/eldritch). HOWEVER... this one was OK. Possibly because I just read twoOK. Generally, I don't like this kind of book (teen angst/girly romance/action/eldritch). HOWEVER... this one was OK. Possibly because I just read two of the Hush Hush books, which are... well, read my reviews on them. Needless to say, these books are better. The "City" books in general and this one in particular contain a great deal less whining and a lot more action. The characters, including the minor characters, receive the attention they are due, and the story realistically addresses the sociological situation caused by five supernatural races occupying the same small island. The thing I like the most about these books is that they don't treat the female characters as if they constantly need to be rescued. The females get on with rescuing themselves, and often others while they're at it. ...more
Muahahahaha! Maberry pulled up his socks, his editor got his/her poop together, and this second novel in the trio is MUCH better than the first one. FMuahahahaha! Maberry pulled up his socks, his editor got his/her poop together, and this second novel in the trio is MUCH better than the first one. Far fewer of the pages go to establishing the story and the plot rocks right along. The characters - especially the main character, Benny - have really gotten themselves together, and though they still have room to grow and change, they make decisions and carry out actions that are well within their characters. My only quibble would be that there's a bit of a deus ex machina at the end, as there was in the first book. I'm going to be disappointed if the third ends the same way....more
Ohhhh, I WANTED this book to be as good as The Knife of Never Letting Go. It's a bit shaky at the start, though, and takes most of the book to get goiOhhhh, I WANTED this book to be as good as The Knife of Never Letting Go. It's a bit shaky at the start, though, and takes most of the book to get going at a steady pace. The main character is a bit of a jerk, and when he sees the light, you root for him because he has potential. Some of the bad guys are a little too bad, and I wanted to get to know the main character's brother a little better, but this is a solid take on fear and loathing - what makes it and how it can be extinguished- all wrapped up in a neat little quest package....more
Decent guy book. It needed a little more detail in the beginning and little more of the main character's delving into his thoughts. He encounters quitDecent guy book. It needed a little more detail in the beginning and little more of the main character's delving into his thoughts. He encounters quite a few life-changing events in the space of a couple of weeks, and we don't see quite enough of the effects of those events on him. Nice control of the point of view, though, and a gentle treatment of a kid who's different from the rest of the boys on his street. For a change, the different kid isn't being bullied: he just lives his life as best he can, mostly by himself....more
Dang, I wanted to like this book more than I did. I have the feeling that it's the first of at least a trilogy, but there's no sign of the other booksDang, I wanted to like this book more than I did. I have the feeling that it's the first of at least a trilogy, but there's no sign of the other books. If there aren't going to be other books, the ending of this one is completely inadequate to the storytelling requirements of the book.
Aside from that, there are too many characters whose names start with the same letter, the locations aren't well-enough identified at the beginning of the book, and while some needs (food and water) are addressed, I find post-apocalyptic visions that don't include latrine arrangements a bit faint of imagination.
I do like the one character who was a cheerleader who grew up on a farm in the Midwest. She unashamedly kicks zombie butt and is by far the most capable character in the story. It's a shame that the editor couldn't have encouraged Ms. Roberts to focus on one kid instead of four. ...more
If you are one of the students who has raved to me about this book, please don't come kill me for my rating on this book. As I was reading, I couldn'tIf you are one of the students who has raved to me about this book, please don't come kill me for my rating on this book. As I was reading, I couldn't help but think that there's a real trend in publishing and writing right now to play to the Twilightiest common denominator in a book. That's a real shame, because there's so much more to life and to love and to what it means to be human.
At Comic-Con, from which I just returned (no, I am not ashamed), Scott Westerfeld sat on a YA comics panel during which it was commented that teenagers feel everything they feel so strongly because they feel it for the first time. I understand that, really I do. It's just that I remember vividly what it was like to be sixteen, and seventeen, and eighteen. I may have been feeling those feelings for the first time, but I was not completely plowed under by them. I knew by that age that I was the one in charge, that I was physically very strong, and that I had little patience for fools. It's possible that I give teens too much credit (though I don't think so), but I think most teenagers these days know that kind of stuff about themselves. Gillian Flynn's "Dark Places" is a much more accurate representation of what I know about teenagers.
The writing is fair, but not stellar, the characters make decisions that make teens look stupid, and there's a "Luke, I am your father" moment that is telegraphed practically from the first page. The really interesting characters, like the fortune teller and the tutor are shunted off into death far too soon.
If you're one of the students who recommended this book to me, don't despair. I have different experiences than you do because I am old and well-read. Someday, you will re-read this book and feel the same way. ...more
LOVE IT! Loads of action, lots of interest for both boys and girls, lots of high-quality history, and the story moves like firecrackers. If I have oneLOVE IT! Loads of action, lots of interest for both boys and girls, lots of high-quality history, and the story moves like firecrackers. If I have one caution, it's this: though the reading level is acceptably stable at mid-level, and there's plenty of action to attract the low readers, I wouldn't recommend reading these one after the other. They're longer than the "Lightning Thief" books and they might become overwhelming....more
Sigh. After I capture Patrick Ness and chain him to a laptop, my next target will be Neal Shusterman. Besides being dashing and debonair(saw him at CoSigh. After I capture Patrick Ness and chain him to a laptop, my next target will be Neal Shusterman. Besides being dashing and debonair(saw him at Comicon), he writes YA that's truly sublime. He writes the same way Terry Pratchett does: he asks a question that's basic to human nature, then answers it with a flight of the imagination. The question in this book is, "How would you react if you found something that could take away all of the hurtful things in your life?" Then Shusterman adds an extra layer - he explores different points of view, so you sympathize with the bad guys and the good guys and the innocent and the guilty, all with equal depth. The first family in the story is going through a really rough patch, with affairs, separation, and a great deal of uncertainty. The second group of people (they're not really a family) experience abuse that is... "weird" makes it sound sexual, which it isn't... "horrible" makes it sound much more physical than it is... well, it's twisted in a way you can't imagine until you read it, then it's so awful and mind-bending, you'll be sickened. Bruiser isn't a horror story, so don't read it for that. Read it because it shows people trapped in ways that are partly their own doing, and partly a twist of fate....more
Dystopian Fiction - more guy-oriented than Hunger Games or Inside Out The Hunger Games, and with definite echoes of Ender's Game. It's a bit middle scDystopian Fiction - more guy-oriented than Hunger Games or Inside Out The Hunger Games, and with definite echoes of Ender's Game. It's a bit middle school, so don't expect huge complications....more
If you like Georgia Nicholson but you're ready for something deeper, more 'guy,' and better-fleshed, read Spud. Though it's set in the 1990's, the refIf you like Georgia Nicholson but you're ready for something deeper, more 'guy,' and better-fleshed, read Spud. Though it's set in the 1990's, the references to historical events are few and far between and vague enough that the story will feel fresh for a long time. The main character, Spud (nicknamed this because he has yet to go through puberty), has won a scholarship to an exclusive private school in the boonies. Upon arrival, he discovers that not only are the people around him brilliant, but they are also confirmed eccentrics. His English teacher swears with both enthusiasm and creativity, there's an upperclassman who keeps puff adders living under the stairs, and the boys in Spud's dorm lead night-time expeditions to the local reservoir for the thrill of being chased by the guard dogs. At one point in the story, Spud starts checking himself in mirrors to see if he's started "looking insane." Spud sounds like what he's supposed to be: a highly intelligent, developing personality with excellent manners, a resilient nature who is struggling to grasp the often inexplicable behavior of the people around him. The writing allows his first-person narration to both reveal and conceal Spud's thoughts, so the audience goes along with him as he discovers how he really feels and thinks. My only dislike about Spud is that there are several cricket scenes, and though I've watched my fair share of cricket matches, I understand nothing about it, so I skimmed those passages and moved on. It was enough to know whether Spud's team won or lost. If you'd like a good laugh and an honest appraisal of human nature, read Spud. Don't be put off by the comparison to Catcher in the Rye. Spud is less whiny, more engaging, and far more realistic....more
Someone with a smart mouth and too much time on his hands once said that nothing is ever really new. True. However, if you're Patrick Ness and you wanSomeone with a smart mouth and too much time on his hands once said that nothing is ever really new. True. However, if you're Patrick Ness and you want to write a really good, journey-based coming-of-age novel, "new" is a non-issue. KNLG just rolls off the page, making 500 pages seem like 200 and a complex alien world seem like the house next door. Be aware: KNLG is not a book for the faint of heart. Even though I listed it as YA, the style is quite complex. The first-person narrator, Todd, only has a 2nd- or 3rd-grade education, and he invents a great deal of words he uses to tell his story. Sometimes, you'll find yourself reading a word or two out loud because of phonetic spelling. Once you get the hang of it, though, you'll find yourself having difficulty reading the "normal" passages when a better-educated character has something to say. KNLG is also long... REALLY long, and there are supposed to be at least two more in the series. For people who don't read very well, the length of the tale will be a barrier to finishing the book. On the other hand... the story is truly brilliant, the characters (including our narrator) are all deeply flawed, and every moment presents an obstacle that is ALMOST (but not quite) too much to overcome. Because all of the moving creatures in the story both hear each others' thoughts and project thoughts to others (except the women, whose thoughts are private), even Todd's dog, Manchee, takes part in the telling of the story. SPOILER ALERT! When Manchee met his fate, I cried, and that doesn't happen often. Most authors don't have the chops to make me cry. The audience for KNLG is going to be a bit older and better-read than I wish, but a huge crowd of my Juniors and Seniors will enjoy this book, even though Todd's much younger than they....more
While I am amazed and impressed by Neil Gaiman's body of work, I don't love the Graveyard Book. It's got an amazing premise (a kid who is raised by ghWhile I am amazed and impressed by Neil Gaiman's body of work, I don't love the Graveyard Book. It's got an amazing premise (a kid who is raised by ghosts in a graveyard), the best first page ever, occasionally interesting execution, and a solid main character (Bod, short for Nobody Owens), but as in most of Gaiman's other work, the story keeps wandering off into a side plot that doesn't move the main storyline along. Dave McKean, whose work becomes increasingly - and disturbingly - Picasso-esque over time, illustrates brilliantly, adding a truly creepy air to the story. I think I expected a story that was more tightly plotted, with less obvious plot movement. The stuff that deals with Bod's life in the graveyard is brilliant and fascinating. Events outside the graveyard feel scattered and ethereal. The thing I really didn't like about TGB was the rather sudden re-appearance of the villain at the end of the book, and the even more sudden ending of a world-wide organization. If you're going to wipe out several thousand people, doing so in the space of a couple of pages probably isn't going to satisfy a more capable and mature reader, which may give your book a glass ceiling above which it cannot rise. The AR reading level for TGB is a 5.1. I'd say the book reads a bit lower than that, so kids who don't read very well but like action and spooky stuff will like The Graveyard Book....more
A friend asked me to read this because I teach Shakespeare in high school. He (the friend, not Shakespeare, who is dead and doesn't know anything any A friend asked me to read this because I teach Shakespeare in high school. He (the friend, not Shakespeare, who is dead and doesn't know anything any more) asked me to see if I thought this version of Hamlet was worth passing along to our students. I wish it was. Instead of a solid modernization of an old story, Marsden has taken an interesting psychological study of a bunch of OCD sufferers and turned it into a hodgepodge mess of point of view, random events, and anachronism. At one point halfway through the story, I was ready to stop reading, if only to give the sex-crazed and unstable Ophelia a little rest. Really, why did I need to know what she does when her door's locked, or at what point Hamlet has a bowel movement, or that Hamlet sneaks out at night and strangles geese and tears up the garden. Shakespeare leaves room for interpretation in his play, but I'm much happier with the idea of Hamlet as torn between his love and duty to his father and the life he's led so far, which has been mostly intellectual. Action - especially action as dire as murder - is anathema to him, thus his conflict. Marsden's Hamlet is a borderline schizophrenic who wears jeans but rides places on horseback or in a carriage and stews for years and years. No wonder the poor kid's crazy....more
Crappy cover alert! Don't pass over Gone just because the cover is ridiculous (another of these "teenagers standing around looking moody" ones that isCrappy cover alert! Don't pass over Gone just because the cover is ridiculous (another of these "teenagers standing around looking moody" ones that is meant to look like a TV commercial for a bad teen soap opera). Read the first five pages and you'll be hooked. While the story is a bit slow to develop, once you settle down to the pace and understand the object of the author's game (loads of action, very little pondering, enough oddness to qualify it as scifi, focus on interpersonal relations), things move right along. I do love a reluctant hero, and Grant's Sam is as reluctant as they come. Sometimes, that reluctance can become whining, but Grant works Sam's feeling in with a simple comment here and there, so he doesn't devolve into pages of squealing about how hurt his feelings are. At fourteen, Sam encounters most of the big ideas about life and works through them in a competent fashion, which annoys me a little because I teach Freshmen and I'm not certain that most of them would be able to do what Sam does. Audience could be a problem for Gone, as well. It's 550 pages long, and that's a killer for the action-oriented kids who would be most interested in the book. I think I'm going to try Gone with the boys who will only read the Halo books and see how it goes. The most annoying (and the only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars) thing about Gone is that it's 550 pages long and the characters STILL don't solve their problems! I don't think my students will mind, but DANG, Mr. Grant, if you think you're going to hook me into reading the next book, you're going to have to shorten it a LOT. If I spend all day reading a book (or 4 or 5 hours), I expect a better sense of resolution than Gone has to give....more
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