Saturday, November 23, 2013

Ripper by Stefan Petrucha

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Philomel
Publishing year: 2012
Rating: 5/5
 Synopsis:
Panic grips the city!
There is a killer loose in New York City, and Carver Young is the only one who sees the startling connection between the recent string of murders and the most famous serial killer in history: Jack the Ripper. Time is winding down until the killer claims another victim, but Carver soon sees that, to The Ripper, this is all a game that he may be destined to lose.
 

Review:
There are so many words to describe this book: steam punk, science fiction, historical fiction...awesome. Most historical fiction I read takes fictional characters and places them in true historical event or time period. Well Ripper does that and more. If I had to name something similar I would point to Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. Why? Because real historical figures are present such as Teddy Roosevelt and Jack the Ripper and the book doesn't take too many liberties with history. Sure it's unlikely that Old Jack had a son, and there were no ripper murders in New York but neither did Lincoln hunt vampires.

What I found amazing about this novel, besides the way the mystery unravels which for lack of a better term is epic, is that Petrucha shows a human side of the ripper. If this story has a moral, it would br that no one is wholly good or evil. Jack for example started off as a good man but circumstances and his reactions slowly changes him. But even after that we can still see he cares for Carver. In his own way.
And what a name for his son, Carver. Considering that Jack is best known for carving people up. Punny!
I didn't catch it when reading after all I was so tangled up in the plot that I didn't take the time to analyze the details but this novel definitely falls into the science fiction sub-genre steampunk and historical and science fiction all in one? I am in heaven.
I don't think this will have a sequel. There's room to work with the characters, no doubt and I'd love to read more of their adventures but I don't see that as possible unless Carver catches Jack.
Question time: Is having a father a big influence in a boy's life? Do you think Carver would be a different kind of person if his father raised him?

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Remembrance by Theresa Breslin

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Laurel Leaf
Publishing year: 2004
Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:
It was the largest conflict the world had ever known. It covered three continents and lasted five years. Millions of soldiers returned wounded, millions more never returned at all. In the summer of 1915, in a small village in Scotland, the Great War has already begun to irrevocably alter the course of five young lives.

Eighteen-year-old John Malcolm enlists in the army, eager to fight for his country. His sweetheart, 15-year-old Charlotte, stays behind to earn her nursing certificate, along with John Malcolm’s twin sister, Maggie, who recognizes the opportunity to create a new life for herself. Charlotte’s brother, Francis, sees only tragedy in the war, but feels the pressure to join up. And Alex, below the recruiting age, is determined to reach the front lines somehow.

Review:

Quite simply a wonderful book. I remember reading it for the first time in middle school and falling head over heels in love with it. I found both Charlotte and Maggie to be wonderful characters, and very well developed. We see Maggie's jealousy that her brother prefers spending time with Charlotte and we see Charlotte rebel against her mother. Neither character is an angel and that appeals to me.

I've always had trouble finding any YA historical fiction set during WWI, let alone anything worth reading which is why this book remains in my favorites. Finding books set during WWII is no problem, it seems like everyone is writing about Nazi Germany today, but I do wish there was more about the first war. 

What I love and hate about this book is the ending. Being set in the middle of the first world war, there is no way it can end happily. We do see character death, and while I was disappointed, I think it puts the book on a realistic level.
 

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Soldier X by Don Wulffson

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Scholastic
Publishing year: 2001
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Erik Brandt barely knows what Germany is fighting for when he is drafted into Hitler's army in 1944. Sent to the killing fields of the Eastern Front, he is surrounded by unimaginable sights, more horrific than he ever thought possible. It's kill or be killed, and it seems clear that Erik's days are numbered. Until, covered in blood and seriously injured, he conceives of another way to survive. Filled with gritty and visceral detail, Soldier X will change the way every reader thinks about the reality of war.

 Review:
This book took me by surprise in a wonderful fashion. I initially chose it because its a short book and because I'm participating in NaNoWriMo this year I don't have a lot of time to read. Couple that with a need for some bloody historical fiction and I have to say I picked a winner. The action was fast paced and scarily realistic. The main character ends up scarred for life and no character is untouched by the war.

What I really liked about this book in comparison to others say, The Berlin Boxing Club, for example was that it showed multiple sides of the war and didn't pull any punches. It shows us the side of Germany we often glance over in these books, because after all, not every German soldier was a Nazi. A fact I strangely don't remember my history teachers ever mentioning ...hmm. And it shows us both the good and bad sides of Russia as well. Violence and slaughter abound and I think this book very accurately portrays the war and it's affect on soldiers and civilians of every nationality.

What I didn't see coming was the romance. I thought it was a coming of age story, which it was, bit the synopsis gave me no hint that there would be love between the pages of this novel. And what a love! It wasn't overdone or sappy but light, poignant, and expertly written. A Russian and a German from opposing sides falling in love, I absolutely adored it.

Question: If placed in a life or death situation could you desert a duty you had pledged yourself to? Why is it that being branded a deserter wasn't a heavy concern in Erik's mind?

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Tilt by Ellen Hopkins

Genre: Contemporary
Publishing year: 2012
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Rating: 3/5
Series: Companion to Triangles

Synopsis:
Witnessing the fallout from the poor choices their parents make and the lies adults tell themselves, three teens are clinging to the last remnants of the secure and familiar world in which they've grown up. But the ground is shifting. What was once clear is now confused. Everything is tilting.
Mikayla is sure she's found the love her parents seem to have lost, but is suddenly weighing nearly impossible choices in the wake of dashed expectations. Shane has come out, unwilling to lie anymore about who he is, but finds himself struggling to keep it all under control in the face of first love and a horrific loss. Harley, a good girl just seeking new experiences, never expects to hurtle toward self-destructive extremes in order to define who she is and who she wants to be.

Review:
I don't feel that this book lives up to the standard set by Hopkins' other books. It just felt flat to me. Before reading Impulse, I could only remember one time I had cried over a book, and that book was A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks. But Impulse and several books after it made me burst into tears.  Just not this one. At least part of my problem is that I couldn't connect with any of the characters.I honestly didn't like a single one aside from Alex, and he wasn't involved enough for me to grow attached.

The biggest issue is the number of narrators. In every other book by Hopkins we might have three to five main characters, it just depends. But it seems like every character in Tilt had a say. Mikayla, Dylan, Tyler, Shelby, Shane, Alex, Harley, Lucas, and a few others. While getting a peak into character's head was interesting it really made it hard to focus on the story. I felt myself getting turned around and confused several times and it became frustrating when I began mixing up the characters. Whose sister is that? Wait is this girl's parents the ones getting divorced or is it that other girl. By the end of the book my head was spinning off into space.

The only character I came close to liking was Shelby, but knowing her fate from the get go stopped me from becoming emotional over her narrations. Having already read Triangles, I knew most of the plot spoilers for this book already, but I did like getting into Mikayla's head. She seemed childish in the first book, and while I'm not ready to completely change my opinion of her, she did take a small step to redemption in the end.

Question: How many characters are too many?

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

Genre: Fantasy
Publishing year: 2000
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Series: The Queen's Thief #2
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:
When his small mountainous country goes to war with the powerful nation of Attolia, Eugenides the thief is faced with his greatest challenge. He must steal a man, he must steal a queen, and he must steal peace. But his greatest triumph-as well as his greatest loss-can only come if he succeeds in capturing something the Queen of Attolia may have sacrificed long ago.

Review:
Most reviews of this book are favorable and I do enjoy it as well, just look at the rating. But almost everyone seems to have chosen this book as their favorite in the series. I disagree. The first book, The Thief, had more action and the next book, The King of Attolia has more romance. I like this novel, it just isn't the highest ranking in the series for me.

 Anyway what I like most about this book is the witty dialogue between Gen and Irene, they're always snapping at each other and the best part about this book is that it doesn't have insta-love.

"She was very pretty." After a pause he added, "And very kind." Page 316.

"You have any mistresses and I'll cut your other hand off." Page 316.

I just love how Gen isn't fixated on the loss of his hand. Sure he misses it and it causes him annoyance but it doesn't stop him from falling for Attolia and he honestly doesn't seem to hold a grudge against her. In fact it seems that she is more bothered by it than he is. Interesting development. The changes we see in Attolia from her brief appearance in The Thief  to the ending of this book are drastic. She seems completely capable of love and even forgiveness.

Favorite scene is when Attolia is sending a messenger back to Eddis and since her enemy the Mede is present she has to layer the message to have a double meaning.I found her word play clever and sweet.

"What remains of his life, he spends with me, so you understand messenger?" Page 285.

I bet no one else has ever accepted a marriage proposal with those words. That she played the Mede for a fool only adds to my delight. Unlike The Thief, this book is written in third person and we see several scenes in the point of view of the Mede. Just as he thought she was playing into his hands, he was playing into hers. Hard not to love a book like this one, although I promise The King of Attolia is better.



Sunday, November 3, 2013

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Genre: Fantasy
Publishing year: 1996
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Series: The Queen's Thief #1
Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:
Because of his bragging-and his great skill-Gen lands in the King's prison, shackled to the wall of his cell. After months of isolation, he is released by none other than the King's scholar, the Magus, who believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. The thief he needs for the long, dangerous journey is Gen. To the Magus, Gen is just a took. But Gen has some ideas of his own.

Review:
The second time I have read this book in less than a year and it still remains a resounding masterpiece in my mind. For once I am glad to read a book written in first person, it adds to the story in such a way that third person could never accomplish. Gen is able to surprise us over and over again because he is the only voice telling the story. He doesn't narrate every moment of every scene and leaves out minute details. However he leaves clues that get our brains whirling. He has a bump in his hair? The long hair he uses to hide objects he has stolen? We didn't read about him stealing anything did we? Oh yes, we did, Gen just didn't tell us, he showed us.

I thought Turner told this story in a brilliant fashion and I absolutely adore the world she set it in. So many resemblances to Greece and Greek mythology, I felt right at home. Of course having the gods become more than just mythological figures was a nice twist that unsettled me for a moment. It reminds me of the Percy Jackson series in a way.

One minor annoyance was the use of guns. In the setting and time period I envisioned there were no guns and I found myself having to adapt to their sudden appearance.

Without a doubt Eugenides is my favorite character. He is completely self-assured and confident of his abilities. But he has his flaws like all great characters do, from his swearing to his sulking he reminds us all that he is indeed human.

There are four books in this series, and I have read them all. But I plan to reread each so that I can review them here, so it shouldn't surprise anyone when my next review is of The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer

Genre: Science Fiction
Publishing year: 2004
Publisher: Puffin
Rating: 3/5

Synopsis:
In the future, in a place called Satellite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill enters the world, unwanted by his parents. He's sent to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys. Freight class.
At Clarissa Frayne, the boys are put to work by the state, testing highly dangerous products. At the end of most days, they are covered with burns, bruises, and sores. Cosmo realizes that if he doesn't escape, he will die at this so-called orphanage.

When the moment finally comes, Cosmo seizes his chance and breaks out with the help of the Supernaturalists, a motley crew of kids who all have the same special ability as Cosmo-they can see supernatural Parasites, creatures that feed on the life force of humans. The Supernaturalists patrol the city at night, hunting the Parasites in hopes of saving what is left of humanity in Satellite City. Or so they think. The Supernaturalists soon dins themselves caught in a web far more complicated than they'd imagined, when they discover a horrifying secret that will force them to question everything they believe in.

Review:
My first thought is that this could have been better. I love the idea of this story more than the actual writing. I honestly expected more of Colfer.

The action is wonderful, especially the drag race scene. The story moves quickly and the reader isn't likely to get bored. Its the characters that drag it down. None of them are fully developed and while I realize Colfer is working on a sequel to this book which I hope will flesh out these characters more fully, this novel was really lacking in characterization.

Another issue I had was with the narration. Thankfully it was in third person but even so there was so much head jumping. We spent the majority of the book with Cosmo but we frequently visited Mona, Ditto, and Stefan. Other readers may not find this annoying but it's a pet peeve of mine.

The ending. Trying not to spoil it completely, I just felt that very little had been fully addressed. Is Ditto now the leader of the Supernaturalists? Does Cosmo still want to know his parents? Has Cosmo finished grieving for Ziplock? It could have been more conclusive and still left room for a sequel.

For further reading I'd suggest Half Moon Investigations and The Reluctant Assassin, both by Eoin Colfer.

Question: We see a lot of orphans in young adult fiction, do you think the lack of parental guidance plays a significant role in the development of these characters?

Friday, November 1, 2013

Lost by Jacqueline Davies

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publishing year: 2009
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Rating: 3/5

Synopsis:
Essie can tell from the moment she lays eyes on Harriet Abbott: this is a woman who has taken a wrong turn in life. Why else would an educated, well-dressed, clearly upper-crust girl end up in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory setting sleeves for six dollars a day? But Harriet isn’t the only one who is lost. Essie wanders between the opposing emotions of her love for the young would-be lawyer who lives next door and her hatred for her mother who seems determined to take away every bit of happiness that Essie hopes to find. As the unlikely friendship between Essie and Harriet grows, so does the weight of the question hanging between them: Who is lost? And who will be found?

Review:
This was an entirely different take on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire for me. Essie was born in America, so unlike other books on this topic she doesn't encounter any language barriers. She is no greenhorn. But this book really isn't about the fire, nor about labor laws or unfair working conditions. Its about a girl whose entire world has been struck off-kilter and she believes her own delusions.

I do like how she escaped the fire though. Other protagonists ran to the roof, jumped, or squeezed into a elevator but Essie made sure her friend made it into the elevator car first and slid down the cable right after.
She is scarred for life but I think that is what makes her such a strong character. Every other protagonist came through physically unharmed but Essie didn't. I think this is far more realistic than other books I've read.

I won't spoil the actual ending anymore than I already have but let's just say it didn't sit well with me. I'm a big fan of happily ever after endings and although I know this story couldn't have ended with everything ties in a neat little bow, I needed more closure.

On characters, I am torn between smiling and wanting to throttle Jimmy. I was glad to see him gain his independence in the end but just the fact that he kissed Easier while he was engaged and the simply disappeared irritates me. He ran away with his tail between his legs and that's horrible. By the end of the book he never redeems himself and that was a large factor when I rated this book.

Question: Have you ever places someone's wants and desires before your own, such as Essie dis for her sister, to the point your happiness depended solely on theirs?