Critique

Unlike many of the books I read and review in the young adult arena, I was not able to skip through this text quickly. I found myself reading a few chapters and then pondering on the implications of the text and the honesty it forced me to face in my own life. Marcelo has this way of relating experiences in their most simplistic form, breaking things down from the complexity that we often try to shroud our interaction and thought process with in order to pursue negative and destructive behavior that we ultimately know is wrong and bad for us and others.

It caused me to question why we interact with each other in certain ways, and what prohibits us from being living in honesty and decency. It reminds me of many of the conversations I have around ‘sharing’ music, a term we use to defend something that it, in reality, is nothing but stealing. We have many methods we use to doublespeak ourselves into believing that this kind of behavior in all aspects of our lives is not only ‘ok’ but should actually be ‘encouraged.’ Through our selfishness, we create our own systems of misery and suffering, and I believe that a character like Marcelo has the capability to help us refocus and put it all back into perspective—cause and effect, action and consequence.

As for the story itself, it’s beautifully written, and I enjoyed every last word. It reads as if Stork truly took the time to create a rich, engaging, and educational experience for his audience. It’s been several days since I’ve finished, and although I’m in the midst of other books, this text has stuck with me as I continue to process through my priorities and the way I live my life in general. Marcelo is a believable character who goes through a painful transition and an arc that is riddled with sadness and joy. I think, in many ways, his journey helps to remind us that the ‘real world’ is more complicated than we’d like it to be, but that we often create that drama for ourselves. I recommend this to all readers 13+.

Critique

Not knowing exactly what to expect in a prequel, I was pleasantly surprised by Fire. Cashore does an excellent job of creating what feels like a very believable world and setting the rules to that world in a tangible way. Ultimately, the best fantasy tells a good story, like any book, and this is a good story. Fire, the main character, is three-dimensional and carries a lot of depth and complexity in her character and conveys a strong arc throughout her journey.

The rest of the elements are also good. There are multiple layers of conflict and subtle plots and themes that weave throughout the larger more obvious ones in a way that makes the story rich. Unlike many of the books in this class, which lack foundation and rely too heavily on fantasy tropes and fast-paced action rather than any level of development, Fire is a tale that speaks to its readers with maturity on topics like self-image and personal responsibility and carries the weight of a story that offers multiple interpretations. I recommend this to all readers 15+.

The other companion novel in this series so far is Graceling (book 1).

Critique

Being as this is such a great classic of literature, both for children and adults, I don’t add that much value by reviewing it and recommending it. However, I thought it would be fun to post something so much older in the midst of my reviews for books published recently. This is my attempt to say, “Don’t forget about me” for the old books that still have a lot of value.

In many ways, the reason that The Hobbit is such a popular book that has stood the test of time is Tolkein’s attention to detail and story. The world of Middle Earth feels tangible, and I would state outright that most of the fantasy books out nowadays are either rehashes of Tolkein’s world, or just action-driven stories that don’t take the time to delve into the setting, characters, or story with much depth. They’re fun reads, but nothing that will prompt any intellectual thought or multiple reads. Comparing books to food, The Hobbit is like a filet mignon while many of these recent books are more like a fast food cheeseburger. Both are meat, technically, but the filet is a much more satisfying meal even though it takes longer to make and eat.

Critique

I really do love these books, and I was certainly excited to see another addition to the series. For those who are just entering the scene of The Mysterious Benedict Society here on this review, you may want to check out the other two that I’ve posted previously because this review will simply be a reaction and comparison to the others.

That said, I have to be honest that I was a little disappointed in this one. Although there are a lot of fun fight scenes between Milligan and the Ten Men, there aren’t nearly as many brain teasers for the readers to engage in with the four main characters. Overall, the book is great, and it’s certainly a fun read, but what I feel makes these books so particularly unique and such a great read are the puzzles that Stewart interjects throughout. Certainly, if you’re a fan, you should still read it, but I think it’s the weakest in the series so far.

The other two books in this series are The Mysterious Benedict Society (book 1), and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (book 2).

Critique

*This review contains spoilers.

First off, the given synopsis doesn’t really do justice to what this book truly is, which is a very dark journey through life under an oppressive government during the midst of war, and the psychological trauma of losing a family member who is the representation of hope and light in a family. Banner does a wonderful job of revealing the content throughout the novel, so as not to give the whole thing away immediately. However, it continues to move toward a very dark direction, and although I found myself wanting to continue reading in order to finish the story, personally, it became less enjoyable the further along I got in the book.

That’s not to say, certainly, that I don’t recommend this read, because I do, it’s just that I would definitely consider this more on the literary side of the fantasy fiction spectrum. If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted fireside fantasy, this isn’t the book for you. However, if you’re looking for a well-written book with more of a literary bent that explores a world of magic and kingdom era war and weaponry in a more realistic way, then you will definitely enjoy this book.

Critique

This is a really fun book. Certainly not life changing by any means, but it has all the necessary elements that make up a great spy thriller – action, secret espionage, special technology, likeable heroes, fast-pacing, secret religious societies, a great good versus a terrible evil, pending world destruction, and hints at romance (or just romance in general). The cast of characters is perfect as well, and although they’re a bit stereotypical, it works well for a book like this.

To be honest, this is the first sci-fi/fantasy spy book that I’ve read in a while that I really loved. Not that I’m generally into them, but it could rank among the Dan Brown’s and James Patterson’s, but with a more YA feel. I recommend this to everyone looking for a fun, fast read.

Critique

I think the general premise of the book is fun, but it’s just not something I could get into. Perhaps it’s somewhat that these 1st person narrative teen books are not my kind of read, but I think, even then, the pacing is a bit slow. I generally like the characters, and what they’re willing to do in order to find their dad. However, what I was kind of expecting/hoping for was some situational humor in throughout their journey, but I was mostly met by angsty teens who use a lot of sarcasm and word combination slang, like fu-larious, skankmother, bedgasmic, etc. I do appreciate that the narrative voice switches between the twins throughout the story, but they often describe experiences in such a similar way that it’s difficult to tell the difference between them. Considering the popularity of these kinds of books, if you’re into them, you will probably love this one. I just couldn’t get into it.

Critique

As I expected from the description, this turned out to be an interesting read. The placement of a fairy myth lore into a Christian context creates something different than the typical fairy fantasy. Also, understand that when I say fairy myth lore, I’m not necessarily referring to fairies specifically in the sense of little creatures with wings, but the fairy court, fay warriors and such.

In some ways it actually reminds me a lot of Tithe by Holly Black, but in my opinion is actually better because it’s a lot less confusing and I’m not forced to employ so much willing suspension of disbelief in regards to character interaction. However, the main differences are the time periods and the target age group, plus Tithe is really a love story at it’s core, whereas The Crowfield Curse is more of an adventure/mystery. Ultimately, it’s a quick fun read, the ideas are somewhat original, and there’s a nice little glossary of terms in the back to help grasp some of the jargon words related to the life in the Abbey to give a little education.

Critique

Kathleen Duey has once again given us one of the darkest books that I’ve ever read in the realm of young adult literature. At some level, I actually mean that as a compliment. There’s a reason Skin Hunger won the awards it did, because it’s brave and complex, and doesn’t just succumb to the typical fantasy tropes that so many bad fantasy writers rely on to make their stories interesting. She writes with a depth that very few fantasy writers are able to accomplish.

For Sacred Scars specifically, I personally liked it a little less than the first. Part of that may be that I’ve already gotten used to what made the first book so unique, but I think it’s mostly that I honestly have a difficult time reading a book that’s so dark and full of minute-to-minute cheek-biting drama. It’s actually kind of exhausting. Not that I mind there being a third on its way, but I was kind of hoping this was a duo instead of a trio because I’m so mired into the story that I want it to end for the sake of my own sanity (of sorts. Certainly it’s not quite that dramatic).

Altogether, another brilliant book from Duey, whose ability to expose the darkness of the human psyche is almost unnerving. I recommend this to older readers looking for something more than the run of the mill fantasy book (or book in general).

The other book in this trilogy so far is Skin Hunger (book 1).

Critique

At first I had no idea what to make of this book. I suppose given the cover art and title, I was expecting a story of daring escapades in which a boy who thought he was supposed to already have died was completely fearless in the face of danger, leading a crew of misfit sailors into certain death scenarios and coming out completely unscathed. It took me a while to adjust to the fact that, in reality, it’s nothing like that at all, but is more of a dark comedy about a clever but unassuming boy who runs from death directly into the arms of various strangers who are not necessarily the best type of people to be surrounded by.

The story generally assumes that most people Pepper encounters are going to try to take advantage of him in some way, or, at the very least, completely misinterpret everything about him. However, if you pull yourself out of the narrative for a moment and recalibrate what you’re expecting, the tale of young Pepper is actually pretty funny, especially all of the little narrator intrusions that Geraldine adds throughout the story. My favorite is a little jab at editors mentioning that no editor can read something without changing it. (Having editor disputes lately, Geraldine?)

Anyway, all of that said, don’t take the book too seriously, and I believe you will really enjoy the read, especially the jabs at Catholicism, and the base nature of people. Otherwise, you’ll likely be frustrated that the book is not something different than it is. I recommend this book to young readers who enjoy a good dark comedy.