A Monster Calls: A Snapshot

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

"The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming...

This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth." (from Goodreads)

 
The subject: the struggles of a boy whose mother has cancer. Don't kid yourself — while there's a magical realism element at play here, like any terminal illness story it's a tough, depressing read. I found this book emotionally draining, so be prepared for that. (And yes, it even made me cry a little — which is saying something, because I don't cry very often at books.)

I liked that Connor wasn't ashamed of loving his mom and being close to her. He was willing to put her needs above some of his own (like his need for friendship and social interaction). It was really sweet to see their connection and the kind of pure parent-child love that exists.
 
The setting: I think it's kept purposely vague, to make the story more generalizable...but I'd say it's somewhere in England where they have yew trees.

Shutter speed: fairly slow, but evenly paced. There isn't much exciting plot going on here, and the content is inarguably weighty, but the simple writing style helps keep the reader from getting bogged down.

What's in the background? Amazing illustrations that really made this book special. I wasn't so enthralled with the story at certain points, but I would always be looking forward to the illustrations, because they're just fantastic. Grayscale and done in an impressionistic sort of style, they manage to be very atmospheric, striking and textured.

Zoom in on: the sub-plot about bullying. Frankly, I really didn't "get" the character of Harry and his mindset, but I thought the discussion surrounding Conor's desire to be punished and fear of being alone and invisible was very interesting. Also, I appreciated the acknowledgment of Conor's guilt over the warring desires within him; I thought this was insightful and true, and something many people experience.

An interesting sidenote: there's a fair bit of psychology in here, and something resembling cognitive retraining at the end. The monster distinguishes between the unimportance of thoughts and the importance of actions, and the idea of conflicting thoughts (which might be seen as cognitive dissonance) is also broached.

Anything out of focus? Not really. A Monster Calls accomplishes what it seems to set out to do: tell the story of a parent with cancer in a fresh way. We never find out how the magic works, but that's not really the point; the magic is more of a vehicle for Connor's psychological and emotional development. The writing style is simple, yes, but very effective and powerful. I think Patrick Ness chooses his words quite carefully, and a simple writing style really suits the subject matter.

Ready? Say... "Tissue?"

Click! 5 shooting stars. A Monster Calls is one of those books that has a "timeless classic" sort of feel to it. I can imagine this might be a book a teacher could read to their class, or a parent and child could read together. However, even though it's illustrated, it deals with some deep, heavy themes and concepts in a serious tone — giving them the respect and space they deserve — so younger kids might not fully understand or appreciate it. 

Forbidden: In A Nutshell

Goodreads' description:

"Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives—and the way they understand each other so completely—has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending."

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma

One sentence sum-up: a story of the most illicit romance of all — that of brother and sister.

My reaction: Forbidden is the kind of book that reaches out and punches you in the gut. And I mean that in a good way.

I don't even really know how to describe my reaction to this book. I found it a little slow at the very beginning, but I started to get really wrapped into the characters and their lives, and pretty soon when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and feeling the need to read some more. For me, it was kind of like watching one gigantic train wreck and not being able to tear my eyes away. That's not a reflection on the writing — which is very well crafted — but rather on the fact that I knew this was not going to end well. I hadn't been spoiled as to the specifics of the ending, but I knew it wasn't going to be happy.

It doesn't even start with the characters in a good place. Their mother is obviously running for 'Worst Mom of the Year' and their father is nowhere to be seen. Maya and Lochan are taking care of the whole family themselves and burning themselves out doing it. The younger siblings don't understand and the middle child has entered the rebellious teen phase. And it only gets worse from there, when the nature of Maya and Lochan's relationship turns romantic and you just know that spells trouble ahead. There was this dread in the pit of my stomach, this feeling that it was only a matter of time until they got caught and someone found out... And yet, irrationally, I kept hoping, and I kept reading.

Best aspect: The way Suzuma makes you care about her characters. Forbidden isn't driven by plot, it's driven by character and situation. And yet, somehow, even though there isn't a lot of action or many memorable plot points through most of it, I was absorbed by it. I particularly loved Lochan as a character. He's such an unusual guy — shy, tentative, introspective, and closed off from the outside world due to an extreme case of social anxiety. Yet he allows himself to open up around Maya, and she gets to see the real Lochan. More generally, I just enjoyed all of them as a family, desperately trying to stick together and survive.

Plus, this book made me cry. I was tearing up at one point while reading, and then afterwards when I was trying to record my thoughts I honestly just started bawling. I don't cry often over books, so that immediately puts it up a few notches in my estimation.

The incest angle: the incestuous nature of Maya and Lochan's relationship is not ignored or pushed aside by any means. They struggle with it, just as the reader will, as their heads war against their hearts and bodies. In some scenes it's easy to forget they're related, but in others it's brought up as an altogether too painful and wrenching reminder. It might squick you out a few times when you actually think about it (I don't have a brother, but I can imagine that would have made it even more uncomfortable for me as a reader) but it's impossible not to root for them all the same. They depend on each other so much, and are so fiercely loyal and protective of one another, that it just seems right for them to be together — even though, as Lochan points out, "How can something so wrong feel so right?" I really appreciated that Suzuma showed us how they could have gotten to this point; how, over time, after years of acting as a stand-in "mom" and "dad" to their younger siblings, and trusting no one outside of their family, they would turn to each other for romantic love as well. To them, it's natural to want each other, and their deepening relationship is both a blessing and a curse. It's the one bright spot in their lives and in this book — and yet it's what will surely be their downfall.

If I could change something... Before I read Forbidden I saw reviews criticize it for not having the most authentic teen boy's perspective, and for being rather melodramatic. And while I do see their points, neither of those criticisms weigh that much with me compared to everything else Forbidden has going for it. Yes, there is a lot of angst going on here (and I did think Maya reacts over-the-top in one part in particular), but if any couple deserves to exhibit some angst, it's these two. And fine, you're probably never going to meet a teenage guy as sensitive and thoughtful as Lochan, but I think the tough life he's had so far is at least partly an explanation for his unusual maturity.

I actually don't have much I would change in this one. There are a few points at which the drama is overstated and could be toned down to feel more real, and some of it feels a bit repetitive. Also, this is a tiny quibble, but I didn't like the pet name "my love" Lochan and Maya used for each other — it seemed out of place with the rest of the dialogue, too old-fashioned to be authentic for teens. But overall, I wouldn't tinker with it much at all (which is quite rare for me!)

In five words or less: painful, depressing, thought-provoking and amazing.

Quote:



I know that whatever the reasons for our feelings, however much I try to justify them, it doesn't change anything: Lochan cannot be my boyfriend. Out of the millions and millions of people that inhabit this planet, he is one of the tiny few I can never have. And this is something I must accept—even if, like acid on metal, it is slowly corroding me inside.

Read if: you're looking for a unique book that will make you hurt for the characters and what they're up against. But prepare to feel sucker-punched by the end.

Final verdict: 5 shooting stars. Suzuma gets major points just for having the guts to write a story about a topic most YA authors wouldn't dare touch. But the fact that it's a story with such a powerful emotional impact makes it worthy of 5 stars — and your reading time.

Note: I would only recommend this for older YA readers, as there is mature content (including explicit sexual content), themes, and language.

Mockingjay Review: No Spoilers Here!

Amazon's description:

"Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12. Powerful and haunting, this thrilling final installment of Suzanne Collins’s groundbreaking The Hunger Games trilogy promises to be one of the most talked about books of the year."

All right, so I just finished Mockingjay about an hour ago. Still can't really believe I'm done after all that anxious anticipation! Also, I can't believe that there won't be any more books in the series...it feels kind of like finishing the last Harry Potter did.

Anyway, on to my reaction: this last book is very, very dark. You thought The Hunger Games and Catching Fire were dark? Think again. Mockingjay is ten times that. I'm going to have to tread carefully here so I don't give anything away...but it's a fabulous final journey Suzanne Collins takes Katniss - and her readers - on.

The book starts out a little more slowly than the other two (a bit surprising, given the cliffhanger ending of Catching Fire), and generally the writing is not quite so full of fast-paced non-stop action as the previous novels. This makes sense, though - in the first two, Katniss was thrust into the arena, where we can expect a constant struggle for survival. In this last, it is a larger-scale, epic struggle for ideals and values that we deal with. And Collins plans, sets up, and executes this well. It's true that the pacing isn't quite as smooth as the first two books, maybe because those had a given structure to follow, while this one branched out into new territory and covered a lot of ground. However, because of the first two novels I was now heavily invested in finding out what happens to these characters I've grown to care about - so it was all right that there was a bit more strategizing going on in this last book, and fewer impulsive reactions (though there are certainly some of those as well!)

We get to see more of some of the side characters introduced in the second novel, which I really enjoyed. Finnick and Johanna both make an appearance and it was great to see their personalities being developed further. And of course, center stage is Katniss - I don't know that I'll ever understand her entirely, but she goes through a lot in this book and it's impossible not to empathize with her situation. I will say that because everything is from Katniss' perspective, at times we as the reader don't get to see the bigger picture, because Katniss doesn't see it. Since this book's written on a larger scale, this was sometimes frustrating for me in trying to visualize exactly what was happening. (On the plus side, however, this is realistic. One person, even if it's Katniss, is not going to be privy to everything that's happening in various parts of the country).

I did have a couple small complaints. One I can't really discuss without spoilers (big ones); the other was that Collins was a bit heavy-handed in her explanations of the metaphors used. I generally enjoyed these metaphors, but thought that it wasn't really necessary for her to explain each one so very thoroughly. Perhaps this was done because the book's marketed for teens, and younger readers won't fully understand the symbolism. However, I like there to be some more room for interpretation on the part of the reader as to the meaning.

Finally, a warning: there are some gut-wrenching events that take place. Characters died in the last two books, and I doubt it's a surprise to anyone that more die in this one. There are twists and turns you won't see coming, and some parts that will likely be very hard to read. If there's one thing Collins does such an amazing job of, it's demonstrating the power of the psyche, and the terrifying consequences of someone playing on your emotions and twisting your mind. Questions are raised about trust, friendship, loyalty, morality, compassion, revenge, humanity...and everyone seems to have a different answer.


Moreover, some things from Mockingjay just keep sticking with me. And what better sign of a well-written book is there?

5 out of 5 shooting stars.

Obedience: Review (Adult)

Will Lavender's Obedience is the type of book that you need to devour all in one sitting. It's a read-into-the-wee-hours-of-the-morning mystery with a huge dollop of psychology thrown in, and an ending that you will either love or hate. I loved it.

Set at a university, Obedience follows the lives of three university students - Mary, Brian, and Dennis - through a school term. All three are taking Logic and Reasoning 204, taught by the mysterious Professor Williams. No one knows exactly who he is, and yet he soon has the class eating out of the palm of his hand, each student eager to demonstrate they can be the one to crack the case he sets before them: a hypothetical murder. Who can discover the potential killer - and back it up with clear logical reasoning - before the term ends? Each week he gives another clue - time, place, motive, circumstance - but for a select few students, the events of their own lives are starting to bear eerie similarities to those of the assignment. And eventually they are forced to ask the question: just how much of this is a made-up exercise in logic - and how much of it is reality?

The books involving college or university students as protagonists are few and far between, and I certainly wish there were more like Obedience. I don't like my mysteries full of blood and gore, and thankfully this one is all about messing with your mind, with very little violence at all. The writing style kept me frantically flipping the pages to see what would happen next (I think I finished it in about two days.) It's one of those novels that gets you to question everything you're reading, look for hidden connections, and try to make sense of the seemingly impossible. Everything was written as though it were hiding something; you can tell this from the very first line in Chapter 1, "The strange thing about Williams was that nobody had ever seen him." While I never really connected strongly with any of the protagonists, it wasn't really that necessary for my enjoyment of this novel (which is unusual, because generally I like to be able to sympathize with at least one main character). Rather, it was all about figuring out the mystery, and the characters were just pieces of a larger picture.

I can't say too much without spoiling everything. Some Amazon reviews have complained about the ending as being too much of a cop-out, and while I can see where they're coming from, I still really enjoyed it. When I finished reading this book, my first reaction was just: WOW. Really, the only thing I find unfortunate is that I can never again have the exhilarating experience I had reading it for the very first time, now that I know all the secrets. Other than that, it's brilliant!

5 out of 5 shooting stars.

Just a head's-up that this is an adult novel and it does contain some sexual content and explicit language. Also, another warning: You may not want to read it right before bed!

The start of a new blog...

I've been following other YA book blogs for a while now and finding them a very valuable resource for discovering new books to check out (and also which ones just aren't worth it). So I thought I'd try my hand at it.

These next few books are all on my "favorites" shelf, so they are all of exceptional quality (and all get 5/5 stars)!



1.) The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale - The action begins when Princess Anidori journeys to the neighbouring country of Bayern to be wed to their prince, and her lady-in-waiting, Selia, incites a revolt. Forced into hiding as a goose girl while Selia pretends to be the true princess, Ani makes new friends among the commoners, develops her powers of "wind-speaking," and falls in love. But when Selia threatens to destroy all that Ani holds dear - will she have the strength to prove herself?

A re-telling of the fairytale, Hale's novel grabs you emotionally and doesn't let go. Her writing is lyrical and her characters are both true to life and true to the magical setting her novel takes place in. Though I've never read the original fairytale, and I don't know how much Hale changed, I thoroughly enjoyed this version.

2.) Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty

The first time I saw this book I actually wasn't too sure what to make of it and if it was really my kind of read. My mom was the one who suggested it and since it was on sale at Black Bond Books I thought, what the heck. So glad I made the purchase! This book is quirky and unbelievably funny, with a main character that teens can relate to, who matures at a realistic pace.



The story details the trials and tribulations of Elizabeth Clarry, in a unique format of notes from her mother, letters from a stranger (who becomes a friend) at another school, and communications from a variety of made-up organizations like "The Association of Teenagers." It's easy to empathize with the challenges Elizabeth faces and you will be rooting for her in no time! I can't promise, however, that you'll feel sorry for Celia - I never did.

Moriarty has written two other books in the series (focusing on different main characters) - The Year of Secret Assignments and The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie. I really enjoyed both of these as well and am eagerly anticipating her fourth, The Ghosts of Ashbury High, that comes out in June 2010.

3.) Sorcery and Cecelia, by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer



This book is also written in the format of letters, this time between two cousins living in Victorian times (which is my favorite era, of course). The twist? This is England with magic. And it has just about everything you could ask for - cunning magicians, evil stepmothers, complicated spells, plucky heroines, dashing gentlemen...and romance! I particularly like this novel because it started out as just a writing game between the two authors, and you can really tell they had lots of fun with it. All the little historical details are spot on and highly reminiscent of Georgette Heyer and Jane Austen (whom they pay tribute to in their acknowledgments). Overall a really fun read for lovers of history and magic alike.

4.) Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

This is another one of my comfort reads (and sort of has the same feel as Sorcery and Cecelia, in a way). Meliara is a countess with no interest in society's expectations and a passion for righting wrongs and upholding justice. When she refuses to give in to ruthless King Galdran's demands, the result is war - and in the process Meliara is injured and captured by the enemy troops. The man who holds her captive - Vidanric Renselaeus - is difficult to read and his motives seem ambiguous; Meliara can't quite figure him out but isn't sticking around to try. She manages to escape and the adventure begins...