There is so much to love about this book. Don't be scared off by its description: Doug Swieteck may have an abusive father, his brother's life may be devastated from the war in Vietnam, and his family may have moved to a small, dinky town in New York that he absolutely hates, but I promise you one thing...
...You. Will. Laugh.
Not only that, but you will laugh hard.
This ought to be impossible, considering the subject matter, but think otherwise! Since Doug is our narrator, we see the world through his eyes, and so what normally might be considered inappropriate for young readers is handled with tact and care. The result is enlightening.
But it gets better. Schmidt brings art into the picture, here - the art of John James Audobon, to be exact, connecting the emotions in the paintings to the emotions of the characters. Not only is this cleverly done, but with each chapter you come away more educated than the last.
Then, reader, there is the prose. I've heard it said that Schmidt's prose is flawless.
It is.
There were sentences that took my breath away and gave me chills, so that I simply had to read them again and again in order to drink up the words.
Wit, art, history, and the journey of many characters, whether or not they all get what they deserve. A companion novel to The Wednesday Wars, this is a story that, my dear reader, can only be described as fantastic.
Appropriate for ages 14+
How would you react if you knew you were beautiful to the point that it made your sister green with envy? How would you change if you knew you were going to rule an entire kingdom (in this case Sparta) one day? For Helen of Troy, this is her reality. Then again, maybe she doesn't have so much power, because the Fates have already mapped out her destiny: she will marry, become queen, and raise children. Simple.
Or not.
As a young girl, Helen questions everything about her world, and while she has her faults, she's also funny and kind. This translated into a strong character as she grew up, and I loved being given the opportunity to get to know her.
Besides that, there was also an interweaving between Greek mythology and the perspective of a girl with an independent spirit, which I thought was the best part about Nobody's Princess. Though I've never been a fan of Greek mythology, it's integral to Helen's life, and I didn't mind - even enjoyed - reading about it because I liked Helen and wanted to understand how she saw the world.
However, the ending stopped too abruptly for me. Even though there's a sequel, it felt a little empty, and I needed more closure.
That aside, there are so many great things about this book! Helen is strong and happy to let herself grow. She has a wonderful family and wants to travel the world. Helen's dreams became your dreams, and I respect and admire Esther Friesner for helping me to experience all that and more.
Appropriate for ages 14+
I read this book while covered in welts from a certain incident I had with poison ivy, and when a story can keep your attention while your skin is itching as well as pulsing like it's on fire ... let's just say you know that story is good.
At first, though, I was a little skeptical. Even though I've read all of Lisa Mangum's novels and enjoyed them, this book essentially happens during the course of one single day. Sara is visiting New York, a photographer and an artist at heart. Sam is something of an enigma, and noticing him from afar, Sara snaps a picture of him.
My skepticism boiled down to this: how can you establish relationships, plot, and all the other intricacies involved in book-making when all you give yourself is one day? For Mangum, the answer, I believe, came down to two steps.
1) The reader has to have a conversation with both Sara and Sam. Thus, the first chapter was written in a first-person narrative, following Sara every step of the way. The second chapter focused on Sam ... but in third person.
I had to take a step back there. Looking at the story from this angle was something I had never encountered. Mangum was bold to do it, but it was absolutely right. I loved seeing the story not only from each character's perspective, but from the stylistic differences between narrators, as well.
2) Sara and Sam's journey, while physical, has to be primarily emotional. This book delves intensely into these people's heads, into the stories that haunt their past. It surprised me. When you first pick up After Hello it promises to be a light read. And while it has all sorts of quirky and light-hearted moments, it was much more serious than I expected. Sometimes that weighed me down a little. Sometimes I doubted that such a story could even take place.
But then, I thought, isn't that the magic of stories? That sometimes the impossible CAN happen, and even the smallest of items, like sugar packets, can be the start of something greater? Something better?
I think so.
Appropriate for ages 15+
"'All good stories--stories that touch your soul, stories that change your nature, stories that cause you to become a better person from their telling--these stories always contain truth.'"
For Sang Ly, a woman who lives in a dump in Cambodia with her small son and husband, the truth is what she is must discover. Will her boy Nisay ever get better? Will her husband always have to pick trash for a living? Is there hope in this world where garbage as tall as mountains loom before you and toxic rivers stain your feet?
The answer is yes.
The discovery of hope is different for Sang Ly than she anticipated, though, because she must look for it in the neighborhood rent collector, Sopeap Sin, a woman despised and otherwise known as "the Cow."
This story is glorious on so many levels, following the journey of individuals who have true strength and courage. These people are "swimming in literature," and not because there are discarded books at the dump, but because each one of them have a story ... as long as they are willing to read them in one another.
I didn't tear through this book in a single night, though there were moments when I was gripped to the words on the page. Instead, reading this book is like eating a bowl of rice and taking it one grain at a time, enjoying the people, the places, and the stories that are so perfect on their own, but that are even better as a whole.
There are stories that excite, and stories that make you laugh. There are stories that make you cry and stories that make you feel fear. And then there are stories that change your life.
This is one of those stories.
Appropriate for ages 18+
I'll admit that from the beginning, my relationship with this book was a little bipolar. The reviews were positive, the cover lovely, and the plot seemed promising, but when I delved into the first thirty pages, I honestly didn't know what to think. At first, my frustration came down to the dialogue.
In a writing workshop I attended once, we studied the art of dialogue, an aspect I had never truly considered as being particularly noteworthy in a novel. How wrong I was! Dialogue can provide a much anticipated break from a lengthy narration. It should sparkle and delight. And it absolutely should not become the narration.
So, imagine my puzzlement as Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career was chuck full of dialogue, and not all of it quite necessary. This made the characters a little less realistic to me, as the heroine seemed to have a heart of pure gold, and her family nothing short of ridiculous. I wanted to see more, rather than hear it through the lips of half a dozen minor characters.
Still, I persisted, and almost without my knowing it, I got caught up in the story. Ellen Grimsley wants to conquer the world by making maps, traveling the world, and going to school in Oxford. But in a world where men dominate the paths towards education and enlightenment, this is more easily dreamed of than done. When a certain partner in crime and confidant comes along, however, suddenly Ellen's dreams and determination to make her mark upon the academic world are not so far out of reach.
Before long, I was reading this novel voraciously, eager to find out the end. I truly did enjoy it, though I still felt some aspects were a bit wanting. Some of the characters seemed to be practically different people in the middle than they were at the beginning, and the progression of the plot was a little too drawn out. But it was decent, rewarding, and ended just as it should. So, for what it's worth, a hodgepodge review of Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career. Perhaps you can make better sense of it than I can.
Appropriate for ages 18+
When I finished reading The Runaway King, I literally did a happy dance in my living room. I then looked in the mirror and proclaimed that I wanted to be Jennifer Nielsen, because why wouldn't you want to be Jennifer Nielsen? Once you read the book, you'll understand what I'm talking about. Until then...
I don't know how you can start out with a bigger bang in a novel than Nielsen did here. "I had arrived early for my own assassination." I swear, the woman is a genius. The pace of the first few chapters was so energetic that it left me completely enthralled. How I had missed Jaron and his commentary that made me laugh at every turn. How I had missed the adventure! And I even stumbled upon The False Prince a little late in the game, so I didn't have to wait long for the second book. Still, though, I had missed it. Still, I had been desperately wanting more.
The only thing that slowed me down in reading this was it took awhile for Jaron to reach the lair of the pirates, one of his main destinations. Looking back, I can see that the delay was necessary, but in the meantime there was a little less action to keep the storyline moving. However, once Jaron does meet the pirates the plot picks up again, and the wait, I can assure you, was worth it.
Having to wait is hardly a complaint, though. Nielsen's characters are beautifully developed. This makes for a protagonist who is funny and brave and fearless, but who also places all his self doubts on the table for you to see. His honesty to the reader is unmatched, creating not so much of a character as a living human being. I've never seen anything quite like it, and the result is absolutely captivating.
Appropriate for ages 14+ (due to some violence)
Yes, I am reviewing another book by Janette Rallison. This is not my fault. If she didn't write such appealing books, then I wouldn't have this problem of having to read every one that I can get my hands on. So, go blame her, if you want, though instead you should probably erect a statue in her honor.
Alexia Garcia is more or less the girl next door. She's a straight A student, an NHS member, and has a flaming temper. She also looks remarkably similar to the famous singer Kari Kingsley and is offered the job of a lifetime, a job requiring that she pretend to be Kari when the pop star can't attend some of her more unimportant events.
This novel is different from the others I've read by Janette Rallison. For a change, I wasn't laughing throughout all the awkward circumstances that occur while Alexia pretends to be someone else. This is because she's a different kind of character than those Rallison usually chooses as her protagonists. Alexia has had a conservative upbringing and a conscience that never leaves her side. She's also extremely sensible. This doesn't mean that the story wasn't still comedic or swoon-worthy, it just unfolds differently. Alexia is cautious by nature... even when she's reckless. So, it takes awhile for her to get caught up in her new life, but once she does, the novel takes off at breakneck speed and you won't want to put it down.
My Double Life isn't just about pretending to be a celebrity, though. It's about Alexia finding a part of her that she feels has always been missing. And as unlikely as it sounds that she'll find it in LA, there's something... or perhaps someone... there that she hopes can fill that void. But how do you find yourself while hiding your identity, and in Hollywood, no less? You'll just have to read it to find out.
Appropriate for ages 16+ (and the ebook is currently available for only $2.99 on Amazon! Can't beat that!)
