The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Science Fiction
Published: 2008
Series: The Hunger Games
Next in Series: Catching Fire

Review:

Panem: a dystopia that rose from the ashes of what used to be the United States of America and Canada, formed by twelve districts which are completely subservient to their Capitol. One district reduced to ashes in a civil war 74 years ago. As retribution for that war each district is required to draw by lottery the names of one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to compete in the Hunger Games, the ultimate in reality TV, with all citizens required to watch. There the tributes must fight to the death, for there can only be one victor in the annual Hunger Games.

Katniss: cold and calculating, yet vulnerable and scared, sacrificed herself to save her twelve year old sister. The female tribute from district 12.

Peeta: son of the local baker, unused to finding his own food or being hungry, has loved Katniss since he was five. The male tribute from district 12.

Haymitch: drunk and vicious, victim of post traumatic stress, coach to the tributes from District 12. The only surviving victor from district 12.

Gripping to the point of obsession, The Hunger Games draws a reader in like a moth to a flame. From chapter one on, it’s near impossible to put down. Don’t think that getting to the end of a chapter will help, because it each one ends in such a way that it would be easier to rip out a tooth than to stop reading. Katniss does what she has to do to survive. But it’s Peeta who really stands out as the moral character, who does what he must to save those he cares for. Unheralded, but with the potential to be the next “Harry Potter”, The Hunger Games is unlike anything I’ve read, where no one is exactly what they seem and everyone has a deadly secret.

Perspective:
The Hunger Games is told from Katniss’s point of view, in first person.

My Thoughts:
This book literally blew me away. I stayed up reading until 2 am, which is a bad thing when you have work at 7AM, and couldn’t sleep after I put it down because I was still thinking about it. The Hunger Games will work themselves into your life and into your dreams. The fascinating world developed by Ms. Collins is as captivating as it is terrifying.

It is, hands-down, dominating the top five books I have ever read, and I couldn't wait to get the second one.

Favorite Scene:
This is a toss-up between Katniss and Peeta in the cave when they’re both wounded and Katniss’s response to Rue’s death. Both had me near tears, but for very different reasons.

Who this book is best for:
Teenagers will relate immediately to both Katniss and Peeta, but people of all ages can enjoy this book.

Violence: 4 of 5. The tributes are there to kill each other, and death happens in some extremely unpleasant ways.

Stars: 5 of 5. Outstanding.

Murder at Longbourn

Title: Murder at Longbourn
Author: Tracy Kiely
Genre: Mystery
Published: 2009

Review:
Elizabeth Parker isn’t sure what to do for New Year’s Eve. Her boyfriend turned out to be a cheating dirt bag, so that’s out. Her sister means well but likes to remind her that she isn’t getting any younger, so that’s out too. Her best friend Bridget and Bridget’s boyfriend Colin are going to NYC, but Colin is going to propose, so that’s three strikes. When Aunt Winnie’s invitation to her Cape Cod B&B for a Murder Mystery New Years comes in, it seems like a blessing.

Then Elizabeth gets there and finds out her school-hood nemesis, Peter, is helping run the B&B and things sort of take a turn downhill. This only continues to spiral down when someone actually does die during the Murder Mystery. Suddenly the party at her sister’s place doesn’t seem like it would have been so terrible after all. At least then she wouldn’t have been a suspect in a murder case. But on the other hand, she wouldn’t be there to help keep the police from arresting an innocent Aunt Winnie.

Filled with tons of Jane Austen allusions and other jokes for “well read” readers, this book was a page-turner from start to finish. Elizabeth was fun and easy to relate to. The descriptions are well done. (My favorite being the detective’s voice being similar to that of the chain-smoking aunts from the Simpsons.)

Perspective:
Murder at Longbourn is Elizabeth’s story and she’s the one who tells it. First person all the way.

My Thoughts:
Just as I was told I would, I loved this book. I enjoyed checking various characters to see if they’d be spoofs of Jane Austen’s characters or catch the lines from Pride and Prejudice before they told you where it was from.

Favorite Scene:
I really enjoyed Elizabeth’s chat with the Detective at the teashop. It was hilarious and disturbing at the same time.

Who this book is best for:
Any adult who enjoys mysteries would like this book, but it’s best for those who also enjoy Jane Austen and other classic literature.

Violence: 2 of 5. It’s a murder mystery, so there’s some death and violence.

Stars: 4.5 stars

His Majesty's Dragon

Title: His Majesty’s Dragon
Author: Naomi Novik
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2007
Series: Temeraire
Next in Series: The Jade Throne

Review:
Captain Lawrence is a proud member of His Majesty’s Navy during the Napoleonic war. When we first join him he’s busy taking a French ship and is more than a little surprised at how vehemently they’re resisting falling into English hands. When one of his midshipmen tells him what’s in the hold, he suddenly understands. The French were carrying a dragon egg that is very close to hatching. Knowing that this beast is the exact boost the English Aerial Corps needs for its smaller and genetically weak fleet, Captain Lawrence has his officers draw straws to see who will attempt to harness the dragon when it hatches.

And then things begin to go awry. The beastie hatches and refuses to accept its harness from the chosen officer. Instead it walks right up to Captain Lawrence and asks him why he looks so sad, dragging Lawrence away from the life he chose and into the Aerial Corps. What’s he to do? He names the dragon Temeraire and abdicates the ship to his Second Lieutenant, since the First Lieutenant is already in charge of the prize vessel.

The Aerial Corps isn’t exactly thrilled to have a navy man, either. He’s not been indoctrinated into their ways. He doesn’t understand their tactics. He’s too ridged. He may not accept their instructions. And he has one of the best dragons in the Corps.

Overall though, Lawrence is well drawn. It’s easy to see where he’s coming from and relate to the displeasure and annoyance he feels with his sudden change in status. He’s no longer an eligible bachelor and he’s been taken away from the sea. Despite this, he is thankful for what he has and adapts quickly. Similarly, Temeraire stands apart from the other cast of characters. He’s intelligent and eagerly devours the books Lawrence reads to him. Unlike many other “smart” dragons in various series, he isn’t just a reflection of his rider. He has thoughts and ideas all his own, which at times conflict with things deemed important in Regency England.

Sadly, the wonderful characterization ends there. The other dragons and Captains that Temeraire and Lawrence serve with are hardly drawn at all. I had no feeling of who Captain Roland was, nor did it even seem to matter that she was a female. I felt no sting at a person’s betrayal because I didn’t know whom they were and didn’t care about their motives, nor could I feel sorrow for a comrade’s death because it was like reading an obituary from another country. “Pity Great Aunt Mildred’s third cousin twice removed husband’s mother’s college roommate died, isn’t it?” I just couldn’t work up any feelings either way.

Perspective:
Third person limited, sticking with Lawrence.

My Thoughts:
I love books with dragons and I love historical fiction books… but this one fell a little flat. Despite the obviously close relationship between Lawrence and Temeraire I found it out of character for Lawrence to call Temeraire “My Dear”. Also, too many sentences of dialogue started with “Pray.” While that was a common phrase in the Regency era, I don’t think it was used that often and it got on my nerves. In the end, it was decent but not stellar. I probably could have found a better use for those 6 or 7 hours.

Favorite Scene:
Lawrence’s conversation with Jane Roland made me laugh.

Who this book is best for:
Adults who are obsessively into alternate history or dragons may like it. Otherwise, it doesn’t seem worth it.

Violence: 1 of 5, for description of dragons eating, which apparently leaves them messy and entrails strewn about.

Stars: 2 of 5

The Hound of Rowan

Title: The Hound of Rowan
Author: Henry H. Neff
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2008
Series: Book One of the Tapestry
Next in Series: The Second Siege

Review:
Max McDaniels and his dad are visiting the Chicago Art Museum like they do every year on his mother’s birthday. It’s their way of remembering her. While sketching a suit of armor, 12 year old Max is chased by a stranger and finds himself in an off limits section of the museum. It contains an old, dull tapestry, and Max can’t quite tell what it represents until with a twang it springs into a full color depiction of the cattle raid of Cooley. Little does Max realize that this has sparked his entry into a secret world of mysticism and mayhem as he is granted admission to the Rowan Academy.

But Rowan isn’t the only group that is interested in Max and his unique abilities. A dark group, called only the Enemy, are out to steal him as they have kidnapped so many other adept children before Max. And even his arrival at Rowan doesn’t stop them, for there is a traitor in the school, bent on its destruction.

Harry Potter set the standard that all other boarding school novels will be set against for quite some time, but Hound of Rowan stands up to it nicely. Thankfully, other than the fact that they both involve magical boarding schools and a powerful enemy, the books have little in common. Max is an exemplary student, most of the time, and sufficiently creative to weasel out of trouble just often enough to make the reader respect his ingenuity. He and his classmates cooperate well, and provide a great example of how much can be achieved if you work together.

Rowan, on the Connecticut Seaboard, delightfully blends magic and technology into a cohesive and believable environment. The students’ rooms are a fantastically creative and school grounds are well planned. Max’s classes catch the reader’s attention but the magic is so different from that used in the Harry Potter world that it is difficult to even compare the two.

A few of the schools’ inhabitants (mostly Mum and Bob) are silly enough to entertain the kids the book is written for, but a bit aggravating to adults reading along with them. Thankfully, they are relatively minor characters. My main gripe was the magical companions the students receive. Max’s companion, the last of the Black Forrest Lymrills, Nick, didn’t add anything to the story or seem to serve any purpose other than being “cool” or to provide an excuse to go to the sanctuary.

Overall, the story moved along at a quick clip, delightfully blending the modern world with Celtic mythology and magic.

Perspective:
Hound of Rowan is told in third person limited.


My Thoughts:
Hound of Rowan is Mr. Neff’s first book, and was a lot of fun to read. Kids and parents will both enjoy the quirky sense of humor and the shivers of excitement (and occasionally fear) that he draws into his prose. The grammar was well done, and all the characters spoke in ways you would expect. Very enjoyable.

Favorite Scene:
I loved the unsanctioned class expedition to the Kestrel. It made my spine tingle with the fear of being caught.

Who this book is best for:
I would put the target audience at 10-13, but it’s so well written that anyone can enjoy the story.

Violence: 2 of 5

Stars: 4 of 5

The Graveyard Book

Title: The Graveyard Book
Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2008

Review:
The boy’s family was murdered when he was about eighteen months old. Just big enough to totter around, he wandered out of the house and up the hill into the nearby graveyard while the killer searched around for him. There he is taken in by unlikely pair named Mr. and Mrs. Owens, who were never able to have children. The only problem is that they’ve been dead for about two hundred years. The graveyard residents aren’t sure what to do with the boy, who has no name but what the Owens gave him, so they give him the Freedom of the Graveyard and name him Nobody.

Nobody Owens grows up very differently than most children. All of his best friends are dead. In fact, everyone he associates with has been dead since Victoria was Queen. His guardian is a vampire named Silas. He learns his letters and numbers from the fellow residents of his graveyard, and he thinks nothing of sleeping in a tomb every night. It’s all he’s ever known. The outside world isn’t safe for Nobody Owens, yet as he grows he dreams of meeting the living. But it isn’t safe, he’s told. The Man Jack is still looking for him.

And so Nobody Owens’ story is that of most people: that of self discovery. Nobody just does it better than everyone else, perhaps because Death isn’t something that frightens him. He lives in the world, and is more aware of his world, than anyone else because he learned from the dead that life is your chance to make your mark on the world, to go out and do what you can, to be who you can and to make the most of every moment.

We only follow Nobody for about thirteen years of his life, but he does more in those thirteen than most people accomplish in fifty, and for that he is a truly remarkable individual. But what is most charming about Nobody is his sweet naïveté. He can discuss for hours the uses of Ghoul Gates or who the Lady on the Grey is, but something as simple as “P is for Pig” delights him. He’ll anger fellow graveyard residents to borrow the books they have or find the deepest of the Tombs and confront those who live there. It’s Nobody’s character, delightful in al its angles, that kept me reading. And when it was over I wanted more but loved that that was all there was written down about Nobody. Gaiman’s ability to leave some adventures open to the reader’s imagination only adds to the joy his books bring.

Perspective:
The Graveyard book is told from third person limited, following Nobody Owens on his adventures.

My Thoughts:
This book was another one nominated by Jean-Luc, and it didn’t disappoint. At first I was reminded quite a lot of Johnny and the Dead by Terry Pratchett, but as the story progressed I found this was due only to the location at which the story takes place and the fact that many of the main characters are deceased. I almost cried at the end, because I was so happy for Bod, but so sad that it was over. I think it’s perhaps the best book I’ve read by Neil Gaiman, a prolific author with many wonderful works to his credit. I would recommend it to anyone and was a delight to read.

Favorite Scene:
My favorite scene was when Bod confronted the Sleer with Scarlett in tow. Fascinating, creepy, exciting and thought provoking. But then, I've always been fascinated with the Celts. The chapter titled “The Witch” was also great.

Who this book is best for:
Listed as suitable for 9-12 year olds on Amazon, I would disagree. I would keep this for kids 11 years or up, despite the easy writing style and age of the main character, because of what goes on during the story’s climax. 9 may be a little too young to deal with some of the themes explored in The Graveyard Book. However, it has won the Newbery Medal and completely deserved it.

Violence: 3 of 5 for the creepy Sleer and the Jacks of All Trades.

Stars: 5 of 5

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies - The Classic Regency Romance Now with Ultra-violent Zombie Mayhem
Author: Jane Austen and Seth Garahame-Smith
Genre: Classic/Fantasy
Published: 2009

Review:
Mix these two lines: "...A single man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife..." and "...A zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains..." and you'll have the mish-mash that is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The classic tale of the five Bennet sisters’ struggle to get some husbands, preferably rich ones, now has the added terror of the undead rampaging through Britain.

Don't let the title fool you: many of the characters bear little resemblance to those from the original. At first they're not such marked differences. Jane is still disgustingly sweet to everyone. Lydia is still a reptilian little wretch. Mrs. Bennet doesn’t care about anything but seeing her daughters well married. And so Elizabeth and her sisters routinely behead the undead, who always seem to arrive just in time to ruin a ball or party. So what? Mr. Darcy finally found a sense of humor? Good. Mr. Bennet took lovers when his daughters were training in the Orient? Who doesn't? And the disgusting plague explains some of what went unsaid in the original: Why is there a whole Army regiment stationed in Meryton? Well, if the place is overrun with unmentionables eating or inflicting their unfortunate plague on the general populace it makes total sense.

But over all, the story stalled. Seeing how the beloved characters would respond to the new threat only held my interest for about half of the book, and then it was a struggle to finish. The constant conflict between Shaolin training and what the higher class nobles receive in Kyoto aren’t differentiated. Not once does the reader see the difference between the two, but apparently it matters enough for Elizabeth to eat someone’s heart over it. The heat between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth seems forced and even unbelievable in certain instances. Mostly, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was a good idea that stagnated.

Perspective:
Third person limited, P&P&Z follows Elizabeth for most of the story, and Darcy a few times.

My Thoughts:
Maybe my expectations were too high for this book. I love the original, and at first the language and actions of the characters followed it very closely. Yet the further into the story I went, the less involved I felt and the more obtuse everyone grew. I think it lost me completely with Elizabeth calmly munching on someone’s heart after killing three ninjas blindfolded. Eating someone’s heart may have been fine in Last of the Mohicans, but it doesn’t fit with Regency England at all.

Favorite Scene:
Mr. Darcy sallying up and returning snide remarks for every compliment Ms. Bingley gave him while he wrote a letter was pretty funny. It seemed like the things he was always thinking but was too polite to ever say.

Who this book is best for:
I’d keep this for adults or mature high-schoolers. It gets pretty violent, ala Dawn of the Dead.

Violence: 5 of 5 for zombies eating living people, heart eating and random dismemberment. Besides, in the title it calls itself "ultra-violent".

Stars: 2 of 5

Beauty

Title: Beauty
Author: Robin McKinley
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 1978

Review:
Grace, Hope and Honour - who as a child didn't understand her name and asked to be called Beauty, for all that it didn't and still doesn't suit her - are the daughters of the failed merchant, Roderick Huston. They live with Hope's fiancé, a blacksmith in the town of Blue Hill far to the north of the city they grew up in. One day, years after their relocation, word comes that one of their missing four ships has returned at last. Roderick sets out at once to meet up with his former employees, and perhaps discover the fate of the other three vessels, but before he leaves he asks his daughters what they would like from the city of their birth. Grace and Hope ask for jewels and gold. He knows they are joking, for they have no use for such things now. Beauty, always practical, asks for seeds. Rose seeds for their garden.

It is not to be. Rose bushes and rose cuttings can be found in abundance, but they would not survive the two month trip back to Blue Hill. The return journey is uneventful, and Roderick leaves the caravan he traveled with close to his home. This is when the story truly starts, for he is set upon by a blizzard. Lost and alone in the forest he stumbles into a castle where invisible servants provide everything he needs. On his way out the castle gates towards home, he snaps off a single red rose to take home to Beauty. The Beast appears, and after hearing Roderick's story demands he return in a month to die or let one of his daughters, who agrees to come of her own free will, come to spend the rest of her life at the castle.

What makes this version of Ms. McKinley's retelling so enthralling is Beauty herself and how she responds to the magic of the castle and to the Beast. She takes it all in stride, and makes it work for her as though magic were always part of her life, not something new and a little bit frightening. From books that don’t quite exist yet or convincing her placid horse that the Beast won’t eat him, Beauty wiggles her way into a stifled world, sending out ripples that change everything the Beast and we know about the classic story. Because Beauty is a strong character she creates strong situations around her. While she feels she isn’t physically beautiful, and is described as awkward and gawky, Beauty has enough intelligence that even a doctoral admissions board would have to pay attention to her, and that makes her shine.

Perspective:
Beauty is told from Beauty’s perspective, in first person.

My Thoughts:
I do prefer Rose’s Daughter of the two Beauty and the Beast retellings that Ms. McKinley has done because I love its’ ethereal quality, but if for nothing else I would adore Beauty for her brains. Young ladies need strong role models, and most of the “princess” types (Cinderella, Little Mermaid, etc) don’t usually fit into that category. Beauty has potency, passion, ideals and depth. Beauty accepts everyone for who they are, even if it means overcoming her own terror. She shines off the page as someone I wish I could be. This is a much more personal Beauty and the Beast than any other I’ve read. It draws you in. The flowers are fragrant, the people are full of personality, and even the animals show you that they’re cognizant of their world.

Favorite Scene:
I love when Beauty introduces Greatheart to the Beast. The scene is so tense and heartrending that it makes you wonder how this poor girl can ever make things work.

Who this book is best for:
Beauty is probably more of a book for girls than for boys, but it’s suitable for anyone over about 12.

Violence: 0 of 5. The worst thing that happens is a horse being spanked on the rump.

Stars: 3.5 of 5