Ender's Game

I'd heard some good things about this book, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. (I was pretty sure Zoe's story about Iggy and the Vampire Academy [or whatever it was called . . . it's been a while] was based off this book. And the premise was amazing. So I was looking forward to reading this.)

I enjoyed it immensely. It lived up to my expectations and even passed them. (I've got rather high expectations.) The twist ending was really amazing.

Stars:  9.5, because . . . I never really give anything a complete 10 stars.  I believe that books are amazing, but I can always find something that I disliked. 

Violence:  8.  Ender fights several people who attack him.  Two he kills because he goes too far. 

Romance:  2 for slight references to . . . parts.  Mainly in the cussing sense. 

Language:  8 for intense cussing.  B-words floated all over the place with Ender and his pals in null gravity. 

Appropriate for:  older kids

What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw!

This was a draft post that I never finished.  It's not a total review (it's missing the numbers, for one thing) but I figure I might as well post it. 

What Mrs. McGillicuddy Saw! by Agatha Christie details the investigation that follows Mrs. McGillicuddy seeing a woman being strangled in a passing train.  Though the body is not found, Miss Marple is convinced that the murder actually happened and enlists Lucy Eyelesbarrow to serve at a certain house where the body may be found.  Lucy actually finds the body, and the case that follows baffles the police and everyone concerned - except Miss Marple.

Lucy Eyelesbarrow is an practical, efficient girl, though lacking in Miss Marple's particular mental abilities.  Her trust in Miss Marple's good judgement is magnified through the book, first when she finds the body and second when Miss Marple actually solves the mystery.  She could be considered eccentric when she turns down a steady position for this more exciting and definitely more dangerous position, given that someone has been killed, and the murderer could kill again.

Simon Bloom, Gravity Keeper

Simon Bloom, The Gravity Keeper by Michael Reisman details the life of Simon Bloom, who finds an amazing Teacher's Edition of Physics which allows him to control some parts of physics.  He has to protect the Teacher's Edition from falling into the wrong hands - but who are the wrong hands? 

This book breaks the fourth wall by having an actual character called the Narrator.  The characters visit the Narrator and watch their story play out in real time.  I found this fascinating.  Not many stories that I've read have pulled this off.  In fact . . . I think the only other story which has broken the fourth wall is the sequel to this book, Simon Bloom:  The Octopus Effect. 

Stars: 8

Violence:  8.  As the kids fight using physics formulae, there is quite a lot of slamming people with cars, melting asphalt, setting clothes on fire, and slightly nauseous flying.  It's not graphic (no gaping wounds or anything) but with a sufficiently active imagination, this book could be quite disturbing.  Alternatively, it could be full of cool fight scenes.  It isn't really . . . after a while the ordinary fights get monotonous, even with all the action. 

Romance: 0.  It's a kids' book. 

Language: I don't remember any serious breaches of propriety as to the language . . . I think it should be fine. 

Appropriate for:  older kids

The Once and Future King

The Once and Future King by T. H. White was an amazing epic, nearly on the scale of Lord of the Rings (but not quite).  It followed King Arthur from his boyhood as the Wart in King Ector's castle to his old age with an unfaithful wife and a semi-traitorous best friend. 

It explained the motivations in the several love triangles and quadrangles that came up involving Guenever, Lancelot, King Arthur, Elaine, and even (referred to extremely reverently) God. 

 

 

Stars: 7
 

Violence:  7.  They are knights, after all. 

Romance: 8, because of the love triangles and quadrangles (even though they probably should be called squares or rectangles or even quadrilaterals). 

Language: 6.  These insulting knights are called chivalrous despite their language. 

Appropriate for:  older teens

The Stones of Abraxas

The Stones of Abraxas by K. Osborn Sullivan is a book with a great premise.  It falls short in some places, though.  They're mostly grammar and spelling technicalities.  While these don't detract from the book very much, they undermine the reader's confidence in this author.  I certainly could identify with the English teachers mentioned who "corrected both spelling and grammar on the room service menu."  And I was particularly shocked when I saw the list of no less than eleven people with "exceptional grammatical skills" in the front of the book who had assisted in the writing process.  I mean no disrespect to the author and her team of dedicated family and friends (examine the last names and you'll see that there are a few Sullivans and Osborns in there) but it seems that "exceptional grammatical skills" are not as exceptional as expected.  For example, on page 239, "praying mantis" was corrupted into "preying mantis"; what makes this particularly embarrassing is that the author said "praying mantis" on the facing page.  Another issue is the fact that drinks, while they may steam, do not smoke (page 279).  If they do, you should probably not be drinking them (by extension, this means that they are not drinks).  (This is a technicality and not a spelling or grammar problem.) 

WARNING:  The next paragraph contains major spoilers.  [spoiler]

Another problem with this book is the transparency of the Dartmur-as-a-spy-and-traitor plot.  From the very moment that Dartmur, the butler, hinted to David about the dungeon, I knew there was something fishy.  A suggestion was somewhat out of character for him.  It did not go with the entire butler theme.  Butlers are supposed to be silent people who speak only when spoken to.  While this may not be true of all butlers, this butler's character followed the rule. 

[/spoiler]

However, the rest of the suspense was great.  Not much else was given away. 

The writing style was not particularly impressive.  Switching between points of view rather abruptly didn't work here.  (Perhaps I did this in my novel . . . I don't remember.)  Some of the description was good, but not the best that I've ever seen. 

The verdict?  The grammar and spelling detracted somewhat from the book.  The plot was too transparent at times, but not always.  And the writing wasn't superior.  I would recommend this book for its premise - but only if you know where the grammar and spelling are wrong.  :)

Stars: 4

Violence:  6.  [spoiler] Adrian gets hit by a truck and falls over a steep cliff.  He's injured badly.  It isn't graphically described, but if your imagination is vivid, the words "mangled" and the image of "very slight movement; a hand opening and closing" bring to mind a rather unpleasant image of a human in distress.  [/spoiler]

Romance: 6.  Frogs ask human girls for kisses, and Amanda is more-than-casually-interested in a knight named John. 

Language: 1

Appropriate for:  junior high and up

The Awakening

The Awakening by Kate Chopin discusses the less publicized side of married life (at least in 1899):  infidelity.  At a summer resort, Mrs. Edna Pontellier meets a certain Robert.  When Robert decides to leave for Mexico, Edna realizes that she loves Robert.  She loses her sense of loyalty to her real husband when she returns home.  She also gets involved with a man named Alcee Arobin.  This conflict between men drives her to desperate measures. 

The language is amazing, injecting romance where you least expect it, such as this description of the sea: 

"The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation.

"The voice of the sea speaks to the soul.  The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace." 

[spoiler] This is particularly symbolic, as Edna later drowns in the sea.  So to speak, she listens to the voice of the sea when she enters extramarital relations.  The voice of the sea, while attractive at first, lures her into despair.  It's exactly like the Sirens in Greek mythology.  They sound and appear attractive, but in reality, they're flesh-eating monsters.  [/spoiler]


Doing the numbers: 

Stars: 9

Violence:  1, for although [spoiler] Edna drowns herself afterwards, it is not at all graphic.  [/spoiler]

Romance: 7, since that's the main concern of the book.  Nothing graphic was described. 

Language: 0

Appropriate for:  teenagers

Watership Down

Watership Down by Richard Adams is not about a maritime tragedy, despite its name.  It follows a band of buck rabbits leaving their home warren because one of them had a vision of destruction.  The title of the book comes from the down where they finally start a new warren.  They encounter rabbit groups in many conditions, including a warlike, overcrowded warren with a paranoid obsession with avoiding humans.  The warren, Efrafa, takes this obsession to the point of oppressing its rabbits.  The bucks plan a daring rescue which leads to a climactic war between the outnumbered Watership rabbits and the mighty Efrafan empire.

Adams' novel was reminiscent of some more recent works.  First, the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series by Kathryn Lasky (the first book is reviewed here) has a very close parallel between St. Aggie's and Efrafa.  Both have a restrictive society, heavy punishment for rule-breaking, infiltrators, and some disgruntled members of the rank-and-file.  In addition, those in both books are scarred, physically in Efrafa, mentally in both places.  No one leaves untouched, if able to leave at all.

Echoes of Watership Down's setting and plot were in the Warriors series by Erin Hunter.  A community of animals with a belief system involving reverence for ancestors is a common thread.  El-ahrairah, while not quite counting as an ancestor, is supposedly the first rabbit.  Premonitions set both stories in motion.  Fiver and Brambleclaw both receive visions of their home being destroyed.  Each sets off with some friends to find a new home.  Cats and rabbits also have many of the same enemies, so elil battles were mirrored in the Warriors series.

When the humans drive out the rabbits from the original Sandleford warren, it is like the humans driving out the rats in Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.  In both books, a bird is rescued and becomes a valuable ally.  They also describe small animals forced to abandon their homes because of humans.

Watership Down is such a classic book that many subsequent writers have emulated its plot, characters, and premise.  I would highly recommend this novel to everyone over the age of 11.  It is a stimulating, thoughtful adventure into the world of the rabbit that enables us to see more clearly into our own.


The numbers:

Stars: 9

Violence: 8, the rabbits got in fights a lot and one named Blackavar got his ears torn into shreds.  

Romance: 5.  The Watership rabbits started their interactions with Efrafa by asking to take some does back to the Watership warren.  When Bigwig is discussing the rebellion with Hyzenthlay, he pretends to be mating with her so that no one will ask questions.  Nothing physical or graphic.  

Language: 6 for d--n.  Bigwig can be a foulmouthed rabbit at times.  

Appropriate for:  11 and up

No Talking

Title: No Talking

Author: Andrew Clements

Summary:  Dave, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, tries going one whole school day without talking.  At lunch, a girl named Lynsey jabbering away to her friends sparks Dave into launching a fifth-grade-wide contest of who can say the fewest words in the next two days.  Dave keeps score for the girls and Lynsey keeps score for the boys.  Three-word answers were permissible when asked a question by a teacher - anything over that got counted.  The teachers discover the plot.  Most say it's disruptive, but Mr. Burton thinks it's very interesting.  He helps the kids explore their interactions with each other, having them pass notes instead of talking during one class, to make them think about what they're writing and how different it is from talking.  However, the principal makes a speech to prohibit their contest.  Though they agree with her verbally, they only use three words - the contest is still on.  Finally the principal yells at the entire fifth grade.  She steps out of line, and Dave stands up to her, breaking his silence and saying many illegal words.  It could destroy the boys' chance of winning the contest, but everyone in the fifth grade applauds him.  Later, Dave is sent to the principal's office.  He forgives her and invites her to join the contest.  

From that point forward, the contest is for the whole school.  On Thursday, they tally up the illegal words on both sides.  The boys are losing because of Dave's speech to the principal, and everyone knows it.  Just before the clock gets to twelve, when the contest would end, Lynsey intentionally says exactly the right number of words to tie the boys and the girls.  Dave and Lynsey, formerly enemies, have forged the sentiment of a team not only between each other, but also between the boys and the girls of fifth grade.  

Stars: 8

Violence: 0.  This book explored words and interactions more than the physical.  

Romance: 2 for when a girl kissed a boy on the cheek just to get him to exclaim in disgust (giving the boys more words).  

Language: 0

Appropriate for:  6 and up

Other:  This book really explored friendship and communication.  The humanizing of the principal and the friendship of Lynsey and Dave were a few of the communication aspects.  

Usually a common enemy builds friendships.  The teachers and the principal weren't really enemies, but they tried to stop the fifth graders.  Lynsey and Dave stood together, and while arranging everything so that they could continue their contest, they formed a relationship, which was a bridge between the male and female sides of the fifth grade.  

Sphinx's Princess

Title: Sphinx's Princess

Author: Esther Friesner

Summary:   Nefertiti, niece of the Queen of Egypt, is brought to the palace at Thebes.  She is coerced into marrying the crown prince, Thutmose, in three years' time.  He turns out to be a cold, boring person.  Nefertiti prefers his sister, Sitamun, and his brother, Amenhophis.  But then Thutmose becomes jealous and forbids her from seeing Amenhophis.  Then he gets her accused of a crime she hadn't done - killing his beloved cat.  It's only a crime because cats are sacred to Bast, an Egyptian goddess.  She is imprisoned, and a viper comes in to kill her at night - an obvious murder attempt.  

Stars: 7.  This was pretty good, actually.  Great description and all.  

Violence: 6 for Nefertiti kicking Thutmose in the leg and a bruise on Amenhophis (because Thutmose hit him).  

Romance: 7, there's an entire romantic tangled rivalry between Amenhophis and Thutmose.  Though Thutmose is obviously the worse choice for most of the book (the 5% in which he's being nice is a total fake, as Nefertiti finds out later), he is the crown prince.  In addition, he was the one who was supposed to marry Nefertiti.  

Language: 4, if you count swearing by Egyptian gods as swearing.  If not, then 0.  

Appropriate for:  Younger teen

Other: Friesner really captures my attention with her writing.  I barely even notice the writing style, because the story is so absorbing.  It sucks you in.  Luckily, reading is a pretty healthy addiction.  Just get everything you need to get done first before picking up this book, okay?  

The Capture

Title: The Capture

Author: Kathryn Lasky

Summary: Soren is snatched by the owls of St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls.  The Academy, also known as St. Aggie's, "moon blinks" their owls, causing them to mindlessly obey what the Academy tells them.  Gylfie, another owl, helps Soren resist being moon blinked.  Together they discover a plot to control all owls.  Two owls who secretly oppose St. Aggie's help Soren and Gylfie to escape.  Their names are Hortense and Grimble, and both are discovered and killed.  Once outside, Soren and Gylfie meet Twilight and Digger.  Both owls have been affected by St. Aggie's egg and owlet snatchings.  Together, they set off for the island where it is said the legendary Ga'Hoole owls live.  

Stars: 8.  The characters and description were amazing.   

Violence: 6, for when Hortense and Grimble are killed.  An owl who discovers Hortense giving one of the eggs she sits on to an eagle pushes Hortense off a cliff.  Her death isn't visually described.  The only thing said was that Hortense's voice grew fainter.  
Grimble, who fought an owl to help Soren and Gylfie escape St. Aggie's, was killed in that fight.  Soren and Gylfie were flying (and it was told from their perspective) so not much was described.  The "torn owl, bleeding and mortally wounded" was said to have "torn wings [and a] head at a weird angle", but that was it.  
The vampire bats who came and sucked owls' blood as a part of the St. Aggie's regime were not described in bloody detail.  (In fact, not a speck of blood was described . . .)  The procedure was quite ghastly enough.  

Romance: 0.  Finally I review a book with no romance.  

Language: 0.  There were no swear words, but there was one invented bad word (like D'Arvit in Artemis Fowl).  It was "racdrops", short for raccoon droppings.  

Appropriate for:  8 and up.  

Other: The description was amazing.  The best scene was Grimble's death.  "The night was splattered with blood" completely captured the spirit of the moment without giving too many gruesome details.  It also calls the reader's attention away from the physical cruelty of the murder and hints at the disruption of a larger cosmic order.  
A movie based on the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series came out recently.  It's apparently based on the first three books. Here's the review (written by my friend Gecko).