Review: Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity review

Tags: young adult, middle grade, historical fiction, World War II, pilots, concentration camps, poetry

Summary

While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious women's concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that’s in store for her?

Elizabeth Wein, author of the critically-acclaimed and best-selling Code Name Verity, delivers another stunning WWII thriller. The unforgettable story of Rose Justice is forged from heart-wrenching courage, resolve, and the slim, bright chance of survival.

Review

For me, Code Name Verity's domination of the YA literary scene came about not from its compelling premise and thriller-like aspects, but from the strength of Elizabeth Wein's writing, of her writing voice. Which is why I never had a doubt that ROSE UNDER FIRE wouldn't be excellent. To have what the narrative voice that I associated with Julie/Maddie in CNV seemingly transplanted onto Rose was a little jarring at first for me--but then Rose's own unique brand of strength emerged, roaring, and fed my readerly sympathies and investment. She is smart, resilient, and a much more resonant writer than she gives herself credit for... in other words, exactly the kind of YA heroine that can win hearts anywhere.

ROSE UNDER FIRE deals with a particular dark chapter of World War II history: Nazi doctors performing torturous experiments in the name of "scientific advancement" on young prisoners. The very idea alone is chilling enough, but ROSE UNDER FIRE stays clear of historical moroseness and heavy-handed eulogizing by ensuring that its focus stays clearly on the characters. Rose is joined on the page by more admirable female supporting characters than I can keep track of. What Wein does so well in her two WWII historical novels is that she doesn't merely let the characters' predicaments demand readers' sympathies: rather, the characters--big-hearted, smart-mouthed, brave or frightened--and the empathy they deserve speak for themselves. These are characters we would like anywhere, in any story, in any time period.

Elizabeth Wein has accomplished what few YA writers have yet to do, and that is to make historical fiction popular and resonant. If she continues to write historical fiction, I'll for sure be glad, but I'd also be happy with whatever else she chooses to write in the future. Her surehanded characterization and narrative voice have made me a fan through everything.

Cover discussion: I feel like it changed quite a bit from the hardback cover for Code Name Verity, and I don't know how I feel about it. Still, I appreciate that it's different from most of the other YA covers out there. Its illustrated quality belies the fact that most of the book takes place under the most chilling conditions.

Miramax / Sept. 10, 2013 / Hardcover / 368pp. / $17.99

ARC received from publisher for review. Thank you!

Review: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Lonesome Dove, Book 1

Tags: American lit, Western, Wild West, cowboys, Pulitzer Prize

Summary

In the relatively calm years after the Civil War, two former Texas Rangers, Augustus McCrae and Captain Woodrow Call, grow restless with their uneventful life in Lonesome Dove, Texas, where the most exciting things that happen are their occasional runs into Mexico to re-steal the cattle and horses that the Mexicans had stolen from Texas. When their former mate, Jake Spoon, returns with tales of how open and rich the Montana plains are, Call decides to round up a gang of cowboys and cattle and set up a cattle ranch there. But the trail north is long and hard, and there will be lots of heartaches and surprises for everyone before they even make it halfway there.

Review

I’m not sure I can pull my thoughts and emotions together to write a full-fledged review for this book. LONESOME DOVE came onto my radar because it is one of my colleagues’ favorite books ever. He recommends it to every one of our students, he donated two copies to my company’s library, he borrows those very two copies that he donated every few months to pass around to friends. Finally I happened upon an ex-library copy at a book sale and decided that it’d probably be worth at least two dollars to check it out. I wasn’t expecting the invaluable find of one of the best books I’ve ever read, a stunning achievement of characterization set in the Old Wild West.

LONESOME DOVE’s strength lies in how effortlessly Larry McMurtry conjures up a varied cast of characters. Easily a dozen characters take turns narrating over 900+ pages, and some of these characters really pissed me off with how slow/idiotic/selfish they acted. And I loved all the emotions that McMurtry was able to stir up in me. Spending time with childish Jake Spoon, depressed and selfish Elmira, damaged Lorena, and others made me realize how little I read from the points of view of characters I don’t like, and how valuable it can be.

Oh, don’t worry: there aren’t only despicable characters in this book. But no one is perfect, and there’s not necessarily one protagonist to cheer on the whole way through. McMurtry breaks your heart by letting bad things befall good characters, or not letting bad characters receive their comeuppance. In the end, however, you understand why people are willing to follow Gus and Call in their endeavors: the two of them, so different in personality, are impressive leaders in action.

Most of us have seen a scene or two of the Wild Wild West, but Larry McMurtry really makes readers live it. McMurtry’s Old Wild West’s main feature is the variety of rough characters one comes across on the road or in saloons, whores and gamblers and trigger-happy cowboys. A writer can write as much as he or she wants on the setting, but it is the people in LONESOME DOVE that really make you feel the dust between your teeth, snowblindness in your eyes, wet boots and socks through powerful Midwestern storms.

The characterization in LONESOME DOVE is so strong that I’m almost reluctant to say anything critical about the book, because I can forgive just about everything in light of such splendid characterization. But if I had to make criticisms about the book, two things come to mind. The more minor one is how incomplete the ending felt. It seemed almost like McMurtry was writing along, and then, around the 900-page mark, got bored with his story, while at the same time also realizing how successful it could be, and thus raced through the end, slapped on a few satisfying conclusions but also left a lot of things frustratingly open for a sequel.

A more major concern I had was its treatment of POC characters. All the American Indians that appear in this book are heartless, cold-blooded murderers; Deets, the sole black man of the Lonesome Dove outfit, is wise, knowledgeable, and dutiful, one-with-the-earth in a prophetic way. I get it that the nineteenth-century American West was not the most non-racist period in American history, and while I felt that the characters behaved synchronously with their time, I was disappointed that a twentieth-century author couldn’t do better than rely on stereotypes for creating his POC characters.

Despite those quibbles, however, I still wholeheartedly recommend this book. LONESOME DOVE is an epic read that will easily be, if not the greatest book you’ve ever read in your life, then at least the best Western you’ll ever read in your life.

Cover discussion: Does it matter? It could have the worst cover ever and I'd still buy a copy for every bookworm I like.

Simon & Schuster / June 15, 2010 (reprint) / Paperback / 864pp. / $18.00

Personal copy, heyyooo.

Review: Moon Over Manifest by Claire Vanderpool

Tags: middle grade, Newbery Award, historical fiction, small towns, mystery, immigrants

Summary

12-year-old Abilene Tucker’s dad sends her back to his childhood town of Manifest for the summer while he works the railroads. Abilene is not too thrilled by the dullness of town, but things begin to look up when she discovers a hidden trove of trinkets and letters dated from 1917 and 1918. Through a “business agreement” with Miss Sadie, the local diviner, Abilene begins to unravel the story of two friends, Ned and Jinx, that took place over the years 1917-18, back when Manifest was a mining town that was tense with the mass diversity of immigrants arriving for work. But what do Ned and Jinx’s nearly 20-year-old story have to do with her? And why is her father never mentioned in any of Miss Sadie’s stories?

Review

I wasn’t swept away by MOON OVER MANIFEST the way I want books, especially Newbery Award-winning ones, to do to me. In some ways, this is an odd book: the 1936 plotline mingles with the 1917-1918 plotline that’s told through stories, and for some reason or another I found the 1918 plotline so much more interesting than the 1936 plotline. I actually have to shake my head a little at how it’s possible for the 1936 plotline to be so dull. But there you have it: what could have been a charming plotline about Abilene Tucker arriving at Manifest, getting to know the town’s quirky residents, and digging into its secrets turned into a snoozefest in which Abilene runs around town with all the productivity of one of those annoying little dogs that always have so much energy and yet are so stupid, has placeholder conversations with the townspeople and eats their food, and purportedly has adventures with her two friends (whom I couldn’t pick out of a three-person lineup if I tried, they were so uncharacterized) without actually doing anything that was actually worth writing 350+ pages about.

That was a bit harsh of me. I like clever books that surprise and outsmart me, and the revelation at MOON OVER MANIFEST’s ending did that, and even brought out some tears in me. However, under no circumstances can I wholeheartedly recommend a book just for its good ending if I felt the rest of it was just average. And, yeah, I felt MOON OVER MANIFEST was just average. It’s clever, the way the two storylines finally connected, but that’s not enough to overcome average characters and a slow plot. If I was inclined to put it down several times in the middle, how do you think a middle-grade audience would feel?

Delacorte / Oct. 12, 2010 / Hardcover / 368pp. / $16.99

Personal copy.

Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Tags: YA, historical fiction, World War II, friendship, piloting

Goodreads Summary

I have two weeks. You’ll shoot me at the end no matter what I do.

That’s what you do to enemy agents. It’s what we do to enemy agents. But I look at all the dark and twisted roads ahead and cooperation is the easy way out. Possibly the only way out for a girl caught red-handed doing dirty work like mine — and I will do anything, anything, to avoid SS-Hauptsturmführer von Linden interrogating me again.

He has said that I can have as much paper as I need. All I have to do is cough up everything I can remember about the British War Effort. And I’m going to. But the story of how I came to be here starts with my friend Maddie. She is the pilot who flew me into France — an Allied Invasion of Two.

We are a sensational team.

Review

The less you know about the contents of this book going into it, the better your reading experience will be. For CODE NAME VERITY is a truly exquisite book, one of those rare stories that will touch the heart of every reader who is fortunate enough to encounter it.

CODE NAME VERITY is fueled by the memorable narrative of a feisty, fiery, and fiercely intelligent and loyal character who will shoot her way to the top of your “favorite characters” list. I don’t know about you, but I go absolutely head over heels for characters who are smarter than me, those whose intelligence isn’t shoved into my face with telling sentences, but instead unfolds over the course of the book.

The book winds through flight and war terminology but transcends historical fiction with its narrator’s fun, relatable, and just basically genuine voice. I found myself practically cackling with laughter at the narrator’s numerous antics, even in her terrifying situation. Elizabeth Wein’s writing is brilliant: the pace and style of words mimic the event that the narrator is telling, long or short, dialogue vs. narration, profound vs. charming.

You’ll notice that I didn’t use any names in this review. That’s because, first of all, the war setting makes it unclear whether or not the characters are using their real names, and secondly, part of the enjoyment of this book is figuring out when characters are telling the truth and when they are not. Don’t let that—or my woefully inadequate review—deter you. Read CODE NAME VERITY; I am 99% sure you won’t regret it. Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction set in World War II and character-driven novels.

Cover discussion: I... I like it. Yes. I like it. It evokes a little bit of everything about this book--friendship, writing, the bleakness and looming horizon of death.

Hyperion / May 15, 2012 / Hardcover / 352pp. / $16.99

Personal copy / e-galley received from publisher and NetGalley.

Review: Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen

Tags: YA, historical fiction, retelling, Robin Hood

Summary

Most people think “he” is Will—but Will Scarlet, an infamous member of Robin Hood’s band, is in fact a fiercely independent young woman running from her past. When the Sheriff of Nottingham hires the fearsome Guy of Gisbourne to catch Rob’s band of thieves, Scarlet is forced to confront her past, as well as her long-ignored feelings, if she wants to save her friends and loved ones.

Review

Not having grown up on Robin Hood tales of adventures and his Merry Men (I seemed to be more of the Brothers Grimm type), SCARLET was really one of my first introductions to this Robin Hood. And SCARLET is indeed a delightful book, featuring unusual “dialect” prose, sympathetic characters, and plenty of action and romance.

The star of SCARLET is undoubtedly the book’s eponymous heroine. SCARLET may be set in the early Middle Ages, but Scarlet is definitely a 21st-century kind of heroine: spunky, stubborn, and loyal to perhaps a fault. There were times in the beginning when her forcible resistance to accepting help was irritating to me, but as the story unfolded, it was easy to see why Scarlet always holds herself at a distance and is stubbornly determined to be completely independent of others. SCARLET also offers plenty of action—sometimes of the bloody type. The constant “movement” of characters allows us to see and get to know their different personalities.

The one thing that perhaps bothered me about SCARLET was, I felt, the book’s eventual descent into the love triangle that is all-too-often characteristic of any type of YA novel nowadays. I wanted the book to focus mostly on Scarlet and her friends’ increasingly dangerous troubles, in the way of my favorite fantasy novels; however, it felt too me like a good part of the last two-thirds of the book revolved around Scarlet’s dealings with two men who may or may not be interested in her: Little John and Rob. It’s not too much of a surprise who Scarlet ends up with, but I couldn’t help but feel that the other “side” of the triangle was rather unnecessary, and even uncharacteristic to Scarlet. Ah, another book sacrificed to the altar of YA love triangles.

Overall, however, SCARLET was an enjoyable and action-packed read that will appeal to a wide age range of readers. It definitely inspired me to read more about the Robin Hood myth afterwards, and it’s a refreshing new take on the legend for avid Robin Hood or historical fiction devotees.

Similar Authors
L. A. Meyer

Cover discussion: Badass and beautiful in that ambiguous kind of way--beautiful or not? Male or female? Will...or Scarlet?

Walker Childrens / Feb. 14, 2012 / Hardcover / 304pp. / $17.99

Review copy received from NetGalley and publisher. Thank you!

Review: Wildthorn by Jane Eagland

Tags: young adult, historical fiction, Victorian England, mental hospitals, GLBTQ lit

Summary

Louisa Cosgrove, the independent daughter of a doctor, believes she is being sent to be a lady’s companion. Instead, the carriage drops her off at Wildthorn Hall, where she is forced to take odd medicines, wear awkward clothes, and subjected to horrifying treatment. At Wildthorn, she is not Louisa Cosgrove, but Lucy Childs, and she has no idea why they call her that.

For Wildthorn is a mental hospital, and Louisa is a patient, though she doesn’t know how or why she is there. As she unravels clues from her past and navigates the psychological horrors of Wildthorn, Louisa fears she will forget who she is…unless she is completely open with herself and actively goes after what she wants.

Review

Fans of Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith will find something similar here in Jane Eagland’s WILDTHORN. Shocking, subtle, and deliberately paced, it will suck in those with patience, who looking for something a bit different from the norm.

It takes no small amount of skill to weave a world that naturally traps the protagonist in unbearable situations. Louisa’s present-tense account of her time at Wildthorn is interspersed with flashbacks to her childhood, in which we get a clear picture of Louisa’s mother and older brother as restraining her identity development. Yet at the same time, her mother and brother are only trying to protect her in the way that most young Victorian women were protected. Their utter belief in their society’s system only more powerfully illuminates the horrifying situations thrust upon many young women.

WILDTHORN moves slowly, as the first half of the book involves numerous flashbacks that set up the situation and characters. However, if you like Victorian literature, and have patience for quiet character-driven stories, then WILDTHORN just might reward you. From an unconventional romance to a shocking setting, this historical novel is full of suspense, horror, and female empowerment.

Similar Authors
Justine Larbalestier
Sarah Waters (Fingersmith)

Writing: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Cover discussion: 3 out of 5 - It's a pretty generic image of a corset, and I suppose you could read metaphors into the presence of a constraining corset...

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / Sept. 6, 2010 / Hardcover / 350pp. / $16.00

ARC picked up at BEA.

Review (T2T): The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee

The Agency, Book 2 (Book One review here)

**Note: slight, minor spoilers for Book One, but nothing earth-shattering or life-ruining, yup**


Tags: YA, historical fiction, mystery, Victorian London, suspense

Summary

Orphan Mary Quinn works for the Agency, a secret spy organization run by and employing entirely woman. Her latest assignment has her disguised as a 12-year-old boy at the construction site of a clock tower near Parliament, investigating a mysterious death and the site’s overall generally bad reputation. Mary is skilled at her “trade,” but she finds being a boy harder than she expects when it brings back long-suppressed memories of her rough childhood.

To make matters worse—or better, in some instances—James, her old flame, has returned from India, changed in some ways, yet exactly the same in others. Will Mary be able to balance all the different parts of her life while she does her job, or will something have to fall—literally?

Review

The first book in this series, A Spy in the House, was a solidly entertaining and well-researched historical mystery, but this second installment, THE BODY AT THE TOWER, throws me into fangirl zone. THE BODY AT THE TOWER, is off-the-charts incredible for its genre, a Victorian London mystery that is sure to please old and new fans.

All of Y. S. Lee’s writing strengths return in full force in this worthy sequel: from character development, to exquisitely immersing historical details, to a sizzling romance. All of the details about the Victorian era never feel forced or extravagant: readers will find it easy to fall into the gritty London that Mary inhabits, while learning incredible things about the Victorian era along the way.

The richness of the setting is matched well by the playful banter between Mary and James, banter that I described as Austen-worthy in my review of the first book, a sentiment that I heartily return to now. Sure, maybe it’s wish fulfillment in a number of ways—James is a self-described arrogant and persistent man—but damn if the pages didn’t nearly catch on fire while I was reading their banter. This is a strong-minded couple that doesn’t have it easy, but they certainly have chemistry.

Lee introduces new characters almost effortlessly, while simultaneously further exploring Mary’s conflicts with her heritage and childhood. Sure, minor characters help move the plot forward or give the MCs necessary information, but in THE BODY AT THE TOWER they acquire the possibility for life outside the story. And Mary is not just your average inexplicably competent female detective, but rather a young woman with demons of her own.

I’m not a big historical fiction OR mystery fan, but this series is one of my favorites, and probably my favorite historical mystery series. Well-written, eye-opening, and entertaining, you will dive in and be immersed immediately. THE BODY AT THE TOWER proves that Y. S. Lee is a rising star, and hasn’t even reached her peak yet. I am on tenterhooks awaiting the third book, and more after that from this incredible author!

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5


Cover discussion: 4 out of 5 - Personally I don't see Mary ever having occasion to dress like that, and I see her slightly different--more feisty, perhaps?--but I certainly appreciate the enormous effort Candlewick goes to to make sure Mary is represented accurately on the cover. Bravo, Candlewick!

Candlewick / Aug. 10, 2010 / Hardcover / 352pp. / $16.99

ARC sent by publisher for a Traveling to Teens tour. Check out the other blog stops on the tour below!

Mon. 8/2 - Kristi (The Story Siren)
Tues. 8/3 - Kristen (Bookworming in the 21st Century)
Wed. 8/4 - Sarah GreenBeanTeenQueen
Thurs. 8/5 - Lizzy (Cornucopia of Reviews)
Fri. 8/6 - Ari (Reading in Color)
Mon. 8/9 - Mariah L
Tues. 8/10 - Steph Su
Wed. 8/11 - Cecilia (The Epic Rat)
Thurs. 8/12 - Laura (Laura’s Review Bookshelf)
Fri. 8/13 - The Book Smugglers

Stay tuned in a few hours for a guest post from the magnificent author Ying herself!

-

[ETA] OH, and HOW DID I FORGET that TODAY (August 10) is The Body at the Tower's release date? Huzzah! Hoorah! Congrats! *pops champagne and sprinkles all over Ying, who is thousands of miles away* Now you can run out and get this book immediately (or tell your local bookstores to stock it)!

Review: Leaving Gee's Bend by Irene Latham

Tags: juvenile fiction, middle grade, historical fiction, South, racism

Summary

10-year-old Ludelphia Bennett wears an eye patch over her dead eye, loves quilting, and has never gone beyond her loving community of Gee’s Bend, Alabama—until her mother is dying, and then Lu decides to make the 40-mile journey to the larger town of Camden to get medical help. But life outside Gee’s Bend is not as simple, as Ludelphia must confront obstacles not only in the form of physical impediments but also cold-hearted people if she wants to save her mother.

Review

A great main character unfortunately doesn’t make up for the contrived plot in this lukewarm debut novel that attempts to be a moving journey of familial resilience in the face of racism and other elements.

At the beginning, I thought this book was almost magical. Ludelphia is a fantastic narrator, her voice so genuine, earnest, and warm. She’s ten years old but will be loved by readers of all ages, a classic protagonist going on a seemingly straightforward journey for someone else and discovering something about herself in the process.

Unfortunately, the plot felt slow and forced all the way through. The moment Lu leaves Gee’s Bend, I had trouble that the world was ours, that this is historical fiction. The world outside Gee’s Bend was disconcertingly black-and-white: things and people were either blessed angels helping Lu, or else they were sinister, malicious, inhumane beings. Lu’s greatest human antagonist comes in the form of Mrs. Cobb, whose late husband is Lu’s family’s employer of sorts. It’s hard to get a read on Mrs. Cobb. One minute she’s almost saccharinely kind—the next, she’s one step away from joining the KKK.

I understand that, to a young girl like Ludelphia, the unknown world might seem like it consists of simple binaries, but I was really hoping for more, events and people that we can actually claim as our own history, ugly as it may be. The story plods along until we can’t see Lu’s natural charms for the eyeroll-inducing melodrama.

LEAVING GEE’S BEND has a great protagonist but is sadly lacking in plot strength. It’s no standout addition to African American historical fiction, but perhaps there may be young readers who are interested in the concept enough to lose themselves in Ludelphia’s mesmerizing narration and not notice the story’s flaws.

Similar Authors
Lois Lowry

Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5


Cover discussion: 3.5 out of 5 - I think it's a gorgeous picture and layout, although it doesn't seem like exactly the right cover to attract its target (younger) audience.

Putnam Juvenile / Jan. 7, 2010 / Hardcover / 240pp. / $16.99

Received from Blue Slip Media for review.

Review: Escaping the Tiger by Laura Manivong

Tags: middle grade, historical fiction, Communism, Southeast Asia, refugee camps

Summary

In 1982, 12-year-old Vonlai Sirivong and his family risk their lives and escape across the river from Communist-controlled Laos to Thailand. They left behind what little the Communists had not taken from them—but life in Na Pho refugee camp doesn’t seem much better. Vonlai attends school, plays soccer, watches his older sister and parents go through mood swings, and endures abuse at the hands of the guards, struggling to hold onto his dream of being an architect in America, where buildings touch the sky and crazy inventions such as a machine that automatically washes dishes exist. Will Vonlai ever see his dreams come true, or will he spend the rest of his life in the refugee camp, as he fears every day?

Review

Told in unassuming third-person narrative, ESCAPING THE TIGER sheds a necessary light on a painful part of history: the Lao refugees’ experience. While the writing is not quite spectacular, first-time author Laura Manivong just might move you to tears, as she did me.

ESCAPING THE TIGER is a slow close-up on the characters’ emotions as they go through their refugee experience. That means that if you’re looking for a fast-paced, plot-driven story, you won’t find it here. Vonlai’s time in the refugee camp is full of unending tension, impatience, and doubt. The refugees go through what most of us can never imagine: unhygienic conditions, extreme lack of privacy, and doubt as to whether everything you did prior to the Communist takeover was worth anything at all. But in the midst of all this are sparks of humanity that shine like relieving fireflies in the darkness: Vonlai’s banter with his friend stands out to me here. This book does something extremely difficult by balancing the inhumanity of the Na Pho experience with the little, warm things about people that keep our spirits alive even in the lowest of times.

The characters did feel a bit stiff at times, though, for me. I often couldn’t figure out whether the characters’ jarring “unapproachability” was intentional or the result of somewhat stilted writing. For example, Vonlai and his sister Dalah’s bickering often got borderline vicious with no real explanation from their personalities, with the result being that their improved relationship at the end came off as questionable to me. I was left feeling less emotionally attached to the characters than I wanted to be, especially since the book is on such a sensitive matter, but I’m not sure if anything could’ve been done about that, whether that was just an inevitable result of the subject material.

Overall, you can read ESCAPING THE TIGER as an essential work on Lao and Thai history, despite its sometimes detached writing. This could be a good one for the avid young reader who’s interested in learning an important history lesson.

Writing: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5


Cover discussion: 3 out of 5 - It's not really one that would capture my attention, but then again, it's highly appropriate for the story, and hints at the tension that the Sirivong family will face in the book. Plus, there are Asian people on the cover! Score one for the publisher getting it right!

HarperCollins / Mar. 9, 2010 / 216pp. / $16.99

Review copy provided by publisher. Thanks, E!

Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger

The Parasol Protectorate, Book 1

Tags: historical paranormal romance, vampires, werewolves, mystery

Rating: 4 out of 5


Summary

Alexia Tarabotti is not your average Victorian spinster. That’s because she’s a preternatural: a soulless being with the ability to negate the supernatural aspects of creatures such as vampires and werewolves. When Alexia accidentally kills a rogue vampire, she becomes embroiled in a supernatural mystery overseen by Lord Maccon, the dangerous and dashing alpha werewolf in charge of policing supernatural activity.

Maccon and Alexia’s headstrong personalities clash—letting off hot sparks—as the mystery deepens. Something big and sinister is threatening the well-being of supernaturals and preternaturals, and, armed with her trusty brass-tipped parasol, Alexia helps Lord Maccon get down to the bottom of this mess before both of their lives are in extreme danger.

Review

I am a HUGE fan of well-executed Austenian wit and satisfying paranormal romances—in fact, I go almost positively fangirl over those aspects—but I’ve always been wary of a blend of the two. Luckily, first-time novelist Gail Carriger has completely succeeded in this ambitious endeavor. SOULLESS is a brilliant and witty steampunk paranormal romance mystery, and one that I’ll be raving about for weeks to come—indeed, if I can ever stop raving about it.

The wry tone of narration in SOULLESS, combined with its engaging characters, makes for an utterly delightful read. For sure, it is most likely not the first time in the history of the English language that an ornery and independent spinster is a main character, but Alexia Tarabotti goes above and beyond the type. Her preternatural “abilities” seem to perfectly complement her personality, unusual for the Victorian age.

Supporting characters, too, are a blast to read about. It doesn’t hurt that Lord Maccon is sexy and adorably gruff. Alexia and Lord Maccon’s chemistry is undeniably good, but it also doesn’t direct the course of the novel, which I appreciated. The paranormal/mystery element of the plot is a little rough sometimes, but it certainly does not detract from one’s enjoyment of reading this book.

Overall, SOULLESS is a cross-genre delight that will be adored by all different kinds of readers. Gail Carriger, you have a solid fan in me, and I will be looking forward impatiently to future books about Alexia and Lord Maccon!

Similar Authors
Jane Austen

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5


Cover discussion: 3 out of 5 - I'm not very attracted to it, and it was really more the premise and the excellent recommendations people gave it that really motivated me to get this book. The title design and placement is a little childish, and the model is not how I pictured Alexia at all. However, a lot of people like the cover, and I must say it doesn't detract from my enjoyment of this book!

Orbit / Oct. 2009 / Mass Market Paperback / 384pp. / $7.99

This copy was bought and reviewed for my own leisure.

Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Tags: adult, historical fiction, civil rights movement, South, Mississippi, prejudice, writing

Rating: 4.5 out of 5


Summary

America may be undergoing the civil rights movement, but Jackson, Mississippi in 1962 feels like the last bastion of the Deep South. White ladies with their black maids socialize in the heat and talk of sending provisions to starving children in Africa, unaware of their own absurdity. For two black maids, experienced Aibileen and loudmouth Minny, and one young white “spinster,” Miss Skeeter, though, their worlds are about to turn upside down.

An aspiring writer, Miss Skeeter, still reeling from the mysterious disappearance of her beloved childhood maid, is driven to write a book that interviews the ups and downs of the lives of maids in Jackson. Easier said than done: the maids have heard of the blacks who were tortured or even killed when they spoke out. Eventually, Aibileen and Minny agree to help Miss Skeeter, but the going is tough as they fearfully keep their secret hidden from the rest of the town.

Review

It’s hard to put into words the scope of this book. THE HELP deals with a piece of Mississippian history that’s little known and even less spoken of. What could have easily fallen into the clichéd ruts of Southern or black American history instead stands on its own due to its smooth writing and unforgettable characters.

Each of the main characters who narrate THE HELP have their own distinct voice, history, and conflicts, which helped make this book richly layered and so much more than what its synopsis implies. Aibileen, Minny, and even Miss Skeeter will be your best friends, while the side characters also hold their own in this world. Even the “evil” characters like Miss Hilly are fully realized, with all their hypocrisy, deeply rooted prejudices, and borderline horrifying penchant for vengeance. The tension builds throughout as the stakes mount, and you’ll barely want to put this down, desperate to find out if everything will be alright.

Not everyone will love this book. Beyond the great writing, story, and characters is an uncomfortable tension with the real history, and that’s the trouble with this book having been written by a white Southern woman. There are those who will probably be offended by the book’s content, and there will also be those who have no problem with its nervous treatment of this sensitive part of American history. But there is no denying Kathryn Stockett’s talent. THE HELP is an incredible achievement of voice and characterization. You can be assured that Stockett will stay on everyone’s radars for a long time to come.

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5


Cover discussion: Well, I am far from being qualified to comment on covers of adult books. They're just so different. I'll say that I do very much love the gold foil-ness of it, though.

Penguin / Feb. 2009 / Hardcover / 464pp. / $24.95

The copy I read for review was bought by meeeee.