This fall finds me in a similar position when it comes to some of my favorite authors -- namely, waiting on book #3 to make an appearance. So Silver Bright, the third and final book of Lisa Mantchev's Theatre Illuminata series, was released near the beginning of September but, partly due to the unfortunate size of my to-read nightstand list, I'm just now finishing it. (My NookColor, to be honest, is the other part of the problem, but more about that later, perhaps.)
Writing this almost feels repetitive, because many of the things I've said about the first two books (Eyes Like Stars, Perchance to Dream) can be said about this novel: Gorgeous prose. Inventive setting. Well-developed characters. It's a solid conclusion to a solidly-written series, and definitely a standout in the YA genre.
I did feel a little lost at the beginning because it's been almost two years since I was last "inside" one of Mantchev's books; while her writing style is beautifully lush, it can feel a bit overwhelming at times, too, especially if you are trying to remember what happened previously and who this character is and why that bit of dialogue is so important. I felt as though things were a little confusing in the setting department as well, because this novel involved more travel from place to place in order to tie up all the loose ends.
The real selling point on this series for me is the character development. In this instance, we've got a young woman, caught in a love triangle (btw, love triangles seem to be common fodder as YA plot devices, but Mantchev handles this one extremely well), who is just trying to figure out her place in the world. Bertie's growth over the three novels is so deftly handled and so realistic (even in the midst of such a strong fantasy plot/setting); the decisions she must make are emotional and complex, and as a reader, I felt fully involved in this journey.
If you've followed my reviews here or on Goodreads, by now you know that I am an unabashed fan of YA fiction, particularly fantasy. There are a number of reasons for this: I've always read YA fiction, it seems (or I have since I was 10 or 11); I've always enjoyed spending time with teens (that's why I chose to become a high school teacher -- because I love that age group), so it makes sense that I'd enjoy reading about them as well. More importantly, with YA fantasies, I think there's more of an immediacy and vibrancy to the worlds that are built; I don't find that as often in "adult" fantasy. That's not to say that I think YA fiction is less complex than adult fiction or literary fiction; YA authors are tackling weighty issues and doing so in complex narratives with stunning character development. (Want proof? Read any of the Printz winners or honor books from the past five years.) Anyway, I wanted to round out this post with a list of YA trilogies that I highly recommend.
The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness
In my reviews of these novels, I basically stated that I think THESE books are what Suzanne Collins aspired to write when she wrote The Hunger Games. In both instances, you've got a dystopian future and an examination of the effect of war on young people. In addition, both authors had the opportunity to talk about the effect of our current technologies (an overload of data, reality TV programming, etc.) on young people, but I think Ness is the only one who really stepped up to that challenge. There is a short story prequel to this series, The New World, available as a free digital download. Ness has also just released a new novel called A Monster Calls (inspired by an idea from YA author Siobhan Dowd, just before her death from cancer), which will rapidly move to the top of my to-read list, since both authors are favorites of mine.
The Curse Workers trilogy by Holly Black
Right now only the first two novels have been released, but #3 should be arriving in April 2012, so it's not that far off. Holly Black is another of my favorite YA authors; I've been a fan since the release of her Modern Faerie Tale series ten years ago. This series has more of a paranormal romance feel, which makes it competitive with a lot of the series taking up shelf space in the YA section of bookstores, but it's much better written and the romance is not the driving issue at play here. Neither is the paranormal aspect. And that's where this trilogy trumps most of what you'll find in this subgenre.
The Leviathan trilogy by Scott Westerfeld
I should put a disclaimer right now: I will read anything that Scott Westerfeld writes. ANYTHING. I think that Westerfeld is one of the most intelligent, creative minds at work in YA fiction right now. His books are always well-written, painstakingly researched, and completely engrossing. This trilogy combines a couple of my favorite subgenres: steampunk and what's been called "secret histories" (actual, documented historical events featuring famous people, but shows another view of them in which occult or supernatural factors heavily influence the motivations and actions of the characters). Read this series first, and then go read everything else he's written. Really. You'll thank me later.
The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater
This series is almost like a guilty pleasure for me. To be hoenst, I should hate it. I should. Because it's really Twilight with werewolves instead of vampires. But there's something about this series that grabbed me in a way that Twilight never did. Well, obviously, there's the fact that Maggie Stiefvater is a MUCH better writer than Stephanie Meyer. And normally I'm not drawn in by typical romances -- and there's plenty of romance here -- but I was completely drawn in to this series, despite all the things I thought I would dislike about it. I had a chance to see Maggie Stiefvater speak in Nashville this summer (I'll post about that next week), and she's just delightful. Her other books rank quite highly on my recommendations list too. I'm definitely looking forward to the release of The Scorpio Races.
