In Other Worlds: SF and the Human Imagination by Margaret Atwood (4 stars)
I read this as part of some research I'm doing for a curriculum unit, so my brain has been in this SF track for a few weeks now. I always enjoy Atwood's voice in her essays -- it's wry, with a sense of humor that is sometimes dark, sometimes sarcastic, and always keenly observant. The first three essays are particularly good, especially if you have an interest in SF, superheroes, and speculative fiction. The middle section features a number of introductions and reviews, mostly to pieces that I haven't read, and some of the material is reused in the opening section. The "Tributes" section contains some short pieces of Atwood's work. What I love most here is that, although she's technically only written 3 works of SF, some of the same themes from those books cross over into her more realistic work, thus blurring those genre lines even more (yay for interstitial fiction!!!) Personally, the collection is worth checking out from the library just to read the letter she wrote to a school board who banned one of her books. :)
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt (4 stars)
I put this on my to-read list as soon as it was released, but I'm not sure why I was drawn to it, since I don't normally read westerns at all. But something about the description sounded appealing to me, and I'm glad that I picked it up. DeWitt's writing is terse yet still descriptive; the violence is graphic without being overly done, and Eli's melancholy voice makes for one of the best narrators I've come across in a long time. It's no secret that I don't read a lot of what's considered literary fiction, though I would if more of it were this interestingly written. This is a story that works on a couple of levels, and I've found myself coming back to the characters and their observations many times over the past couple of days.
The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr (3 stars)
Interesting readable nonfiction about the effect changing technology has on our abilities to concentrate, read, think, problem-solve, analyze, and more. I enjoyed tracking the evolution of our brains through history, from an oral storytelling culture to a highly computerized society. My only issue is that much of what's presented here isn't particularly earth-shattering and Carr doesn't offer up much of anything new, even in his synthesis of all the current research.
Beekeeping for Beginners by Laurie R. King (4 stars)
I've never read any of the Mary Russell / Sherlock Holmes books, but I have heard great things about them. This short story provided a nice introduction to the characters. I LOVE how it started off -- there was just something about the author's writing style and voice, combined with the plot events, that really engaged the part of me that loves a good story. It's just this sense I got of "Oh, this is really good." Which doesn't always happen in such a crystal-clear manner, especially within the first couple of pages. I will definitely have to add this series to my list of books to-be-read. (As though it needed to get any longer....argh!)
Watch Your Mouth by Daniel Handler (2 stars)
I don't think that there's any doubt that Handler is a talented writer; his wit and wordplay can knock your socks off at times. But for me, this just didn't work. I guess I just found it less absurd and more annoying. For the most part, I skimmed through the whole thing.
Redwoodian: Wilfair Book 2 by Alysia Gray Painter (4 stars)
Okay -- so many of the things that kinda bugged me about the first book have been toned down, particularly all the little quirks that Fair is prone to while speaking. Things aren't quite so crazy inside her head, either -- and this time around, we really get to know Fair better. The best part is that the budding romance between Fair and Gomery is just too adorable for words, and the metaphysical mystery of moving buildings has really got me intrigued now. I'm looking forward to part 3.
Underdog by Markus Zusak (3 stars)
This is Zusek's very first novel, the first of three semi-autobiographical novels about growing up in a working class family and struggling to find your voice in the world. There's a lot that's really clumsily down here, but I can't deny how endearing Cameron (read: Zusak) is. It's clear even from these rough beginnings that Zusak is talented, although it's a little awkward and even embarrassing to see just how overdone and angst-y this attempt is. Still, there's something appealing about Cameron and his family, and I found myself rooting for the Underdog.
Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta (5 stars)
I wasn't really sure I could love one of Marchetta's characters more than I loved Finnikin, until I read Froi. Froi was a secondary character in Marchetta's first Lumatere novel, but he steps to the forefront in this novel and just steals the show. He is so dimensional he practically leaps off the page, and so flawed that your heart simply aches for him. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of fantasy or not, because Marchetta has crafted a story that transcends genre boundaries and makes you focus completely on the characters. I absolutely can't wait until the third book.
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (5 stars)
Easily one of the best books I've read all year. This one will be going on my "bestbooksever" shelf as well. I love when ideas converge, and this book came at such a perfect time for me, since I've been reading a lot of dystopian fiction and nonfiction about technology and consumerism and our need for moremoremore. Mitchell's novel tackles these themes, as well as a study on humanity and what we can endure (and how) through "progress." The various genres here are masterfully done, with incredibly diverse voices and styles, as well as an inventive form. Mitchell works in so many different layers to these stories; this is a novel that is overflowingly rich with connections for the careful reader, but just as enjoyable for someone who's simply after a well-crafted novel.
Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak (4 stars)
With each new novel in the series, I fall more in love with Cameron Wolfe, Zusak's tender-hearted idealistic alter ego. This second novel finds Zusak on firmer ground in terms of plotting and story arc; his characters are strong, dialogue is good, and he's experimenting with form, which continues in the third novel (and definitely is something that works for him in The Book Thief). This is a great novel for boys, which is a plus, but you don't have to be a teen boy to enjoy it. Again, there are places where the writing is heavy-handed and overdone but there is no denying Zusak's talent, and watching him develop through the three novels in this series is a really interesting examination.
The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney (3 stars)
This is one of those instances where I want to definitely emphasize that my feelings for this book are in no way reflective of my feelings for this topic. The book is about date-rape, and I think Whitney handles the topic pretty well, but there's nothing really original about this book in terms of what's been written about date-rape in YA books before (but perhaps that's because I can't help but compare this to Speak, which for me is the definitive book on the topic). The idea of the Mockingbirds as a form for meting out campus judgement is interesting, but I have some issues with this concept of student justice (particularly because the author has handicapped the faculty at this prep school so handily -- I think that is overdone and way too cliche and heavy-handed for reality). Whitney's writing is not especially strong either, so I found myself skimming a lot because things were pretty repetitive and Alex just got annoying by the end.
French Milk by Lucy Knisley (3 stars)
A nicely drawn diary of the author's stay in Paris with her mother. I think the cover blurbs are misleading, because I don't really see the development of the mother-daughter relationship here, at least not like I was expecting. Lucy's drawings are fun and it was nice to experience Paris through her eyes, but everything was a bit flat in terms of story -- I kept wondering "What's the point?" I was told what I should expect to read here, but that's not what I actually read.
The Apothecary by Maile Meloy (4 stars)
I listened to this today, on an 8 hour road trip by myself, and it was the PERFECT way to pass the time. This is an absolutely charming adventure story with a dash of magic -- plus there are spies and it's set in London and has boarding schools and all kinds of great little touches. The characters are excellently written -- just your ordinary kids who have an extraordinary adventure. Just the kind of book I loved as a younger reader, and one that still appeals to me as an older reader now.
Hana by Lauren Oliver (3 stars)
I liked seeing the events of Delirium from Hana's point of view (particularly since Lena kind of got on my nerves once she fell in love with Alex). I like the added dimension of things not being what Hana expected them to be, and her struggle to come to terms with that. Aside from that, there's not much here that really adds to the other two novels, though the twist at the end might be a surprise for some folks.
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (3 stars)
I'll be honest, it's Oliver's writing that brings me back to this series, rather than the concept of the book itself. I think the world-building is a little weak, and I could kick her for falling back on some pretty worn-out YA tropes, but I'll admit -- Oliver can write like nobody's business, and that alone keeps me sucked into this world.
