ONE DAY: 2 stars
I really wish I had more positive things to say about this novel. I think the premise is really interesting and full of potential. This reminds me a lot of Nick Hornby, but it wasn't able to sustain my interest like most of Hornby's work does. In fact, I found much of this to be pretty monotonous, with the same characters in the same kinds of situations over and over. I liked Emma's character to an extent, but Dexter was just completely unlikeable -- and I wanted to dislike Emma because she liked Dexter, if that makes any sense. I really didn't like a number of the choices that the author made when it came to the characters, and I think that's really what bothered me the most about this book. At times, you could see events unfolding because of a character's actions and choices -- things that were driven by who the character WAS; but at other times you could really see the author's hand controlling what happened, and that's where I was most irritated at the lack of character development and change. It's really too bad that the hopeful tone that permeates the very last chapter (which I think might have been one of the best chapters, to be honest) couldn't be sustained and developed throughout the rest of the book.
ALICE I HAVE BEEN: 3 stars
I had my copy autographed by Melanie Benjamin at last year's Southern Festival of Books, and she signed it "May we be happy." Appropriate, as this is really the underlying theme of her novel, a fictional account of the real Alice in Wonderland. I really felt uneasy during much of my reading of this book; it was hard to know if Dodgeson's relationship with Alice was innocent or not. That's been debated time and again, but there's never been any proof. I don't think I really buy the whole "suppressed memories" angle that Benjamin seems to use here, either. It's been a long time since I've read Alice in Wonderland, but it seems to me that Alice's story was never "her" story; rather, it was Dodgeson's story, his wish to have Alice never grow up. I think Benjamin's take, and Alice's wish to just be happy, is perhaps more accurate. In any case, it's rendered well here, but there's something about the story that just failed to really capture my heart and mind.
BOSSYPANTS: 3 stars
I really admire Tina Fey; I appreciate her intelligence and way of making an important point with humor. I thought the writing for Mean Girls was fantastic, and I think she's an excellent voice for young females -- I've said before that I really wish she'd write a young adult novel. I thought this was kind of funny, but it fell flat in a number of places. The format bothered me -- there were too many little weird chapters tucked into the narrative. (I've never seen 30 Rock either, so all of that material was just basically lost on me). I think this is an instance where the material would've been much better suited for medium of TV, rather than the written word.
THIS DARK ENDEAVOR: 3 stars
As a young adult take on the fictional character of Victor Frankenstein, this was a little more plot-driven and a little less character-driven than I normally prefer, although Oppel does make an attempt to get inside Frankenstein's head. The overall mood is fairly suspenseful with a Gothic moodiness, and there are several great action scenes, although the writing gets a bit choppy at times. My issue with the novel is that Victor's actionas and character are already so firmly established (in the original novel), which felt limiting to me -- I already knew what was going to happen and why, so I didn't feel like I was really discovering his character as I read, which is disappointing.
**The setting kept reminding me of The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers, which is a fantastic novel; you should definitely check it out if you like Romanticism, Lord Byron, vampires, and alternative histories. Sounds like a crazy mix, but Powers is immensely talented and pulls it off with ease.
THE PAINTED BOY: 4 stars
I can't tell you how glad I am to be back in familiar Charles de Lint territory. This novel is so much better than his typical YA books, maybe because he's back to just writing, rather than focusing on a specific audience. This reminds me a bit of Someplace to be Flying, and it's not as heavyhanded as some of his novels can get when it comes to "issues." He really focuses on the spirit of a place in this novel, and that seems to reflect his own personal growing love for the desert -- we've moved quite far from the forests of Newford). The ending was a little too pat, but that's nothing to really complain about. The characters are well-drawn; I love the attention that de Lint gives to all of his characters, even the most minor (I loved Lupita...I'm hoping she'll continue to show up in future books). de Lint was my first introduction to "urban fantasy," and I'm happy to add another novel to my collection of his books that I feel is a really strong addition, rather than just so-so.
DRAWING DOWN THE MOON: 4 stars
I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. This is a book that you definitely want to get in print, rather than as an e-book. Vess's artwork is wonderfully detailed and intricate, and you just can't see all the details on a digital copy. This large collection features plates from a variety of projects with notes from Vess on the genesis of the piece, his working relationship with the author, project specs and more. It's really interesting to get this insider look into the act of creating some amazing illustrations. The best part about the book is the walkthrough he provides on a large illustration, from the initial conception of the piece through multiple versions, showing his process. I think emerging artists and longtime fans both will appreciate what's here, and Susannah Clarke's introduction puts into words the specific magic that is an illustration by Charles Vess. Nobody does Shakespeare like he does (his Puck is THE best), and his Green Apple Man from Charles de Lint's stories is one of my favorite characters. While I wholeheartedly recommend this collection, personally I'd rather have the individual books (I've got quite the collection already).
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