Archive for May, 2010

Chosen by P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

ISBN: 0312360304
320 pages
published in 2008.

Another installment of this House of Night series. There really isn’t too much else to say about it, honestly and unfortunately. It’s beginning to read like a book version of a predictable teen romance, or an online text role-playing session gone out of control. That doesn’t devalue the entertainment potential of it — and it’s true that I tore through this book like I tore through the rest of them. That’s something that this series (and these writers) seem to be good at — a fast-paced plot, lots of page-turning action, etc. But it fails to be anything above that. It has the value of a daytime TV soap opera — which isn’t completely value-less, but should not be taken too seriously.

This book (as can be seen leading up to it by the previous two) concentrates way too heavily on Zoey’s sexual relationships and while she does manage to get herself into some pretty serious predicaments regarding how she conducts herself within them (and how she manages to keep secrets from her friends) it is a bit silly that these seem to be constructed only to take some of the perfection away from Zoey’s character. The mistakes she has made up until this point seem small and insignificant, and her powers and skills are numerous. She was due to fall, but to have her fall because she is apparently so amazing that three men are interested in her? It’s a bit much for me and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at many of the scenes in the book where some guy or another is professing their undying devotion to her. At times it just seems like the written manifestation of a teenage girl fantasy, which while it may be appropriate to the age group and maybe even to the genre, is not conducive to the longevity of the series.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

ISBN: 0142410314
176 pages
published in 1964.

Another popular (and rightfully so) book by Roald Dahl. It looks like Arpad & I are on a kick with Dahl recently (I’ve been reading these outloud, I think we’re starting Matilda next). I think people are most familiar with this book of all of his (if not the book itself then the story, thanks to the multiple movie adaptations.) It is a really great story, and the movies don’t really deviate much from the book (except in some sort of little and frustrating ways — but in general.) Wonka is such a lovable and exciting character. His excitement throughout the story is exciting to the reader, and as the first 1/3rd of the book helps us get to know Charlie, we really feel for him, too. Despite the fact that it is a children’s story and a fantasy one at that, it is very easy to feel attached to Charlie and think of him as a real person. We really understand how poor he is and desperately want him to do better. This is why his finding of the golden ticket is so exciting.

It is sort of a dark story as children’s books go, but not nearly as dark as I expected it to be — especially not with the way that people like Johnny Depp & Tim Burton portray it. The darkness in the book comes from the fact that the children are the ones committing the evil / naughty acts. It is not Wonka himself that is at fault — and in fact I don’t picture him as coming across as particularly sinister at all throughout the entire story. I think he is meant to come across as eccentric, but kind. He doesn’t do anything nasty to the children at all. Everything that goes wrong is entirely their own fault (and this really seems to be the point of the book, in the first place!) Charlie stands out simply because he IS such a “good nut” in comparison to all of the spoiled and blind little children that come into the factory. He cares genuinely about other people and he knows not to do things that he is told not to do.

The exchanges with Mike Teavee are particularly funny (“If you think gum is so disgusting,” said Mike Teavee, “then why do you make it in your factory?” “I do wish you wouldn’t mumble,” said Mr. Wonka. “I can’t hear a word you’re saying. Come on! Off we go!”) His evasion of Mike’s rather telling questions sort of make it quite apparent that Wonka is very aware of what he’s doing. This doesn’t make him evil at all though, simply a good businessman and very dedicated to his work. Clearly he’s not simply money-hungry (he does, after all, seem to have no issue about giving away lifetime supplies of chocolate to all of the kids, even the ones that disobeyed him). However, he is picky about who he wants to run his factory for him when he was gone, and I do think he’s quite right. Only a child would be able to pick up where he left off, and an obedient child like Charlie is the right way to go.

Despite the fact that I adored this book immensely, this does leave me with a small, sourish taste in my mouth. It’s a good book to discourage kids from disobeying their parents and not being selfish, and gluttonous, and spoiled, etc., but the underlying message (that if you never question anyone [like Mike Teavee] and you never do anything for yourself and simply hope for the best and be good-natured, etc., etc., that you’ll eventually turn out alright) is a bit unsettling.

The BFG by Roald Dahl

ISBN: 0142410381
208 pages
published in 1982.

I first read The BFG in elementary school, I think as a requirement. I remember ratty mass-market paperback copies of it being passed out to the class. I had never heard of Roald Dahl before, although my teacher sung his praises up and down to us. I do know, however, that the moment I started reading it I was totally hooked. I had never thought that I would be interested in stories about things like giants before (I was much too caught up on vampires and werewolves and beasts of THAT nature at the time), but I guess I was. The BFG — and Sophie — are two of the most lovely characters in children’s literature, I think, and the story itself is funny and sly and sweet.

Snatched out of her bed one night by a giant, Sophie — an orphan — is brought to Giant Country, where live 9 terrible, people-eating giants… and one other giant who does not eat people. The Big Friendly Giant. The BFG. Rather than spending his nights eating children from all over the world as do the other giants, he goes out and blows dreams into the heads of sleeping kids that he collected from a mysterious dream land. Sophie experiences all of this, and while the BFG also strongly disapproves of what the other giants do, he is a “runty” giant compared to the others and is not able to stop them. Together, Sophie and he come up with a plan to stop the giants.

The relationship between Sophie and the BFG is the sweetest, nicest part of the story — although the descriptions of the giants and the dreams and the way that people react once they first see the giants (and especially the arrangements that the Queen of England must make to accommodate the BFG at breakfast) are very good, as well. Sophie learns valuable lessons from the BFG — as he is someone who is not stuck in the middle of human society and can thus look at it objectively. The BFG of course is able to solve his problems with the other giants and no longer has to eat hideous, foul-tasting snozzcumbers. Both of them gain each other’s friendship.

I’m happy that I re-read it, and I’m especially happy that I was able to read it as a child. It was still magical and wonderful to read, but for a child it is ten-times over. The surprising and charming ending really helps in the suspension of disbelief and makes the story really come to life.

Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz

ISBN: 0786838922
320 pages
published in 2006.

To be fair, this book entertained me quite a bit and was actually quite original and interesting for the most part. By far, my favorite part was the fact that de la Cruz incorporated a lot of real history into the story (the whole thing about the lost colony of Roanoke and the “Croatan” stuff). It does take some ignorance on true history to suspend disbelief entirely, I’d think, but it was still a sort of fun “what if” scenario.

There were two seriously irritating things about the book though, and they are both apparently really fundamental aspects to the entire series. 1. The absolute unapologetic obsession with fashion and brands. The main character is not only a total Mary Sue, but de la Cruz has no desire to even pretend that she is not. I am sick of hearing about real-life designers and how perfect and beautiful all the vampires are. It really detracts from the story. 2. The Christian-based story line, but I guess that is my own personal bias.

Also irritating was the fact that it seems fairly obvious de la Cruz stole material from Buffy the Vampire Slayer — especially when it comes to the whole “watcher” concept. Although the guardian for these characters is a guardian towards vampires, the role still seems almost identical — the relationship is and the description of the training and history of the people meant to guard the vampires. It is all just a little silly and also reminds me a bit of the concept behind the guardian half-vampires in the Vampire Academy series. So, this chunk of unoriginality in a storyline that is actually, fundamentally, quite a bit different from most other vampires stories on the market these days is very disappointing.

However, if you like stories full of mystery and rich in their own mythology and history then it’s actually pretty decent. You really do wonder what is going to happen next, only because it isn’t very predictable. The characters are pretty dry though and I don’t find myself caring about any of them particularly.