Hungry For Some New Dystopian Lit? -- HUNGRY by Swain

Hungry

by H.A. Swain

Swain’s near-futuristic dystopia Hungry explodes onto this well-trod genre with a fresh idea, tense plotting, and relatable characterization.  Fans of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Lois Lowry’s The Giver will flock to Swain’s story about a future in which Earth’s resources, ostensibly decimated by wars and superstorms, have vanished, along with any flora and fauna.  Mega-corporation One World swoops in to salvage the remaining humans from starvation by altering their DNA so that they no longer experience any pesky hunger pangs; One World also supplies all nutrition through a formula-like substance called Synthamil.  

In a world in which any type of food is illegal, young Thalia, daughter to One World scientists, begins to suffer inexplicable spasms in her abdomen.  Instead of being shipped off to a “specialist” to eradicate her natural hunger pangs, as was wont to happen, Thalia is determined to seek the truth behind the hunger and One World’s monopoly on food.  She teams up with a non-“privy,” Basil, who leads her further into the resistance movement than she would have thought possible.  Thalia is faced with a decision – do the easy thing or do the right thing, all while battling her genetic “mutation” that makes her mouth water and her stomach growl. 

From the Inner Loops to the Outer, to the Hinterlands and beyond, Thalia’s journey is fast-paced, scientifically-plausible, and scarily possible.  Swain completes a unique tour de force with Hungry, one that requires us to examine our current society, our place within invisible and sometimes all-too-visible hierarchies, and the moralities of genetic engineering.  

* Read this review and more in the May 7, 2014 edition of School Library Journal!

To Salvage The Savaged -- SALVAGE by Duncan

Salvage

by Alexandra Duncan

Ava is a seventeen-year-old girl born aboard a spaceship, the Parastrata; when she makes an understandable, yet regrettable, mistake, she is cast out by her patriarchal family to the unfamiliar and unforgiving Earth below.  With just her aptitude for “Fixes” and her spirit for survival, Ava must navigate through the Gyre, a floating wasteland of trash in the Pacific, to ultimately end up in Mumbai, where she searches for her modrie, her blood-aunt.  

Duncan delivers a finely-paced dystopian science fiction novel that relentlessly charges through the finer plot points, which may leave readers confused as to how exactly Earth resulted in a technologically-advanced wasteland.  Another small hiccup is the strange dialogue given to Parastrata’s inhabitants, and Ava, without explanation, which may be off-putting to slow and reluctant readers.  However, the strength of Ava’s character bears the story well through its 528 pages.    Fans of Beth Revis’s Across the Universe and Matched by Ally Condie will appreciate Duncan’s first dive into the genre.

"I Have Magic Hair That Glows When I Sing" - CRESS by Marissa Meyer

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, Book Three)

by Marissa Meyer

So, I read Cress when it was published and wasn't impressed – I quickly gave up, probably due to book series exhaustion.  Given the opportunity to review Fairest, a kind of interlude between books three and four of The Lunar Chronicles, I came back and re-read Cress, and I’m so glad I did.  My second reading entranced me, and I began to realize what a master Meyer is at entwining all of the characters without losing plot-lines or world-building.

Cress is ensconced, against her will, in a satellite around Earth doing the bidding of Sybil, a power player in Queen Levana’s entourage.  She spends seven lonely years essentially spying on Earth and all its wonders, including the royal family and Kai.  Like the fairy tale, Cress has floor-length tresses and a sonorous singing voice.  As she sits at her screens and watches videos of the goings-on down below her, Cress begins to sympathize with the plight of Earthens; when presented with the opportunity to defect to their side, she takes it without hesitation.  

What follows is a fast-paced, well-written, and sometimes romantic journey through the Earth’s atmosphere, the Sahara, Europe, and back to the Moon.  Meyer is a master at committing to her details without losing the effect of the storytelling.  Scarlet is my least favorite character, probably because she is the only one of whom I cannot form a clear picture, and thankfully she was not featured that much in this particular book.  The ending of this novel leaves me wanting more, more, more Meyer.  And, if you haven’t read Fairest yet, you must!

This One Time at Prom, We Were Abducted By Aliens, You See... -- The Prom Goer's Interstellar Excursion

The Prom Goer's Interstellar Excursion

by Chris McCoy

Bennett thinks he has struck the jackpot when his long-time crush, Sophie, agrees to go to prom with him.  A few moments after she accepts, Sophie is abducted by horned, red-furred aliens traveling in a wagon-like UFO.  Bennett naturally wants his prom date back, and so he enlists the help of an extraterrestrial band visiting a local In-N-Out to follow Sophie around outer space.  As Bennett focuses on ensuring Sophie is not hunted down by fellow marooned humans in a Hungers Games-like park, he learns the truths behind the band members and their drive to become successful again.

If it sounds implausible, it unabashedly is, but McCoy creates a fun, amusing, and heart-warming story out of the impossibilities.  Witty and action-packed, the plot is boldly glazes over science-fiction details in favor of well-wrought characters.  You’ll root for Bennett to get the girl and even for crusty band member Skark to accomplish his dream of becoming better than the one billionth and sixteenth band in the universe.  The book’s ending, however, is a nicely-placed realistic surprise.

* Catch this review and more in the January 7, 2015 edition of School Library Journal!

Somehow Marigolds Come Into Play -- A Fall of Marigolds

A Fall of Marigolds

by Susan Meissner

I wanted to like this book; Meissner attempted to deftly weave similarities between a woman living and working in 1911's NYC and a woman living/working in present-day NYC (having suffered a tragedy in the 9/11 terrorist attacks).

I felt the parts dealing with the present-day (and the near-past flashbacks to 9/11) were handled fairly well; they felt raw, real, and organic.  My issue with the novel stemmed from the 1911 flashbacks, which focused on a woman who lost a potential love in the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire.

Clara met and fell in love with Edward in the elevator to the building; they had not even gone on a date when the fire broke out and Edward tragically died.  Trying to escape the painful memories, Clara volunteered for a stint on Ellis Island as a nurse.  A brief stint turned into months of near-isolation as Clara attempted to move past the tragedy that has now overtaken her life.

Clara, to me, is a weak and unrealistic character.  Every person around her handles her with kid gloves.  She is repetitive and quite honestly too overwrought; it is obvious she has some severe mental issues going on, but instead of forcing her to confront them and get treatment, her friends and family pander to them.  It's infuriating.  Somehow she gets two men to fall in love with her, too.  Whatever!

I'd Like a Side of Nausea With That, Please: The Killer Next Door

The Killer Next Door

by Alex Marwood

Alex Marwood’s gristly thriller The Killer Next Door holds back no punches when it comes to the grimier, slimier aspects of humanity.  A group of residents in South London rent rooms from “The Landlord,” a portly man who has no qualms about invading personal space.  The residents – Vesta, Hossein, Collette, Cher, Thomas, and Gerard – all have their quirks, of course, but the most interesting have to be Thomas, Collette, and Cher.

Thomas is referred to as “The Lover,” a quiet, pensive man who also happens to be a serial killer.  The pungent odors from his hobby of mummifying the women he “loves” permeate through the old house; the residents dismiss it as odd, but not alarming.  Thomas presents one side to the world: a hard-working, sensitive guy who is eager to help his neighbors.  Inside of his apartment, however, he engages in some rather distasteful habits – let’s just say those habits regularly clog up the drains.  Marwood does not shy away from vivid descriptions of Thomas’s diversions; for instance: “Jecca left the house in a series of carrier bags, flesh falling from bone like a five-hour pot roast…Katrina, her body cavities cleared more studiously, was a steep learning curve.  His incision, down the front of the abdomen the way a pathologist would do it, left the trunk loose and floppy, and her nose was ruined by his clumsy attempts to remove the brain with the crochet hook. The parichistic entry, via a slit in the left-hand side, though it means having to plunge himself arm-deep in viscera, produces a neater, more human-shaped final product” (93).

Collette, also known as Lisa, is on the run from her former boss after she accidentally witnesses a horrifying incident.  Three years and a duffel bag of money later, she stumbles upon 23 Beulah Grove.  Collette only wants to keep a quiet profile and periodically visit her mother in the nursing home; unwittingly, she is drawn into a series of crimes and intrigues far beyond her imagination.

Cher drinks, smokes, and steals; her days pass by in a yellow haze of fear, hunger, and longing.  She is only fifteen years old and is determined not to return to the foster home, even if it means robbing men much larger and stronger than her.  Her heart, though, is pure, and she forms an unlikely friendship with Collette and Vesta.

When a culminating event brings the residents together, they learn more than they bargained for about some of their neighbors.  Marwood is a master at sketching out characters, then filling them in subtly with unique details.  If you can handle a bit of gristle and fat, then definitely dive into this contemporary thriller fiction.

My only qualm is that there is a plethora of British terms throughout the novel – of course, that makes sense since the novel is set in London.  At times it was distracting and frustrating to not know what certain terms meant in context…but that is my own failing, not Marwood’s.

"Well, if Fortune Be a Woman, She's a Good Wench..."

Wench

by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

After weeks of reading mediocre literature, I was about to give up and forego my nightly ritual that I've had since childhood of reading until I go to sleep.  Luckily, I came across Perkins-Valdez's novel, Wench, which had me riveted.

The story involves a group of four female friends, who are slaves, and their vacations to the "free country" up North.  All of the women are involved sexually with their Masters, and the protagonist, Lizzie, is in love with her Master, Drayle.  The women are constantly tempted to run for freedom, especially when they discover free blacks in Dayton, and are befriended by a white Quaker woman.  They experience an extreme of unpleasant situations and adversity; I began to really ache for their heartaches, but the characters seemed to accept most of the situations as normal--which in itself is heartbreaking.

The only thing that I did not understand was the love Lizzie had for Drayle--I really didn't see a love story there, and I assume I am not supposed to.  However, Lizzie seemed more intent on manipulating Drayle for special favors than being in love with him.

Perkins-Valdez uses realistic dialogue and smooth, cadenced narration to create an unforgettable historical fiction novel.

Don't Read This Unless You Want to Bludgeon Yourself

What Has Become Of You

by Jan Elizabeth Watson

I'm writing this review as I recently wrapped up my 9th year as an educator (and currently a middle school librarian).  There were just way too many flimsy plotholes in this book to take it seriously.

The first gaping hole is when the teacher does what she does with Jensen -- ALL of it.  All teachers undergo thorough training and are mandated reporters.  The fact that Vera did not immediately report Jensen's journals are ridiculous.  And then...AND THEN...(spoiler alert)...this idiot woman goes to a hotel room with her student...AND THEN...drinks alcohol with her student.  It gets worse.  She lies to the police, more than once.  I just want to bludgeon Vera with something, anything, because it is incredibly stupid, and then I want to bludgeon myself for even taking the time to read this inane story.

(SPOILER) That Jensen is unhinged is obvious from the very first email she sends to Vera.  So, it was not a psychological thriller for me.  More like an exercise in vapidity.

But hey, the really dumb teacher who is fired can become a librarian, so at least there's that.  I really hated the way librarians were portrayed in this novel, first as suspiciously-uptight (and no librarian would ever go on record and tell a newspaper what a patron checks out, that violates privacy laws--yet another hole), and then as a way for Vera to somehow redeem her idiot self.

OK, I'm done.  Just DONE.

I May Be Missing an Eye, But I See Better Than You -- The Young Elites

The Young Elites 

by Marie Lu

Imagine surviving a plague of fever, only to be marked as an abomination by your countrymen; most survivors possess a strange and unique marking, whether it be a facial coloring, oddly-colored hair, or, in Adelina’s case, a missing eye.  Called malfettos, some are endowed with magical gifts that enable them to control wind, fire, earth, and humans.

All Adelina has wanted is to feel accepted and loved; her father ignores her, her sister cannot save her.  When Adelina escapes an unwanted proposal, she unwittingly becomes part of the Dagger Society, an Elite membership of malfettos bent on using their supernatural abilities to escape the Inquisition’s genocide and place their malfetto leader, Enzo, on the throne of Kenettra.

Adelina struggles with an increasing distrust of Enzo, her fellow Elites, and herself, all while learning how to control her powers of illusion and disillusion. 

Lu seamlessly melds an unforgettable and intoxicating historical fantasy narrative with a strong female protagonist that grapples with an issue experienced by Everyman – acceptance of one’s self.  Brimming with engaging battles, both physical and emotional, and meticulous backdrops, Lu’s new series is a surefire hit with old fans and new alike.   

"The Sin Eater's Daughter" a Strong Contribution to YA Fantasy Lit

The Sin Eater's Daughter

by Melinda Salisbury

Gr. 7 and up:  17-year-old Twylla has both a gift and a curse as the embodiment of a goddess on earth: she is worshipped and she can kill men in seconds with the briefest of touches.  Twylla’s mother is a Sin Eater, one who eats symbolic foods of the deceased person’s sins at their gravesite; Twylla is set to pursue this path until the Queen of Lormere took her from her home to become the goddess Daunen Embodied.  Every month Twylla ingests a poisonous substance that reinforces her position as both the goddess’s personification and the kingdom’s executioner, and every month Twylla becomes more isolated.  Her only hope lies with her future marriage to Lormere’s prince, Merek.

Until a new guard joins her service--Lief is different from the others.  He does not shrink away as Twylla draws near; he engages in conversation with her and asks questions.  As Twylla grows closer to both Merek and Lief, she becomes more aware of how truly trapped she is in her role with the Queen – and how much she will have to sacrifice to break free.

Salisbury’s concept is not new – Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me and Kristin Cashore’s Graceling both have similar protagonists with tactile killing powers – but her luscious world-building and mythology make The Sin Eater’s Daughter a worthy read.  Twylla is strong and sensible, making Melinda Salisbury’s novel an easy recommendation for middle grade fantasy readers.

A Mystery Wrapped in an Enigma Wrapped in a Riddle -- "The Shogun's Daughter"

The Shogun's Daughter

by Laura Joh Rowland

Listen, I appreciate an ARC as much as any person; a beautifully-appointed hardcover ARC is relatively unseen, so I eagerly cracked open Rowland’s The Shogun’s Daughter.  Some background: I have a B.A. in English literature and I also began my Masters in English Literature with an emphasis on the Japanese short story; I was and still am fascinated with the mystic realism inherent in Japanese literature.

Rowland writes well, in the sense that her syntax flows naturally, her imagery is rich, and she wraps up all of her plots points.  However, this novel of feudal Japan left much to be desired.  It is, essentially, a murder mystery, but given Japan’s loose definition of the word “justice,” many will be frustrated by the so-called “plot twists.”  Also, there really is no “mystery”—it’s quite easy to discover who is responsible for what in this story.

Probably the most frustrating plot line is that of Hirata; everything about the mystic warrior is just so ridiculous and contrived, I found myself eventually skipping over anything having to do with him and his “ghost.”

Pass on this unless you feel like getting yourself frustrated.

“Hate looks like everybody else until it smiles” -- Shatter Me

Shatter Me

by Tahereh Mafi

I just could not stand this overwrought, teenage-angsty, trying-to-hard style of writing.  This is an English 101 fail on Mafi's behalf, as it is utterly distracting from the premise (which is in itself unbelievable...no one can touch Juliette, blah blah blah, her parents despise her, blah blah).  If you can stomach pages of this drivel:

"His eyes pin me in place.  His urgency ignites my bones.  Rivulets of water snake their way down the polished planes of his face and his fingers press me up against the wall.
His lips his lips his lips his lips his lips
My eyes are fighting not to flutter
My legs have won the right to tremble
My skin is scorched everywhere he's not touching me..." then you might like this series.

Otherwise...blech.  It's like reading a badly-written 13-year-old's diary.  Pass, unless you are a teenager full of angst!

It's not all bad -- the warped-eye cover art is aesthetically quite appealing.

"In the Kingdom of Ice" Compels and Intrigues

In the Kingdom of Ice

by Hampton Sides

At turns compelling, suspenseful, factual, and humanizing, Hampton Sides’s latest historical masterpiece is sure to enthrall both fans of Arctic exploration and newcomers. 

Granted, the Jeanette does not leave her San Francisco dock until page 137, which means Sides does plenty of background-building.  Why Arctic exploration was so important and who these men were, at heart, take up the first quarter of the book.  Never monotonous, Sides nevertheless occasionally gets too bogged down in the minutia.

Once the boat gets underway, an exciting and daring expedition begins.  Instead of focusing merely on the commander De Long, Sides ensures that we know the rest of the crew, some of whom sacrificed their lives in this attempted Arctic venture.  Interspersed throughout are letters from De Long’s wife, Emma; she is, in turns, depressed, optimistic, and numb throughout this three-year ordeal.

Suffice it to say that the ending is almost incomprehensible to a mere reader – slogging through ice packs with the wind howling, temps twenty below zero, what’s left of your boots soaking wet, gnawing on pieces of your leather jacket.  The sheer bravery and fortitude of these men reads like a fiction story, but it is all too real.

Throughout, Sides’s lyrical prose flows naturally.  One of my favorite examples:  “He passed through the Thuringian Forest, the ancient land dipping and heaving like a dark green sea. The train dropped into a fertile basin, a patchwork of cow pastures and mustard fields, and then chuffed into the prim village of Gotha” (75).

Even if you do not have any interest in historical exploration, you will enjoy this as a story of unparalleled determination.

Can We Do Some Voodoo? Sweet Unrest by Lisa Maxwell

Sweet Unrest

by Lisa Maxwell

Gr. 9 & Up: A romantic ghost story, Voodoo spells, and the humid-drenched southern locale of historical New Orleans all combine for a satisfying mix of contemporary and historical fiction from Maxwell’s first, Sweet Unrest.  When Lucy Aimes’s family moves to an old plantation near New Orleans for her history professor father’s work, she becomes plagued with vivid dreams featuring a handsome Alex and surprisingly familiar Armantine.

Lucy soon learns that the dreams are much more than they seem with the assistance of a local mystical woman; intertwining a bit of history of Voodoo with an enjoyable mystery, Maxwell produces a well-written, spell-binding, enthralling, and informative story that young readers (and adults) are sure to snap up.  Read it for the heady descriptions of New Orleans and mysticism if nothing else.

I'm Dead, But Will You Marry Me?

The Ghost Bride

by Yangsze Choo

Yangsze Choo’s The Ghost Bride deeply delves into the underbelly of Malayan afterlife; after the son of a rich household dies without a wife, Li Lan’s family is approached with an offer for her to become a “ghost bride” to the deceased.  Naturally, Li Lan balks, but not before forming what can only be described as a crush on the nephew of the household, Tian Bai.

When a medicinal treatment goes awry, Li Lan learns firsthand what the spirits in the Malayan afterlife experience; she is not yet a ghost but she is not fully in the land of the living.  A rich mythology of beliefs combine to form a fascinating portrayal of the afterlife: will Li Lan be able to find her mother, long since deceased, in the Plains of the Dead? Can the mysterious Er Lang assist her in breaking the bonds with her near-ghost-husband?

I found this to be a very dream-like novel, one in which Malayan notions of the afterlife were so contrary to my own that it was difficult for me to relate.  However, it is truly fascinating, and Choo does a commendable job in melding together multiple religious viewpoints (as is the case with such territories as Malaya).  Perhaps the ending tied up too neatly and quickly, yes.  And perhaps I finished the book and found the notes, and thought, “How handy this would have been beforehand!”  So, if you haven’t read this yet, definitely be aware there are nifty notes in the back that explain quite a bit.

I Don't SEE the Point: China Dolls

China Dolls

by Lisa See

This novel was definitely a miss for me--I guess nothing will live up to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.  The premise of the novel was promising (hence why I requested it for LibraryThing's Early Reviewers) and I love the historical time period...BUT...these girls seem to despise each other.

The early chapters are filled with rude remarks to each other (and snarky thoughts about each other); and then, to help the plot-line along, since they have to be friends, the girls just think/say, "Well, we have to stick together anyway, so it is what it is" <--paraphrase, obviously.  Because these girls are so derogatory about each other, it made me unsympathetic to their plights and I did not care what happened to them.