Uglies

Title: Uglies

Author: Scott Westerfeld

Publication date: 2005

Book's setting: The ~Future

Random facts: First book in a series of four.

Plot summary: Some three centuries in the future all of humanity is broken into stages. When you're born you are a Little, just a cute kid. Once puberty sets in and everyone looks awkward and strange you become an Ugly. Uglies have to wait around till their 16th birthday, at which time they undergo full-body surgery to turn them into a Pretty. The purpose of all this is to make the world uniform, to stop racism and jealousy and eating disorders. It's supposed to make everything fair. Your imperfect body and face are enhanced to make the most perfect you possible. Pretties age with grace, undergoing two more surgeries as they age to help keep them fresh and attractive, and die at ripe old ages without much outward deterioration. Tally Youngblood is in the home stretch, just months before her big surgery, when she meets Shay, a girl who doesn't want to be pretty. Days before their surgeries Shay runs away from the city, defying her culture and government. Tally is sent out by Special Circumstances to find Shay and the band of rebels that she'd hiding with.

Favorite aspects: Somehow Westerfeld manages his touchy subject matter with care, despite the "YA Lit" label he seems to have adopted. The writing isn't anything spectacular but it's not distractingly bad either. The characters are where he shines, as well as his subtle references to incredibly sensitive topics like anorexia, racism, and beauty as something that can be measured. I don't really know how he made it work so well without shocking or offending me, but he did.

Least favorite aspects: I think that this would have been a better novel if Westerfeld had gone further. Although it isn't as annoyingly "teen" one one would guess by looking at the cover, there was a lot of unexplored territory that he could have dove into if Uglies had ended up under General Fiction or Science Fiction/Fantasy instead of YA Lit. Not that I LIKE my books full of sex and violence, but it avoided some issues I think should have naturally come up considering the subject matter.

Other works it reminded me of: The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.

Sadie's merciless break-down: I didn't want to like this book. The concept looked kind of dumb and the cover blinded me with the ~TEEN FICTION~ glow. Despite countless recommendations from friends and trusty internet comrades I didn't want to read it. Mid-December I ran out of books to read and reserved it from the library. It must have gotten lost or something because it finally appeared in the library two months later. Too make matters worse the library sent me a large-print copy which meant I had to hold the book about two feet away from my face and turned the page every few seconds. But then something really awful happened. I liked it. It felt similar to the moment when I realized that I actually loved cheese after spending a decade mocking cheese-lovers. (Just roll with me here.) Anyway, I really liked it.
I've never been insecure about my own body, but many people I love struggle with body image which created a sort of hyper-sensitive switch in me. I hear anyone talking too decidedly about what diets and body shapes are healthiest or what sort of face is prettiest and I climb onto my soap box. I guess I thought that Uglies would rub me the wrong way because it dealt with all of that stuff I hate. Westerfeld managed to get me to genuinely sympathize with both sides of his story. I think that's rare when dealing with the question of whether or not beauty is subjective, biological, or even important.

Recommendation rate: If you like a good dystopia then definitely give it a try. If you're not fond of sci-fi in any way shape or form... don't bother.

Less than Angels

Title: Less than Angels

Author: Barbara Pym

Publication date: 1955

Book's setting: The 1950's

Random facts: Pym worked for a while at the African Institute of London, and a lot of this book was based on her experiences there.

Plot summary: Let me start by introducing you to some of the characters. We can start with three young archeology students- Deirdre, Mark, and Digby. Then there is Tom. He's working on his thesis and is supposedly very brilliant, but Digby and Mark doubt this sometimes. Catherine is his partner. She writes stories and keeps house for Tom. Then there are a few linguists and some worried mothers and aunts. And a brother and an awful fiance. And a flame from the past. Oh yeah, and your token crazy Frenchman. Who is in love with who? Where is the grant money going? Will Tom ever finish his thesis? Who's going to Africa? And how will Tom eat without Catherine? For a romance, this is high-adventure.

Favorite aspects: The characters, obviously. The way their lives are knit together. Pym's foreshadowing. The way you get a little peak into everyone's head. Her hilarious plot and witty asides. She has lots of foils, which is one of those literary things that I love. Catherine and Deirdre play well off each other. I don't want to give anything away, but my favorite thing about this book, and I think the aspect of it that reflects best on Pym's abilities as an author, are the two twists in the end. They're insane and jaw dropping and come out of nowhere. And both of them, once you get over your initial horror, deflate. And you realize that everyone's better off this way anyway. Less than Angels is a spectacularly planned novel.

Least favorite aspects: It was too short. Um.

Other works it reminded me of: Leave it to Psmith by PG Wodehouse; Cotillion by Georgette Heyer.

Sadie's merciless break-down: It surprises me sometimes, the books I'm drawn to. On the surface Less than Angels isn't much more than an amusing British romance. Frivolous and fun. And yet I can hardly find a fault with it. It might be the coolest thing I've read in ages. Pym is a master, she's got the POWER that Wodehouse had thirty years before. She's been called a modern Jane Austen, but that's hardly an accurate comparison. Austen is dry and rude. Pym is simply hysterical. She has the magic touch that makes this novel simply better than you'd think by reading a synopsis or looking at the dingy cover of the copy the BPL sent me. I have only read two of her books, but I've already decided that Barbara Pym is not nearly as well known as she should be. Can someone reprint her novels with candy-colored covers and put them on a perky display in Barnes and Nobles? I think that's where they should be, not in the Main Branch Library's storage. I'm so thankful that I have a mom who read a lot and shares it all with me.
I normally don't like reading quotes out of context, but I want you to get an idea of the flavor of Less than Angels. This is found on the first page- it's been a while since something got to me so quickly. "She poured herself another cup of tea which had become dark and stewed, as she preferred it. She felt no guilt, sitting idly at her table in the window, watching the sun streaming through the amethyst and gold stained-glass borders, while everyone around her gulped and hurried to catch trains home, for she earned her living writing stories and articles for women's magazine and had to draw her inspiration from everyday life, though life itself was sometimes too strong and raw and must be made palatable by fancy, as tough meat may be made tender by mincing. "

Recommendation rate: READ IT. THAT'S ALL.

Boneshaker

Title: Boneshaker

Author: Cherie Priest

Publication date: 2009

Book's setting: Mid 1800's

Random facts: It was nominated for the 2010 Hugo Award.

Plot summary: Set in pre-Civil War in Seattle, Boneshaker takes history and warps it into something new and exciting. Boneshaker combines the dying pioneer spirit with the tragic Industrial Revolution, adds zombies and classic Steampunk machinery, drags in Chinese gold rush immigrants and a Native American princess, and sticks them all in a contaminated city filled with diseased air that kills. Anything else I say is sort of a spoiler so I'll stop there. But zombies! You can't say no to zombies!!

Favorite aspects: This book is rotting. Every character and every visual that Priest offers us is putrid and decaying. It's the most beautiful thing. Her world is complete and disgusting and strangely appealing. Her characters are strong and emotional, especially Briar, the main character. She's a strong female is the most literal sense of the word. She's a widow, a mother, and an out-cast. And she's a total badass.

Least favorite aspects: It was not very romantic. I am not necessarily the sort of person who needs romance in all of her books, but in a way Steampunk is a very romantic genre. Boneshaker did not feel as if it lacked romance, but if you decide to read it don't except any. Also (and this is a small thing) during one of the zombie chases, I found the narration rather stilted. I think that it could have used a little edit. The action was awkward and hard to follow.

Other works it reminded me of: The Shadow in the North by Philip Pullman; The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne DuPrau.

Sadie's merciless break-down: I love to multi-task. Most of the books I've read this year I read while watching hockey. I don't have time to read and cheer on the Rangers, so I find myself doing both at the same time. It works really well. That's not relevant to the quality of Boneshaker, but I thought that it was worth noting.
Anyway, Boneshaker had that amazing epic feeling that only good sci-fi can have. It completely enveloped me in another world. It was well formed and well executed. I find that a lot of times I don't really "get" the world that an author is trying to sell me on. Sometimes it's hard to envision what they've built; it's hard to get myself engaged in it. Boneshaker had none of these problems. This aspect of reading is obviously incredibly subjective. I'm not sure if it's because Priest is a good author or if it's because I like Steampunk or if it's because the stars were aligned in my favor. It's probably more me than the book. Diana Wynne Jones, for example, is a master at crafting worlds, but sometimes I just don't "feel" it. It's not her fault, it's mine. With Boneshaker, Priest's vision and my imagination met in the middle. It was like watching a really amazing big-budget movie. It was visual and spectacular and tense and emotional. The fact that I was so enveloped in a book while watching hockey is pretty amazing. The sci-fi-fantasy-cross-over genre is so radical. An author has so many liberties and options and they can just run with a vision. It was a beautiful book. I can still see the world Priest offered up when I close my eyes, and I think that's a sign of something great.

Recommendation rate: If you've ever liked science fiction-fantasy than this is a Must Read Book.

Three Cups of Tea

Title: Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace, One School at a Time

Author: Greg Mortenson and David Relin

Publication date: 2006

Book's setting: 1993-2006

Random facts: The name is taken from a really cute proverb- "The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family."

Plot summary: Three Cups of Tea is the memoir of Greg Mortenson. Raised in Africa by his missionary parents, Mortenson was studying to be a doctor in California in the early 90's. He took a trip to Pakastain in order to try and climb K2. On his way he got separated from the group. Finally he wandered into the small village of Korphe. The people there nursed him back to health and helped him find his way home. Mortenson learned while there that Korphe did not have any schools for their children. Before leaving he promised the chief that he would return one day to pay them back for their kindness, and build a school. Three Cups of Tea is how Mortenson found the money, resources, support, and strength to build that school.

Favorite aspects: I'm a sucker for memoirs and I really loved this one. Ever since World History last semester and doing a little more reading about life in Afghanistan and Pakistan I've wanted to learn more. Three Cups of Tea was really excellent in educating me without making any sort of stupid political statement along the way. Actually, it wasn't ever over-baring politically or religiously. It was a true story about real people and it told the facts. I appreciate that because it's really hard to find anything straight-forward about the Middle East.

Least favorite aspects: The book, considering it was about a missionary's son building schools in a very Islamic region, skirted around religion. I don't know if they thought it would be more marketable if they just didn't talk about it, but it was a total elephant in the room. Part of me appreciated that they didn't get really preachy one way or the other... but it seemed unnatural.

Other works it reminded me of: My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay.

Sadie's merciless break-down: Oh man. This book really gave me an appreciation for education. I'm stuck in Senior Slump right now and I think that this book gave me a little push. After I finished it I studied really hard for a few days until the aftershock wore off. Often books that talk about "important things" get really annoying, but somehow this one was really convicting without being annoying. But then, as always, I got that pressing feeling to do something and save people and I considered becoming a doctor and joining one of those third-world-country-doctor-programs or selling everything I own and becoming a nun... and then I didn't.
I have a hero complex.
But I digress.
It was a good book. Read it.

Recommendation rate: If you are at all interested in philanthropy or educational philosophy in third-world areas then you should really read it. Or just read it. You should.

No Fond Return of Love

Title: No Fond Return of Love

Author: Barbara Pym

Publication date: 1961

Book's setting: The 1950's

Random facts: Pym gave herself a cameo in the book the way some movie directors put themselves in their films.

Plot summary: Dulcie and Viola are middle-aged woman in the publishing buisness. They run into the handsome, recently-divorced Aylwin Forbes at a convention for editors and publishers. Dulcie is fascinated by him and decides to gather as much information on him as possible, leading her to his former mother-in-law and further. At the same time Laurel, Dulcie's teenage niece, moves into Dulcie's spare bedroom and takes her own interest in the mysterious older man. Aylwin is oblivious to the woman on his tail, but they manage to circle closer to him. Will Lauren forget all about the next-door neighbor? Which pastor really is Aylwin's brother? How bad are poor Viola's circumstances? And above all, who will Aylwin chose? (<-- that sounds like a legit blurb right there. I am getting good at this.)

Favorite aspects: The characters. There is something so wonderful about the classic British comedy ensemble cast- the wacky old ladies and questionable pastors and dramatic foreigners and good-hearted young boys. Pym does this with ease, and even the most insignificant characters make you guffaw a couple of times. No Fond Return of Love is what the title says. It's every angle of unrequited love stuffed into one story about a couple of really brilliant, lonely souls.

Least favorite aspects: I don't really know. It wasn't a perfect book obviously (there are very few of those), but it did what it set out to do well and with ease. Laurel was a bit grating and that bothered me, even though it was her character at fault and not Pym's writing. Pym has a good handle on her characters, and I really can't think of much to criticize or point out. Well, now that I think about it, it was a bit stupid. Personally I love stupid. You, however, might not love stupid books, in which case you should just veer out of Barbra Pym's way altogether.

Other works it reminded me of: An Unwilling Guest by Grace Livingston Hill; The Mating Season by PG Wodehouse.

Sadie's merciless break-down: So imagine this. (Changes are you don't have to imagine very hard.) You meet a guy and you really like him and he doesn't really notice you. You don't see him again. You find his Facebook, you look at his pictures. You find his ex's Tumblr. You see him at a party and he doesn't remember your name. There is no fond return of love. This book captures the hysteria of internet-stalking your clueless crush... but from before the internet was around. Your jaw will drop at the lengths that Dulcie and Viola go to. Without giving too much away, I can say that my favorite part about this book is how it ends before the real romance starts. It's focused on the illogical passion you can have for someone before you really know them. The mutual, mature romance that begins to grow at the end of the book is left up to your imagination.
Okay, confession time. I'm an internet stalker. This books appealed to my innermost creeper. If you have an innermost creeper than it will appeal to you too.

Recommendation rate: If you like general hysteria then you should read it.

Out of the Silent Planet

Title: Out of the Silent Planet

Author: CS Lewis

Publication date: 1938

Book's setting: The 1930's

Random facts: First book in a trilogy.

Plot summary: A professor, Dr. Ransom, is wandering around the English Midlands. He runs into some mad scientists who drug him and fly him to a strange and unidentified planet. Ransom manages to escape from his captors and wanders the planet. He finds the alien culture who lives there and manages to make himself welcome.

Favorite aspects: It was an interesting story, really it was. It was very well written, but it is CS Lewis, so I could hardly have expected otherwise. Lewis does a really magnificent job shaping his aliens civilizations, languages, and species. More than a story with a structured plot it is a study of the history and linguistics of the alien creatures Ransom meets. Lewis' descriptions of outer space were lovely and grand. The scene where Ransom is in the spaceship, slowly drifting away from from Earth (the silent planet) is truly lovely. Out of the Silent Planet has moments of great beauty and chilling magnificence, no doubt.

Least favorite aspects: Because it read a bit more like an academic journal than a story it got dull in places and really confusing in others. So don't pick up this book thinking that it is just Lewis' take on sci-fi the way the Narnia series was his take on fantasy. It's a lot more than that.

Other works it reminded me of: The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron; The Man Who Was Thursday by GK Chesterton

Sadie's merciless break-down: Truth time. I thought it was boring. I was really disappointed. I wasn't disappointed because it was a bad book, it just wasn't the book I thought it was going to be. Lewis got carried away explaining the nuances of the alien's grammar to me, and forgot to develop characters or write a comprehensive climax. It sported moments of chilling beauty, but they were lost or swallowed up by effort it took for me to remember the difference between a honodraskrud and a hnakrapunt. One means "monster slayer" and one means "that drug that looks like grass." It was just exhausting.
Also I kept comparing it to other stuff. It was the unfunny or less creepy version of something I'd read before. I think that sort of sucked the joy out of it for me. Of course if you're not really well-read in the sci-fi genre than this book might have all sorts of brand-new imagery and ideas. I still can't decide if it was more like the vintage version of Avatar, the religious version of Farscape, or the speculative version of Robinson Crusoe. I probably never will decide.
Then again, maybe I was just too stupid to get it.

Recommendation rate: If you like books that sit on the fence between fiction and theology then you will probably like it. If you enjoy sci-fi... I guess giving it a try can't hurt. If you disprove of alien civilizations don't bother, even if you adore CS Lewis.

The Two Kinds of Decay

Title: The Two Kinds of Decay

Author: Sarah Manguso

Publication date: 2008

Book's setting: The 1990's

Random facts: The author teaches at Pratt college. I'm considering asking about her when I'm on campus for my art classes.

Plot summary: The Two Kinds of Decay is a memoir about Manguso's battle with a neurological disease so rare, it doesn't have an official name- a rarer form of the already rare Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Her story begins with her diagnosis and ends with her remission, resulting in a tightly plotted and seriously intense book.

Favorite aspects: Manguso writes in a bit of a non-linear form, jumping to different periods of her disease, dedicating entire chapters to a memorable night nurse or cancer patient she meet once or twice. Manguso is known for her poetry, so the writing is flawless. She doesn't overindulge in poetics which might distract from the subject matter. Instead she uses her beautiful (almost painfully so) writing so drag the reader into her world. I heard that the best way to make a reader feel the pain of a character is to tell their story from a distance. Somehow Manguso tells her own story from that distance, as if she was her own doctor. It's clinical and truthful and just really magnificent.

Least favorite aspects: There are no least favorite aspects, but I think I should note the following. Manguso went through rigorous treatments, including one particularly terrifying one, where her blood was taken out, cleaned it, and pumped back in. I don't think of myself as a squeamish person, but while reading The Two Kinds of Decay I began to feel a bit light-headed several times. Almost nauseous once. Manguso does a frighteningly good job at making the reader feel her pain, so if you don't like blood or reading about sick people, I think it's best to stay away.

Other works it reminded me of: I don't think I've ever read anything comparable to this.

Sadie's merciless break-down: I can't make fun of this book. I really can't. I can, however, make fun of myself. After reading this I decided I should write a really dark memoir full of my FEELINGS and it would be beautiful and moving. Then I realized that I had absolutely nothing to say. Oh well. And then I decided that I was a horrible person because I've never given blood and giving blood saves lives so basically I am an aid to death. I am still planning on going. Soon. When the weather improves.

Recommendation rate: It doesn't matter if you want to read this, you need to read this.

All Things Wise and Wonderful

Title: All Things Wise and Wonderful

Author: James Herriot

Publication date: 1977

Book's setting: The early 1940's

Random facts: This books is part of a larger series. The series of books was made into an excellent BBC tv show.

Plot summary: Firmly grounded in real life, this book is a memoir-style retelling of Herriot's life as a vet in the Yorkshire countryside. All Things Wise and Wonderful is set during the beginnings is WWII, so apart from the daily grind in Yorkshire, there is always a larger shadow looming over the story.

Favorite aspects: All the aspects! Really, I think of these as near-perfect books. The scrapes and situations that James and the rest of the characters get themselves into are so comical the reader begins to doubt that this is an autobiographical book. The writing is light, amusing, and just flows really nicely. Characters like Tristan and stories like the Christmas Cat leave you in tears of either amusement or sentiment.

Least favorite aspects: The dialogue is written in a sort of dialect which makes it hard to follow in spots. But I find that if you just think the words you're reading in a crazy Northern accent, it becomes a bit easier... and really funny.

Other works it reminded me of: At Home in Green Thrush by Miss Read.

Sadie's merciless breakdown: I really love Herriot's books. I found this one in a little used bookstore in Queens and I think I may have squealed and hopped a bit upon finding it. Regrettably, All Things Wise and Wonderful did not feature yours and mine and everyone's favorite sexy vet of the century, Calum Buchanan. But Tristan and James are pretty awesome, even without Calum, and this book had the bangers and mash story. I started laughing like a hyena at the bangers and mash story, and then I felt the need to tell everyone about it. Maybe if you read this book you too will find yourself compelled to tell strangers on the street about the bangers and mash story. Who knows?
Here is a warning: This book may colonize your soul with the Anglophile germs. Much tea is had. Many moors are walked through on dusky morns. Beware my friends, beware. ALSO this book is filled with quality men. If you are single and in want of a hearty British specimen, this is a lovely fantasy. ALSO this book is pretty romantic. If you feel very bitter and only want to read books about single woman conquering the world, this is not a lovely fantasy, it will only make you grumpy.

Recommendation rate: If you like animals, England, or WWII, this is a must read. If you like situation comedy, this is something you should put on your list. If you like reading magical realism or Russian propaganda or self-help books than there is really no reason to try it.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

Author: Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Borrows

Publication date: 2008

Book's setting: 1946

Random facts: The story is told letters and correspondences.

Plot summary: The main character is Julie Ashton, a middle-aged columnist trying to start a new novel after WWII. A Guernsey local, Dawsey, writes because he owns a used book that has her name in it, and a friendship is formed. Dawsey tells Julie about the trials that the islanders went through during the Germany occupation, including an odd sort of literary society that was formed by mistake, but affected his entire town. It is a very sweet book and incredibly well plotted. I suppose it is a historical romance first and foremost, but it manages to move past that label and into some sort of more cerebral literary class.

Favorite aspects: Guernsey has a seriously amazing host of characters. You meet snooty Londoners, German soldiers, sweet old maids, quirky young woman, and droll publishers. In that sense it is a very "British" sort of book with fond stereotypes and an ensemble cast. The sweetest part of the book is the romances between a German soldier and a local Guernsey girl. It's a very blink-and-you'll-miss-it romance, told from other people's perspectives and hidden within the subtext of the book. I actually read the bulk of the book twice, and was pleased to catch all the subtle scenes and sweet lines that were hidden from me the first time round. The book's format makes it more challenging to read, but also more compelling. The authors did an excellent job creating distinct voices for their character's correspondences.

Least favorite aspects: I really did not like Julie. I thought the story could have been better told without her in the center of it all, although I completely understand why it was set up that way. Guernsey is so close to brilliance... yet just a tiny bit off-center. I believe that Julie kept the book firmly rooted in the "romance" genre when it should have fallen more into "historical drama" territory. But that is just my opinion. I am sure other readers will adore Julie.

Other works it reminded me of: Madensky Square by Eva Ibbotson; anything by Rosamunde Pilcher.

Sadie's merciless break-down: Okay, so this book confused me. It made me feel like some sort of freaking Anglophile, and I am decidedly not an Anglophile. It takes a lot for me to want to drink tea out of tiny china cups and run around in pastures and wear thick navy stockings. This book had what it takes. Despite the fact that Julie was a bore it transcended nice British literature into a much more terrifying realm of OMG ENGLAND WHAT IS THIS COUNTRY OF MAGIC AND CHARM!? I read it on a plane, flying home from Florida. In the airport I had half a mind to sneak onto the next flight to London. It was a scary feeling.
Also in my head Christian looks just like Devon Woodcomb from Chuck. This fact is irrelevant when it comes to the quality of the writing, but hopefully I have just put an image in your head you will never be able to remove. So go watch some Chuck, feel the Devon love, read Guernsey, and hold onto your hats, because the Anglophile germs will have colonized your SOUL.

Recommendation rate: If you like British stuff and WWII this is a must read. Otherwise you can skip it.

Welcome!

I really like reading and there is very little I am unwilling to try. This blog is where I will review the books I've read and keep you updated on how many I've read during the course of the year.

I always wanted to do a blog about my favorite books, but I've never been brave enough. It seemed as if I was claiming to some hold sort of superior taste in books; it seemed a bit snobbish. I'm not trying to be a book snob here- trust me, I've the farthest thing! I just want to share what I'm reading with the world, and maybe find some fellow bloggers who share my taste in literature.

I'll be covering graphic novels and children's books, but probably also nonfiction and theology. Basically, I'll read anything. To introduce my taste in books, here are some of my favorites:

The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton
Downright Dencey, Caroline Dale Snedeker
Rebecca, Daphne Du Maurier
Harry Potter, JK Rowling
Howl's Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones
Orthodoxy, GK Chesterton
Scott Pilgrim, Bryan Lee O'Malley
Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh

There are about two dozen more that I think of as favorites, but this will hopefully just get you acquainted with my taste. Last year I read 150 books and it really shaped my identity as a reader. I'm not going to share that list here (it is a little too massive) but a bunch of those titles will probably crop up in future posts.

I hope someone reads my posts here, I hope someone tries some of the books I recommend, but most of all, I hope anyone who is reading this blog feels free to comment and leave me some suggestions of their own.

~Sadie