Book Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Finished: January 17, 2012

Pages: 403 (Hardcover)

Author Cynthia Hand

Add It: Goodreads

Series: Unearthly (#2)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: Purchased

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Quote: “Before I moved here, I never got the whole love-triangle thing. You know, in movies or romance novels or whatnot, where there’s one chick that all the guys are drooling over, even though you can’t see anything particularly special about her. But oh, no, they both must have her. And she’s like, oh dear, however will I choose? William is so sensitive, he understands me, he swept me off my feet, oh misery, blubber, blubber, but how can I go on living without Rafe and his devil-may-care ways and his dark and only-a-little-abusive love? Upchuck.”

Cover Love: I still think that the girl on the cover doesn't really look like how I imagine Clara. However, I do like the swirls/feathers and the coloring, particularly how the feather/swirl theme continues at the top of each chapter.

Thoughts: There will be spoilers for the first book in the series: Unearthly. If you haven't read the first book yet and would like to read my review of Unearthly instead you can find it here.

I'm going to be very vague in my review because I don't want to spoil anyone. If I were to write what I really wanted to about this book it would probably look something like this:

#$(#($(LIKE(#$(@#)@WHAT@(#(STOP IT CHRISTIAN@#(@TUCKERRRRRRR@((@#$(#NOOO JEFFREYYYYY@#*!*! and end with me riding off into the sunset with Tucker on the back of Midas in a blaze of Glory.

...thankfully for you, I'm going to write something else and try to make it somewhat composed.

Hallowed is Cynthia Hand's middle child and I liked it even more than her first. Sure, it's got classic middle child syndrome. It doesn't really further the plot along (though there are several new developments) and it ends as a very clear set up for the next book. The story still isn't the most original or groundbreaking thing in the world. There's still a love triangle with a heroine at the middle who is just special and shiny enough to make two men fall desperately in love with her. Yet, I loved this book. I laughed. I cried. I got angry. I worried. I stayed up all night with these characters. What kind of book deserves five stars if one that can make me do all of those things does not? I'm not here to be a professional judge of literary merit. Even so, it's like Cynthia Hand said to other authors "Look, you want to include the cliche high-school experience in your story and have a heroine who is being forced to choose between an attractive supernatural being and the boy next door? You can write that story but THIS is how you do it."

As stated in my review of Unearthly I was a little fearful of where book two was going to go. At the start of the book (and random moments throughout) I was worried that the story was going to be taken somewhere very cliche with the love triangle and fall in on itself. It's like I was standing at the edge of a cliff with Cynthia Hand behind me just begging me to trust her and I was saying "But Cynthia, those rocks down there look awfully sharp and I think I see Christian down there trying to give himself Edward Cullen hair..." and she was like "Shut up. I've got this all under control. And you've got to admit his wings are pretty." and guess what? Cynthia Hand never pushed me off that cliff. Although I'm pretty sure I saw her nudge Tucker a few times.

I don't like love triangles. There's usually a very clear winner and the girl ends up with the slightly abusive bad boy, while both boys stand around salivating over her like she's prime rib, and it's sickening. That is not so here. Well, for the most part. Cynthia Hand develops her characters so well that even if you came away from the first book solidly on the Team Tucker side (not that I would, um, ever, ya know, be on a team or anything... cough) that you will likely come to empathize with Clara and the reasons she is drawn to Christian as well. The thing is, Clara never casts Tucker aside. She doesn't look at Christian and say "Oh, but I cannot fight his charms! Look at his dark and smoky features!" and turn into mush in his presence. Though the boys have their cave man moments, they come out of it and apologize and they treat Clara with respect. They treat her as a person who can make her own decisions and don't try to force her hand. As a result, you feel something for everyone involved in the situation. It doesn't feel like a plot device. The love triangle makes sense as part of Clara's story. Clara is a creature with a destiny but she is also a creature with free will and the love triangle was a great way to explore that and help Clara grow.

It also isn't the focus of the whole book. I absolutely loved that Clara's relationship with her family is so developed. I like that the mother gets to have her own story. Too often in YA the adults aren't fleshed out at all and it's often a missed opportunity. Maggie is just as developed as Clara and I love Cynthia Hand for that. I would love to see Hand expand on Maggie's past even further. I also really enjoyed watching Jeffrey's story unfold.

I mentioned in my review of Unearthly that I really appreciate Cynthia Hand's sense of humor. That continues here. Which is good, because without Clara's voice, this book would have been very dark indeed. Clara pokes fun at her life and herself and the situations she finds herself in and it adds a necessary lightness to the story.

I'm glad I stood at that cliff with Cynthia Hand. Though, based on the ending I'm even more concerned for book three. I don't know why, because it's become clear that I should trust her. She has proven herself to be a great storyteller who treats her characters with respect.

Recommendation: If you liked Unearthly I think you should move right on to Hallowed. The same humor and suspense can be found in this second installment. Just don't come here looking for the plot to move forward a hell of a lot. This book focuses a great deal of its time on relationships (not just romantic ones) and character development. I wish there had been a little bit more resolved (particularly with Angela - you know something is going on there!) but I don't think fans of book one will be very disappointed.

Rating:

Five out of Five Coffees

Hallowed is on sale now in hardcover. You can purchase it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository and other retailers.

Extras: Looking for other books similar to this one? You might also like Angelfall. It's a lot darker and dystopian instead of paranormal romance, but the angel mythology is top notch. These two series are the only angel books I've loved... so far. Have any suggestions for other great series I should check out that are focused on angels? Suggest away!

Book Review: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Finished: January 13, 2012

Pages: 313 (Hardcover)

Author John Green

Add It: Goodreads

Publisher: Penguin

Source: Purchased

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Watch John read the first chapter of The Fault In Our Stars here.

Quote: “Without pain, how could we know joy?' This is an old argument in the field of thinking about suffering and its stupidity and lack of sophistication could be plumbed for centuries but suffice it to say that the existence of broccoli does not, in any way, affect the taste of chocolate.”

Cover Love: The cover is very simple and I like that. The blue really stands out on my shelves.

Thoughts: The Fault In Our Stars took its rightful place as my first (and so far only) five star book of the year. I am actually not a hardcore John Green fan. I read Looking For Alaska and fell in love with it. I count it among my favorite books. I always meant to pick up more of his work but for some reason I never did, until now. With all of the hype surrounding the book I felt caught up in the excitement. It was extremely cool of John to sign so many (150,000!) copies of the book. I was also aware of special copies that had fish or yeti's drawn in them. I went on a spontaneous scavenger hunt for the drawings (no luck though!) and I can assure you that the people at the book store thought I was borderline certifiable. I was the only one in the store at Booksamillion at night, so they were staring at me as I searched through the books on the display and I said "I am just looking for a fish. He drew fish in some of them." which resulted in some side eyes and polite nodding. Personally, book scavenger hunts are the best scavenger hunts. I don't know who wouldn't want to participate.

Now, on to the book. From reading the synopsis I was fairly certain that The Fault In Our Stars was going to be a big downer. There is nothing wrong with that, the subject matter is hard, and important. However, imagine my surprise when the opposite was true! Leave it to John Green to take a book about death and make me laugh out loud and smile all the way through. I was wrong from the start. This book isn't about death. It's about life. Sad, beautiful, ugly, infuriating, fake, wonderful, crazy, spontaneous, short, long... life. Though that isn't to say I didn't cry. I definitely did.

Hazel comes across as a very real teenager. So do her cohorts, Isaac and Augustus. All three suffer from some form of cancer, but they don't become caricatures, they aren't defined by their disease. We all know books that tend to do that. Allow the characters to become the disease. To be defined by it. In fact, people are even guilty of this in real life. I am pleased to say that John Green handles the characters beautifully. It all feels real, and the ugly moments aren't glossed over. Hazel and Augustus would be most pleased with this.

The romance here feels 100% true. It doesn't feel like a necessary addition to the plot added in only for the sake of having a romance. It doesn't conform to any color by numbers chart. It doesn't try to be dramatic just for the sake of the drama. It just feels... honest. What can I say about this book other than the fact that it's honest? That I felt like it contained so many of the thoughts in my head? Or that the characters reminded me of me or the people that I know? John Green gave such life to these characters that it hardly feels like fiction at all. Though, as we know from the front of the book, it most definitely is.

This book is extremely quotable. You know how you lay in bed at night and tons of wonderful ideas and sentences pour into your head and you promise yourself that you will write them down in the morning? John Green makes books out of his. Every word of this book feels like a near dream.

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."

Recommendation: Everyone. It's a book that probably every one could relate to.

Rating:

Five out of Five Coffees

The Fault In Our Stars is on sale now in hardcover. You can purchase it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository and other retailers. If you look for it in stores right now, you'll probably find a signed copy.

Looking for other books similar to this one? You might also like Looking for Alaska and Before I Fall.

Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Finished: December 28, 2011

Pages: 255

Susan Ee: Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Series: Penryn & the End of Days (#1)

Synopsis: It’s been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel. Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl. Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels’ stronghold in San Francisco where she’ll risk everything to rescue her sister and he’ll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

You can read the first five chapters of Angelfall at Susan’s website.

Quote:

“Angels are violent creatures.”

“So I noticed. I used to think they were all sweet and kind.”

“Why would you think that? Even in your Bible, we’re harbingers of doom, willing and able to destroy entire cities. Just because we sometimes warned one or two of you beforehand doesn’t make us altruistic.” 

Thoughts: So many rave reviews have been posted for this book in the past few days, that I’m probably just preaching to the choir at this point, but I enjoyed this book so much that I want to promote it so others can find it too. So here I am, adding to the praise!

I devoured this book so quickly, I almost wonder if I’m capable of writing a detailed review about it. I walked away from it in a sleepy and satisfied daze, though shocked at the ending. I love a book that is unpredictable, and this book was certainly that. If you think you know exactly what is going to happen in the end, you’re probably wrong.

Angelfall starts off and reminds me a lot of both The Hunger Games and Daughter of Smoke and Bone right away. The main character is fiercely independent and tough when it comes to making hard decisions, very reminiscent of Katniss, and the setting is dark and gritty and easy to imagine. The author crafts her words in a way that allow you to fully envision the world, which I’ve found is not something every author does for me. Penryn also has a mother and sister that she is responsible for, but their relationships are deeply twisted. Despite the comparisons to the aforementioned books, this book is a whole other animal entirely. I don’t claim to know the publishing world, but I almost wonder if one reason this book is so good is because the author self-published the novel, and didn’t have anyone she had to please. There are some things in this book so horrific that it’s shocking, and there are some uses of language by male soldiers that you wouldn’t expect to see in a YA novel, but they work. They feel real in this world that is supposed to be the end of days. Some post-apocalyptic novels don’t manage to capture the feeling that the world has gone completely mad, they don’t want to make things too gritty and dark for their heroine even if that is what would be realistic, but in this book, Susan Ee accomplishes just that. Cannibals, anyone?

The romance in this book is A+. While at times it does stray into the cliche of Penryn obsessing over the angel’s beauty in her private thoughts, it never really became annoying, and she stayed focused on the task at hand. The romance in this book takes a backseat to the story, as it should in a world where so many things are happening, and as a result the end feels all the more heart-wrenching and real. You could actually feel this love develop, see how it might have become what it is, and you don’t feel manipulated. This is important.

I’ve never been a fan of books centered around angels, but it seems after 2011, I can no longer say that is so. I enjoyed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Unearthly, and now Angellfall immensely. I even think the angels in Angelfall were the most interesting. They are evil (but not all) and their wings and skin are unnatural colors. The author also takes the mythology and sticks close to it but spins it into something truly exciting. I don’t know much about religion, but after the end of the book, I looked up the things referenced here and appreciated the book even more when I was through.

Self-published? Yes. I’ve never really read self-published books. I simply do not have the time to sift through for the hidden gems, when I’ve got so many other books on my shelves already, but this novel stands as proof that these gems are out there, and they need to be noticed. This was truly one of my favorite novels of the year and I could easily see it as a movie. It is better than several of the other hyped dystopian novels I’ve read and far more deserving of recognition. I truly hope the author receives it.

Recommendation: Dystopia lovers, Fantasy lovers, Angel lovers, Mythology lovers, Instalove haters, seekers of badass protagonists.

Rating:

Five out of Five Coffees

Angellfall is on sale now only (currently) in Ebook format. You can purchase it right now at Amazon and Barnes & Noble for only 99cents! You do not need to have a Kindle device to purchase from Amazon. You can download the Kindle App on to your Apple device or computer.

Extras: Want to check out some other perspectives on Angelfall? Find other reviews at The Nocturnal Library and The Midnight Garden.

Looking for other books similar to this one? You might also like The Hunger Games, Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Pure.

Review: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares

Finished: December 25, 2011

Pages: 260

Author: Find David Levithan and Rachel Cohn on Goodreads.

Publisher: Ember (Random House)

Synopsis: Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

 

Quote: “I was horribly bookish, to the point of coming right out and saying it, which I knew was not socially acceptable. I particularly loved the adjective bookish, which I found other people used about as often as ramrod or chum or teetotaler.” 

Thoughts: Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares was a perfect Holiday read. I wanted something light and fun and this book was not only that but much more. I wasn’t expecting to like the characters so much, or for them to be witty, or for the story to be so honest and smart. So I guess you would say this book surprised me.

I found that I could not put it down because I was so eager to see where the story went; eager to keep reading more of Dash & Lily’s inner thoughts. I related to both characters in different ways. I related to Dash’s self-proclaimed “bookish” personality and love of seclusion. I related to Lily’s awkwardness and unending idealism. In the end, I cared for them both equally. Even though Dash is a bit pretentious, and Lily a little naive, I actually like that I didn’t end up playing favorites. Perhaps because sometimes I feel a little pretentious and naive myself when I’m inside my own head. I think it says a lot for the writing talents of both authors that both characters were so endearing despite their flaws. Lily was written by Rachel Cohn and Dash was written by David Levithan. I read that they wrote this by emailing their contributions back and forth, just as Dash & Lily did with their notebook, which I think is very cool.

I think one thing that makes this book special is the parts of the notebook itself. Not only are we treated to funny dialogue, but we also get to see characters putting thoughts to paper, which really adds something special to the story. It allows the characters to ramble and to go off track - and I really like that. Since I communicate best by writing, that really appealed to me, and a lot of the writing in the notebook by both characters really resonated with me. Particularly the feeling of being your best self in writing and worrying that it won’t translate on the outside the way you want it to. I also loved all of the Franny & Zooey mentions, since it is one of my favorite books.

This book made me laugh out loud over and over again. I don’t find many books like that and it was just what I needed to relax during the crazy two day holiday. The humor does tend a bit toward “romantic comedy” sometimes (the baby catching scene comes to mind) and the writing does tend to get ahead of itself in some parts, almost as if it’s trying too hard to be what it so effortlessly already is for much of the story. These moments were rare though and that is my only complaint.

Recommendation: Anyone who needs cheering up or a little bit of laughter.

Rating:

  

Five out of Five Coffees

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares is on sale now in paperback. You can purchase it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, and other retailers.

Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Finished: December 16, 2011

Pages: 470

Lauren Oliver: Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

Publisher: HarperTeen

Synopsis: 

What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life? Samantha Kingston has it all: the world’s most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing. 

Quote: “Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there’s a tomorrow. Maybe for you there’s one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around it, let it slide like coins through you fingers. So much time you can waste it. But for some of us there’s only today. And the truth is, you never really know.”

Thoughts: Every now and then a book will come along that reminds me of the fine line between a favorite book and one that is just a great read. Sometimes I struggle with what shelves to place a book on when I’m done with it. Was it a favorite? I mean, it was so good, it must be, right? That’s not true though, is it? Before I Fall reminded me that the books that become your favorites are so much more than great, engaging and well written reads. They are the books that hold on to you long after you set them down, the books that resonate with you so much that you can’t stop thinking about them. Every book has the opportunity to become that for someone. That doesn’t mean the next person who picks it up will feel the same way. Everyone is a culmination of different experiences, no one is going to view any one book the same way, no one is going to feel it the same way. Sometimes though, a book comes along, and for you, it’s just right. It changes you in the most subtle of ways. I think that when the right book falls into our lap at the right time it’s one of the luckiest occurrences in the world. Before I Fall was one of those books for me.

I didn’t like the beginning of the book. I doubt that anyone did. The thing is, we weren’t supposed to. Samantha and her friends do not come across as people you would want to be friends with. They are cruel and unlikeable and the worst part is they don’t even seem to care. They’re bullies, plain and simple, and some of their actions can be hard to read. This is the point. You never really know when your time is up, are you going to like the person you are, when it’s your time to go? People so rarely get a second chance. Luckily for Sam, she gets seven chances to make things right.

This is a story that could easily have become a cliche piece, but in Oliver’s hands, it’s nothing short of beautiful. Her writing just melts and swirls in your brain like warm syrup and makes you feel. Her characters are believable and infuriatingly human and flawed. They could be you. They could be me. Sam thinks Starbucks coffee tastes like “dog pee strained through a trash bag” and so do I! See, we could be the same person. Sam doesn’t get to fix everything. You can’t make the world perfect, because not everything is black and white. It’s a credit to this story that Sam couldn’t fix it all, because not even seven chances can make the world perfect.

“And I guess that’s when it starts to hit me: the whole point is, you do what you can.”  

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone write romance better than Lauren Oliver. She did a great job in Delirium and she does an even better job here. Bittersweet, subtle, slow and heartfelt. Kent is a Nice Guy but not one who expects that he deserves something from Sam just because he’s nice. He wants to be her hero, as she was once for him, when they were children. Sweet Kent, with his eyes the color of grass. Sigh.

Sam’s friendship with Lindsay reminded me so closely of a friendship I had with a girl once. She was a lot like Lindsay. Loud, mean, selfish. She had her good points too, just like Lindsay, though it was hard for people to see them. Oliver manages to make her, perhaps not likeable, but understandable to a degree. She could have easily dumped her aside as the mean girl in the story who Sam had to learn to let go of but she didn’t. In my case, I had to let go of the friend, because her negatives started to outweigh the positives for me, but I think Oliver is right in showing that people aren’t usually just good or bad. They just aren’t meant to be your people.

I could go on about this book all day but I’d rather let you read it yourself.

Recommendation: Everyone.

Rating:

Five out of Five Coffees

Before I Fall is on sale now in paperback. You can purchase it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, and other retailers.

Extras: Want to check out some other perspectives on Before I Fall? Find other reviews at The Spotted Mushroom and Imaginary Reads.

Looking for other books similar to this one? You might also like If I Stay, Looking for Alaska, and One Day.

Review: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Finished: November 11, 2011

Synopsis: This is an extraordinarily moving novel about coming to terms with loss. The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…

Quote: “Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?”

Thoughts: The story behind the making of A Monster Calls is just as sad as the story itself. Patrick Ness has taken the final idea of the late author Siobhan Dowd and turned it into a reality, fit to honor the author herself. Siobhan Dowd died of cancer before she could finish the story, and Patrick takes it into capable hands and creates a story he hopes Siobhan would have been proud of. The story itself is a tale of Monsters. Monsters that form themselves from large Yew trees, the Monsters hidden deeply in our own hearts, and the Monsters of diseases that take away loved ones far too soon.

The illustrations in this novel are haunting. They fit so perfectly inside the story itself that the novel would not have been complete without them. 

The writing flows beautifully. It never comes across as melodramatic, or as if it’s taking the subject of grief and making a joke out of it. This novel reaches to the core of some of our most private moments as human beings, the ones we feel are so ugly, we’d rather not allow anyone to see.

“There is not always a good guy. Nor is there always a bad one. Most people are somewhere in between.”

I feel that this novel might appeal to anyone who has lost a loved one to this terrible disease. For some though, perhaps it would hit a little too close to home. This novel is very hard to take in, so I feel that I should leave here having given that warning. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go hug everyone I’ve ever met. 

Rating:

Five out of Five Coffees

Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Finished: October 20, 2011

Synopsis: The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. [via goodreads]

Quote: “You think, as you walk away from Le Cirque des Reves and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus. You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”

Thoughts: The Night Circus is such a beautiful tale that I don’t feel that words in a review can do it justice. This is a story of both timing and fate. Of love letters made of magic, and of sugary confections that make you want to run to the kitchen in the middle of the night. It is the story of The Circus of Dreams.

The circus itself became a character for me, and was perhaps my favorite character of all, but I didn’t feel that the other characters in the story were neglected. I absolutely adored Poppet and Widget. They are born to the circus and travel with the circus as they grow up. It feels like their perception of the circus grounds is the most magical and also the most intimate. The two magicians chosen to compete and create the circus, Marco and Celia, left me feeling as though I was always watching them from a bit of a distance, and would never be able to get quite as close as I wanted. This may have been due to the third person narrative that the majority of the book was written in. For the most part, I felt that the choice to write the novel this way was perfect, and allowed the reader to experience the circus from all possible perspectives. We saw the circus from the eyes of those in the circus, of those on the outside but tied to the circus in some way (whether by choice or not) and through the eyes of the dreamers who deserve to be cited separately from the others. Their dedication to the circus - to dreams - causes them to follow the circus around the world. Wouldn’t we all love to follow our dreams so far?

There are also occasional chapters written in the second person that allow us to experience the circus as if we are there. The author speaks to the reader directly and invites us to this magical circus to experience the sights, smells, and tastes for ourselves. I found that the perfect setting for reading this book was curled up in the dark (the circus only comes out at night, after all) with a sweet smelling candle lit. It really added to the ambiance, which seems important, because it felt to me that this story was more of an experience than just merely pages bound together in a book.

I think it’s important to mention that despite all of the praise you see above, this book was definitely written with a specific sort of reader in mind. If you don’t have a fondness for stories that revolve around the circus, are annoyed by very descriptive writing, tire easily of stories that jump around a lot and contain many threads, or can’t abide a book that doesn’t have a great deal of action, then you will not like this book. However, if you love to watch magical worlds being built in the charming sort of way that I’ve only previously seen accomplished by Rowling and Gaiman, then you may find something here that you will fall in love with and miss when it’s over. You may just become a dreamer yourself.

Rating: 

Five out of Five Coffees

Review: Fire by Kristen Cashore

Finished: October 11, 2011

Synopsis: Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored— fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green— and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans. Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story. [via goodreads]

Thoughts: “Very old and very kind and the very, very last.”

Let me start by saying how much I really adored Fire as a character, and prepare you for my fierce determination to protect her character from all of those who might miss the big picture and call her weak. Above all other things Fire is very much one thing, and this one thing is more important than all other things, Fire is kind. Even when she has to do things she’d prefer not to, that may hurt people who need hurting, she is capable of unending compassion. This is all made rather more important when you consider the fact that Fire is actually a human “monster” capable of bending the minds of others to her will, and with a beauty that ensnares all creatures.

But first, before I get too deep into thoughts about her character, let’s talk about the story.

Unlike Graceling, Fire’s companion novel, this story gripped me from the very start. It was filled with twists and turns but nothing felt forced. The pacing may have been a little weird, which is something I noticed in Graceling as well. Cashore tends to start up slowly, get to the “big” scenes too quickly, and the story does tend to lag a little bit after that point. That wasn’t much of a problem for me with this book, because I’d grown attached to Fire, and didn’t want it to end. The scenes of her in the purple dress were some of my particular favorites. I don’t agree that this story is all that much slower than Graceling’s. In the end the books had a similar pace. For those of you who didn’t like Leck in Graceling (aka: me) and were put off by the possibility that he might be a major focus in this book: don’t worry! He’s not. There is just enough Leck in this story, in my opinion, and it was a very neat tie-in to Graceling.

I really loved all of the underlying issues Cashore has managed to throw into this story. The fact that some men do not even attempt to control themselves or their minds when viewing Fire, is pretty much something women all over have to face every day, even if it’s on a lesser scale. We are too often seen as meat put out for appraisal. Some days I just want to pump my gas at the gas station or go to the store for paper towels, without being stared at and treated to a chorus of “Hey girl! HEY GIRL! HEY GIRL! C’mon girl, look at me, what’s your number?” The problem is that people come to see beauty as something offered to them, as a sign that something is owed to them. It’s not. Fire experiences this in her story as well, on a much worse, and larger scale.

The romance in this book was perfection. It developed slowly and felt entirely real because of this. The romance in a book is something authors so often get wrong for me, which is one reason I liked this book so much. The characters were not always saving each other but relied upon each other for understanding and emotional support, that felt entirely genuine. The love that slowly developed did not keep either character from developing individually, or prevent them from playing parts in the story outside of their romance.

Now for some discussion on Fire’s character and the endless comparisons of Fire to Katsa that I’ve seen in several other reviews.

The general consensus of those that disliked this book seems to be that Katsa was tough while Fire was considerably less so. Why is Katsa’s outer strength valued higher than Fire’s inner strength? When did displaying emotion become a sign of weakness? Fire doesn’t rely on anyone to save her. Sometimes she breaks and needs a helping hand. Don’t we all? But ultimately she does what needs to be done; she is brave, despite not being graced with survival. She has the courage for kindness and compassion. She is fiercely loyal and relies upon her inner strength much of the time. She’s had to do terrible things in the name of her Kingdom and for the greater good and carries that weight with her always. Sometimes she struggles under that weight; isn’t that just so infuriatingly human of her?

Fire may not be able to wrestle a mountain lion and kill it with her bare hands - but she’d certainly try if it were going to save someone’s life. I’m tired of kindness being undervalued. I’m tired of too much compassion being seen as weak. I’m tired of protagonists being looked down upon as “whiny” for daring to express emotion about anything. I’m tired of the fact that to be respected as a woman in books these days you must shrug off emotion and appear always tough and composed. Sometimes you also must reject motherhood and never rely too much on another human being; especially if that human being happens to be a male love interest. Sure, no one likes a perpetual damsel in distress, but that is so far from what Fire is and represents that I have a hard time comprehending any argument choosing to call her such.

Fire does not reject femininity as much as Katsa. She also longs for a child. Again, this is not weak. I respect Fire’s desire to have a child the same as I respected Katsa’s desire not to; neither is less of a character in my eyes for their choice. It grows tiring to see women saying things like:

“Not that there’s anything wrong with a woman choosing _____ but I feel that if the author were going to write an empowered female she would have written her differently.”

The above is nothing but implying that what one woman chooses to be in life is less of an example of a strong woman than the other option, and trying to hide the fact of what you’re really saying, which is that your opinion of what a woman is and should be is superior even if you claim to believe in us all having a choice.

Where Katsa ran her horses into the ground without a second thought; Fire is kind to animals and cries when she’s caused her horse to be injured. She sleeps in the barn with her horse and treats him as a true companion. This was a relief to me because my only major complaint with Katsa was her treatment of her horses. Yet another sign of kindness and a willingness to care that in no way makes Fire a weak character. Quite the opposite actually.

Another thing that has really bugged me in other reviews is that people seem to be pushing their own personal beliefs on to a character who was never going to share their views. Fire isn’t running around having casual sex with everyone she meets, but so what if she was? It’s her body and not anyone’s to police. I think people need to take their own narrow world views out of the picture when they read a book. The sexual bits of this book were hardly explicit and I don’t see why this would not be considered acceptable for a YA audience. You know that teaching abstinence only education and pretending that teenagers cannot possibly be mature enough to read details about sex is quite likely the reason that so many young adults end up pregnant, right? I wish people would stop policing other woman’s bodies and choices; both in the real world and in the fictional.

And for those angry about certain things that may have been alluded to in Fire’s past. You can say you don’t have a problem with lesbians all that you want but when you call an author’s choice to use a character, who is perhaps not heteronormative, in their writing a problem; then you are a bigot. Plain and simple. There need to be more positive LBGT role models in fiction, not less.

I will just end this review by saying that I think Fire is a Hufflepuff if I ever saw one. Helga would be proud.

Rating: 

Five out of Five Coffees