{Review} Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Published by HarperCollins, 2002

Softcover, 162 pages

ISBN 0439576881

Genres: adventure, children's fiction, fantasy, horror, paranormal, science fiction, YA

2/5: The movie Coraline has been a favorite of ours ever since it was in theaters. The Mr took me, pregnant at the time with Gabriel, to see it on Valentine's Day and it was great fun. Now the wee one loves it as well for its "spookiness", as he says, and awesomely quirky characters. It has just the right proportions of action, drama, dialogue and story progression, and the animation! Absolutely stunning and so very interesting you can't tear your eyes away. Needless to say, Gabriel and I were very excited to pick up a copy of Coraline at our favorite used bookstore and start reading it as soon as we finished Dahl's The Witches. We would have been disappointed anyway, but right on the heels of a hilarious and imaginative Roald Dahl book? With Quentin Blake illustrations?? I'm not sure it's possible to have moved on to a more anticlimactic selection than Gaiman's Coraline. It plods along, as flat and colorless as the Other Mother's misty landscape, with an awkward storyline in which developments feel haphazard, superficially planned, and make little sense. The characters promise a lot but, once again, lack any real uniqueness with which to interest the reader, much less charm or entertain. Coraline is well written, and therefore mechanically a very good piece. However, that cannot whatsoever make up for the tepid nature of the content. Gabriel and I were very glad to finish this book and return to the marvelous Dahl and Blake. While it wasn't a terrible reading experience, I can't recommend Coraline very highly. This is, in fact, a rare time I would suggest simply enjoying the movie.

Mary Beth

{Review} What-the-Dickens by Gregory Maguire

What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy by Gregory Maguire

Published by Candlewick Press, 2007

Hardcover, 304 pages

ISBN 0763629618

Genres: children's fiction, fairy tales, fantasy, magic, paranormal, urban fantasy, YA

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A terrible storm is raging, and Dinah is huddled by candlelight with her brother, sister, and cousin Gage, who is telling a very unusual tale. It’s the story of What-the-Dickens, a newly hatched orphan creature who finds he has an attraction to teeth, a crush on a cat named McCavity, and a penchant for getting into trouble. One day he happens upon a feisty girl skibberee working as an Agent of Change — trading coins for teeth — and learns of a dutiful tribe of tooth fairies to which he hopes to belong. As his tale unfolds, however, both What-the-Dickens and Dinah come to see that the world is both richer and far less sure than they ever imagined.

My review: This is a difficult book to review. I adore What-the-Dickens and Pepper, and much of his/their story is extremely charming and sweet. The narrative about Dinah and her siblings and Gage, however, was simply hard to get into and doesn't make a lot of sense. It also takes up way too much of the book without any kind of satisfactory character or plot development or even a decent resolution. In addition, I'm rather disappointed in Mr. Maguire because it would seem that he modeled the children after religious and homeschooling stereotypes without a lot of first-hand knowledge of such lifestyles. The reason I say this is because not every homeschooling family breeds religious fanatics, a family's religion or faith is not always the motivation for homeschooling, and homeschooled is not necessarily synonymous with antisocial. To be honest, I'm not sure what his point is regarding the children's upbringing because the story would be much greater served without all of the extra religious/sheltered angst.

The story Gage tells about the skibbereen, on the other hand, is fun, magical and feels much more like a proper fairy tale. I love old Mrs. Gangster and her collection of morbid books (gifts from her family), the mama grisset and her maternal affection for What-the-Dickens, and the tooth-achy Bengal tiger, Maharajah. The skibbereen are an awesome and very imaginative creation, and What-the-Dickens and Pepper, what with their evolution and growth throughout the story, have enormous potential for further adventures. 

Unfortunately, in addition to the problems mentioned above there is an awkward disjointedness between the two stories, absolutely unbelievable dialogue among the children and Gage, more cheesy and inept adults than you'll find in an episode of Scooby-Doo, and long dull stretches that interrupt and ruin the suspense and magic of What-the-Dickens' story. As much as I enjoyed the fairy tale bits, I had a hard time mustering up enough enthusiasm to even give this book two stars. I am very disappointed in What-the-Dickens and to be honest, I can't think of anyone I would recommend it to.

Mary Beth

{Review} The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials #1) by Philip Pullman

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials # 1) by Philip Pullman
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, 1996 (originally published 1995)
Hardcover, 399 pages
ISBN 0679879242
Genres: adventure, children's fiction, fantasy, magic, science fiction, YA

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford's Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the compass of the title. All around her children are disappearing—victims of so-called "Gobblers"—and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person's inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.

My review: I'm aware of this book's immense popularity and status. I'm also aware that this book has been credited with changing many people's worldviews. Honestly, though? I was disappointed and not all that impressed. I suppose the first thing I noticed is how seriously Mr. Pullman apparently takes himself and his book. The writing style comes off as trying way too hard and it ruined some of the narrative; instead of allowing the language to flow, his diction feels artificial and forced. His philosophical arguments also leave much to be desired and didn't have a whole lot of coherence. The bit towards the end when Lord Asriel is trying to explain to Lyra what Dust is believed to be and what purpose it serves comes to mind. The argument is pretty flimsy anyway and then he gets to the verse in the Bible (Genesis 3:19) where God tells Adam "...dust you are, and unto dust you shall return". Supposedly this is partial proof as to why the cosmic Dust in the book is settling on adults and that the Dust is the physical manifestation of original sin. Anyway, it seemed so obviously taken out of context, so conveniently manipulated, that it felt as if Lord Asriel's entire argument fell apart. Don't think that I'm taking issue with the argument (and most of the The Golden Compass's philosophies) because I'm offended or can't acknowledge other worldviews or etc., etc. Honestly, they feel like a grab-bag of different views conveniently slotted together. In a way, this is how the whole book came across to me: contrived. I understand that in essence, that is what books are. But you don't want your reader knowing that! You want the characters and narrative to feel organic, and this book falls short. This brings up a more practical problem: how little character development occurs. At 11 years old Lyra's life is turned upside down and she has one harrowing experience after another. And yet she is essentially the exact same person on page 399 that she was on page 1. I was also extremely disappointed in Lord Asriel's character because at the beginning of the book it seemed as if he was going to play a pretty active and prominent part, but you only see a bit of him at the beginning and a bit at the end. The book also felt rather choppy because of the different characters suddenly appearing and disappearing. It felt as if it could be serially distributed: "This week, Lyra and the Golden Monkey! Next week, Lyra and the Gyptians!" It feels as if the great epic Mr. Pullman was striving for missed the mark and the magic, and I doubt this is one I'd ever recommend. I'm trying to decide whether to finish the series or not. I may, simply because it doesn't seem fair to judge an entire series by only the first volume, especially when I didn't give it a very positive rating/review.

Have you read The Golden Compass? What did you think? Also, I haven't seen the movie so for those of you who have, how does it compare to the book and is it worth watching?

Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you have an awesome week!

Mary Beth

{Review} The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Published by Random House Publishing Group, 2011
Hardcover, 336 pages
ISBN 034552554X
Genres: adult fiction, contemporary fiction, literary fiction, romance, women's fiction, YA

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.

The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what’s been missing in her life, and when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

 My review: This is an interesting book and a fast read, though definitely not what I was expecting. I have an affection for the Victorian practice of using flowers to communicate (you can't get much more romantic than that - unless, of course, you're gifting thistles, but anyway...) but because I had been hearing the word "Victorian" so much in connection with this book, I was thinking it was going to be historical fiction. I know this was silly of me, but there it is. Confusion aside, it turns out this book does, in fact, have a potentially great story line, but I am disappointed in its execution and development. 

For one thing, I had a very hard time relating to the characters, mainly Victoria. Some of her experiences I can empathize with, like the postpartum depression (though, and here's my two cents' worth, that is still no excuse for leaving her baby all by herself for hours on end). However, she felt very inconsistent. I honestly couldn't keep up with her mood and personality changes. One moment she was remorseful, practically penitent, and the next hardened to the point of cruelty. And then back, and forth, and back again. I think if Victoria had been developed a little differently, explained a little sooner and more fully, or a third person narrator had been used, she may have seemed more believable. As she is, though, her character comes off as pretty two-dimensional, which is frustrating seeing as she's the main protagonist as well as the narrator.

There's also so much that isn't explained about Victoria and Grant's pasts. Victoria's is kind of glossed over after she leaves Elizabeth's care and Grant's is described as "lonely" and a couple similar adjectives, but there's never any real development in this regard. I also wanted to get to know more about the dynamics between Elizabeth and Catherine (and their mother), but I was left unsatisfied in this respect as well.

Maybe I'm being unreasonable (especially since this is the author's debut work), but these issues really got in the way of my fully enjoying the novel. I look forward to her next book but will probably never be interested in owning this one or reading it again.

Note: my mom is who recommended this book to me because she really enjoyed it. She was disappointed to hear I don't care for it and when I told her I hadn't given it a very good review, she told me to tell my readers that "she liked it and it's still worth reading". So you as my witness, I've passed along the message. Just in case she asks :)

Mary Beth

{Review} The Sherlockian: A Novel by Graham Moore

the novel in question

The Sherlockian: A Novel by Graham Moore
Published by Twelve, 2010
Hardcover, 350 pages
ISBN 0446572594
Genres: adult fiction, historical fiction, mystery, thriller

Synopsis: Harold White is a nervous, bumbling twenty-eight year old who has been in love with the stories of Sherlock Holmes since he was a child. He fancies himself a serious Sherlockian, though he is employed as a private consultant for certain film studios, employing his extensive knowledge of literature to help them when sued for plagiarism and such. He is thrilled to find out that he is being accepted into the Baker Street Irregulars, though his joy turns to shock when one of its most respected members appears to be murdered. The dead man is Alexander Cale, a Sherlockian who has dedicated his entire adult life to finding a diary written by Arthur Conan Doyle, missing for over a hundred years. Only a few months before his death, Mr. Cale had announced his having discovered the diary and his plan to unveil it to the Baker Street Irregulars. However, no such book is found upon his murder and Harold takes it upon himself to channel Sherlock Holmes and his theories to track down the diary and Cale's killer. A second story-line develops around Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, which spans several years. It begins with his throwing Sherlock Holmes off of the Reichenbach Falls, though ultimately channeling his creation's techniques when he is pulled into investigating the sordid murders of several young girls.

 My review: I started this book two weeks ago and finished it this afternoon, after having pushed my way through the majority of it over the weekend. I had to get some momentum going, otherwise it was in danger of ending up on my re-re-re-renewed shelf on Goodreads. I'm sorry to say I'm pretty disappointed. To be fair, The Sherlockian isn't terrible, especially seeing as it's the author's debut novel, but it didn't hold my attention especially well nor did it have any tidbits that put me on the edge of my seat.

The characters are not particularly engaging or relatable, and I felt no emotional attachment to any of them; this is a particularly disappointing aspect of the book for someone who has been known to fall in love with a fictional character or two (*ahem*). In fact, at certain points during the story I felt such intense dislike for Harold I wanted to cause him bodily harm, and I'm pretty sure that is not what the author is going for. I expected him to become a geeky, unlikely hero- you know, the inept, bumbling, lovable genius with no common sense and zero social skills who suddenly appears on the scene and, against all odds, saves the day. Well, he is certainly bumbling but not lovable. All of the characters are also strangely two-dimensional, especially Sarah Lindsay, who accompanies Harold on his quest and should have developed dramatically throughout the book. Her becoming Harold's love interest was also sadly predictable as well as completely unbelievable.

To be honest, the chapters involving Arthur Conan Doyle are a little bizarre. Sir Conan Doyle did, in fact, assist Scotland Yard with some of their cases, but in the novel his experiences are portrayed as being melodramatic beyond belief. It also feels a little libelous to have a well-known historical figure be portrayed as a cross-dressing, gun-toting vigilante (who fires said gun directly at someone's head, no less). I understand the author is taking an "artistic liberty", but there must be a limit somewhere. In addition, the facts about Sir Conan Doyle's life are given in the tone of an almanac: dry and succinct, reminders to the reader that they are, in fact, reading about the real-life author of Sherlock Holmes.

While I don't feel this book was a complete waste of time, and there are some semi-interesting plot points, I would recommend it only to those who (a) already have an intense love for Holmes and Doyle, (b) don't mind a fairly slow story, and (c) don't have high expectations of books belonging to the "historical fiction" genre. This was a fairly strong start to Graham Moore's writing career, and I look forward to his future works, though The Sherlockian is ultimately underdeveloped and forgettable.

Mary Beth