{Review} Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman
Published by Putnam Adult, 1995
Hardcover, 244 pages
ISBN 0399140557
Genres: adult fiction, chick lit, contemporary fiction, fantasy, magic, magical realism, paranormal, romance, women's fiction

Synopsis (via Goodreads): For more than two hundred years, the Owens women had been blamed for everything that went wrong in their Massachusetts town. And Gillian and Sally endured that fate as well; as children, the sisters were outsiders. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, but all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape. One would do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they shared brought them back-almost as if by magic...

My review: I got acquainted with Alice Hoffman early this year when I read her newest novel The Dovekeepers (which is fabulous). For some reason I was thinking it was her debut novel (don't ask me where I picked that up from, ha) so I was surprised when I looked her up on Goodreads and discovered she has been an established author for quite a long time. I have heard good things about the movie adaptation of Practical Magic and decided I would watch it... but only after reading the novel. School started so I finally got around to it last week, finishing it on Labor Day. I greatly enjoyed it and plan to continue reading everything by Alice Hoffman I can get my hands on. The story is much better than the synopsis above makes it sound and well worth the short amount of time it takes to read.

Sally and Gillian Owens are orphaned when they are ages five and three and taken in by two aunts who have a local reputation for witchery and spells, usually of the love variety. The little girls grow up knowing they're different, the other children at school and their parents making sure they never forget. The older the sisters get, though, the more they understand the magic their aunts wield is not imagined or exaggerated: it is very real and powerful. While the girls become used to the stream of women finding their way to the aunts' back door every evening in hopes of obtaining a cure for their less-than-satisfactory love lives, they are disturbed by it all the same. Gillian in particular, who during high school becomes a beauty and heart-breaker, is dissatisfied with what their guardians have to offer and takes solace in romance and rebellion. Sally is much more prudent and less selfish than her younger sister and eventually finds love with a young local. Bad choices and tragedy break the family apart, though, eventually reuniting them once again many years later.

The story is quite involved with many characters coming and going, though instead of confusing the plot this simply adds dimension to it. Sally and Gillian evolve throughout the novel, making promises and breaking them; alternately turning into the people they said they'd never be and striving towards who they need to be; having dreams and becoming disillusioned and yet against all odds finding hope once again. These experiences are common to every person and make the characters very easy to relate to and empathize with. This book also stirs up complex emotions because just like in real life, you can love someone, identify with them, and still want to smack them silly. Practical Magic has excellent pacing and development: you thoroughly get to know the characters and the lives they lead without getting tired of them. My only complaint is a minor one and it would be that closer to the end of the book Gillian's bedroom experiences with her boyfriend Ben are described, and it got a little cheesy. Okay, it was really cheesy. But just keep reading, don't dwell on it and you'll find this book to be extremely enjoyable and meaningful.

While this book has mainly female protagonists and is frequently labeled chick-lit, I think it is a book any adult could enjoy, especially if they already have a fondness for magical realism and contemporary fiction. It is not lengthy either, so a great deal of patience is not necessary. I'd love to hear your thoughts regarding Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman, the chick-lit label, and/or how the movie adaptation compares to the novel, as I haven't gotten around to watching it yet.

Mary Beth

{Review} The Night Circus: A Novel by Erin Morgenstern

The Night Circus: A Novel by Erin Morgenstern
Published by Doubleday, 2011
Hardcover, 387 pages
ISBN 0385534639
Genres: adult fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, magic, magical realism, paranormal, romance, YA

Summary (via Goodreads): 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. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart.

My review: I enjoyed The Night Circus reasonably well. The descriptions of the circus creators’ parties, the circus itself, and the cities visited are marvelous. The characters are interesting and the lengthy span of time covered in the novel allows the reader to get to know them better than would otherwise be possible. The story is very involved with certain aspects becoming clearer and others more complicated the farther into the book you get. The circus is a magnificent creation on the part of the author and she clearly describes it so as to give the reader the feeling that they are really there eating licorice mice, visiting the striped tents, and being mesmerized by the magical shows found within.

My two favorite characters are Bailey Clarke, a young circus-goer, and Herr Friedrick Thiessen, a clockmaker. They are, I feel, the real heroes of the story and about the only ones I feel empathy for. Bailey is 10 years old the first time he visits the circus, immediately falling in love with it. Herr Thiessen develops such a deep connection with the circus that he begins writing articles about it and inadvertently forms a circus-lovers club of sorts. The rest of the characters are, as I mentioned, interesting, but I rarely felt any strong emotions towards them or about anything they did. I think one issue is a lack of character development. Celia and Marco don’t seem to ever change, and their parts in the ending were predictable and a little lackluster. Poppet and Widget, twins born into the circus, are sweet but they don’t significantly change either even though almost their whole lives are chronicled off and on.

The style of the book was rather aggravating and the constant jumping between characters, from city to city, and back and forth (and back and forth and back again) in time got very annoying. I enjoy books that jump around in time a bit and/or have flashbacks, etc. but this was just too much, especially since a whole “chapter” of the book would frequently only be one to two pages long. I feel that with a slightly more linear time frame my reading experience would have been greatly improved.

I suppose, though, my biggest problem with this book involves the basis of the plot: the magicians’ duel. What exactly was the point? The man in the grey suit (Alexander) and Prospero the Magician pit the two young people against each other, but why? What is their history? How many times have they done this? Was Prospero involved in one such duel earlier in his life? How old are they, anyway? Tsukiko enlightens the reader somewhat with her personal account and in one of the last sections of the book Widget and Alexander sit down together and talk, the latter giving a very slight explanation for what the duel was all about. Other than that, though, there really isn’t much information given. I don’t know if the author thought up this amazing premise and then had a hard time following through, or if she and her editor felt they couldn’t make the book any longer (it’s only 387 pages, though), or what happened, but I am pretty disappointed. I don’t hate this book by any means, and I would be interested in reading anything else Ms. Morgenstern writes next, but I don’t have any strong positive feelings about it either. The only people I would recommend this book to are those who are fast readers, have a good deal of patience, and already love fantasy and magic.

I would love to hear your thoughts on The Night Circus below and thank you so much for stopping by!

Mary Beth

{Review} Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2011
Hardcover, 282 pages
ISBN 0316129283
Genres: contemporary fiction, fantasy, magical realism, YA

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their family is fine. And he certainly didn't ask to be the recipient of Nadar McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.

Lucky has a secret—one that helps him wade through the daily dysfunction of his life. Grandad Harry, trapped in the jungles of Laos, has been visiting Lucky in his dreams—and the dreams just might be real: an alternate reality where he can be whoever he wants to be and his life might still be worth living. But how long can Lucky remain in hiding there before reality forces its way inside?

Printz Honor recipient A. S. King's distinctive, smart, and accessible writing shines in this powerful novel about learning to cope with the shrapnel life throws at you, and then taking a stand against it.

My review: This book is unexpectedly poignant and tends to linger in the back of your mind. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't really looking forward to reading it. I had read some rather unsavory things about Everybody Sees the Ants on Goodreads and was tempted to simply return it to the library and pick up a different book instead. I suppose another reason I was hesitant to read it is because YA books that claim to discuss teen issues have the unfortunate tendency to come off as angst-y and superficial and discuss "teen issues" instead of actual teen issues. For example, books that suggest dating is the single biggest issue teens deal with annoy the heck out of me, not to mention always made me feel a little insulted. I mean, even at my angst-iest I did, in fact, have more on the brain than dating. Anyway, this book does not fall into that category, thankfully, and far surpassed my expectations.

I really like the main protagonist and narrator, Lucky. He is believable and relatable, a normal kid dealing with several years of bullying culminating in a traumatizing locker room experience. He has a flair for honesty that tends to get him into trouble, especially with the adults at his school who prefer to delude themselves into believing Lucky's problems are inside his head rather than the result of them ignoring the obvious signs of bullying for years. Most of the adults in this book are portrayed as being schmucks in one way or another: Lucky's father neglects his wife and son, incessantly working so as to avoid facing his personal problems; his mother cares deeply for Lucky but ignores the bullying to please her husband (who insists that confronting Nadar [the bully]/Nadar's parents/the school will count as coddling); his teachers and school principal are more concerned about politics (upsetting Nadar's father) than making sure their most vulnerable students are safe; and the only man Lucky has ever really looked up to is discovered to be a serial-cheater. Even though this cast of weak and ineffective adults may appear prejudiced and unreasonable, it seems to me to be a pretty fair appraisal of the reality of a lot of kids and teens: no real support at home and no protection at school. This book is, in a way, a social commentary and strives for change in the school system as well as perceptions of bullying (i.e. it is not inevitable, it can be prevented, etc.) through the student body itself, rather than through the adults (though it is hoped, of course, that at least some adults will take the time to read it and change their perceptions as well). It encourages empowerment and a refusal to allow yourself to be a victim, while at the same time being sensitive to those who have been or are being victimized. I feel Lucky sets a good example by refusing to become disillusioned and mean himself, instead believing he can be better than Nadar and his buddies and acting on those convictions.

Possibly the most interesting aspect of this book, though, concerns Lucky's paternal grandfather, Harry, who has been MIA ever since he was taken prisoner in the jungles of Laos during the Vietnam War. Lucky has vivid dreams about going to the jungle to save his grandfather, seemingly harmless until they become a form of escape for him and he begins to retreat into sleep to avoid real life. Harry is instrumental in helping Lucky face his reality and realize life is what you make of it, no matter how hard it may seem. Harry should know about this first hand since his fate was decided by the draft lotteries, a rather cruel system that dictated, according to the men's birth dates, in what order they would be drafted.

The most unique aspect of this book is the author's use of the ants. They are literally a little group of ants that Lucky starts seeing after Nadar beats him up badly. Sometimes they comment on a situation or a thought of Lucky's, act out a farcical scene, or simply provide insight. They are one more way it is demonstrated to the reader that we all have our demons. They are a clever tool and tend to provide comic relief.

No matter how much I enjoyed this book, though, I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. The reason is because there was some discussion of sex, some pretty graphic (and disturbing) images, and a lot of language, and while these things won't stop me from reading a book (Chuck Palahniuk, who is certainly not squeamish, is one of my favorite authors), this book's target audience is not adults, it is kids. The YA genre can attract readers as young as 8, 9, 10 years old, and the idea of children that young having access to this book and possibly being encouraged to read it bothers me. Maybe I'm being namby-pamby, I don't know, but I am really uncomfortable with the idea of anyone under the age of 15 or 16 reading this book.

I am extremely interested to know your honest opinion about this book, as well as what you feel is appropriate for young readers to have access to. I'm pretty torn, so please feel free to leave a comment below letting me know what you think. Thanks so much for stopping by & happy reading!

Mary Beth

{Review} Luka and the Fire of Life: A Novel by Salman Rushdie

Luka and the Fire of Life: A Novel by Salman Rushdie
Published by Random House, 2010
Hardcover, 218 pages
ISBN 0679463364
Genres: adventure, children's fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, magical realism, YA

Synopsis (via Goodreads): With the same dazzling imagination and love of language that have made Salman Rushdie one of the great storytellers of our time, Luka and the Fire of Life revisits the magic-infused, intricate world he first brought to life in the modern classic Haroun and the Sea of Stories. This breathtaking new novel centers on Luka, Haroun’s younger brother, who must save his father from certain doom. For Rashid Khalifa, the legendary storyteller of Kahani, has fallen into deep sleep from which no one can wake him. To keep his father from slipping away entirely, Luka must travel to the Magic World and steal the ever-burning Fire of Life. Thus begins a quest replete with unlikely creatures, strange alliances, and seemingly insurmountable challenges as Luka and an assortment of enchanted companions race through peril after peril, pass through the land of the Badly Behaved Gods, and reach the Fire itself, where Luka’s fate, and that of his father, will be decided. Filled with mischievous wordplay and delving into themes as universal as the power of filial love and the meaning of mortality, Luka and the Fire of Life is a book of wonders for all ages.

My review: First of all, if you read the synopsis above you'll know that this is the sequel to an earlier work by Salman Rushdie entitled Haroun and the Sea of Stories. I would recommend that you read Haroun's adventures before picking up Luka's as there are many minor references in the sequel you may not understand otherwise. Plus, Haroun and the Sea of Stories is delightful in and of itself. However, if you don't get the chance to I wouldn't worry all that much as this book's plot and development is strong enough to be read independently. And now, on to the actual review...

      This is a deliciously written book with a story you can sink into and drift along on. It is rich with mythological figures and tales, as well as many original characters directly from the author's imagination. Luka and the Fire of Life is whimsical and dreamy, even recalling Alice in Wonderland at certain points. I loved it when a little "white rabbit wearing a waistcoat and looking worriedly at a clock" popped up on the bank of the River of Time, for instance.

      There are lots of issues broached that have a universal appeal as well, the main issue being the nature of time. In this book time is represented as a river flowing away from the mists of the past and toward the mists of the future. Luka wrestles with the idea of predestination: does the future already exist so that the course of the river follows a predetermined path? Or can our actions shape, even change, the river's flow? Luka is also told that "...if you want to travel up the River, Memory is the fuel you need." This is a very important concept to plant in the mind of a young reader to help him or her realize that memories are much more than the static remains of the past. Rather, they are the seeds of the future and memories are absolutely vital if a person is to grow and reap knowledge from prior experiences. Towards the end of Luka's journey he begins to reflect on something his father had said that before sounded like nonsense: time is not a constant marching forward, one precise second after another. Rather, it speeds up and slows down depending on what you are doing, and it does not mean the same thing to everybody as each person experiences life differently. There are several other issues presented to the reader for consideration, including whether tyranny is excusable or not if created and maintained in the name of respect, if exemption from consequences when following orders is acceptable or not, and how justifiable the sacrifice of innocents is, even if perceived as benefiting the greater good.

      I love how thought-provoking this novel is, particularly for young readers, and that the author brings issues to the forefront that are not usually discussed in Young Adult literature. I also appreciate that he does not neatly resolve each issue, but rather allows the reader to come to his or her own conclusions.

      The only problem a reader may run into is the fact that the story does move a little slowly. It is definitely a book you need to fully immerse yourself in and forget about the page numbers. Simply read it to enjoy the experience and the journey.

      Ah yes, one more thing I'd like to share: my favorite passage... "Man is the Storytelling Animal, and...in Stories are his identity, his meaning, and his lifeblood. Do rats tell tales? Do porpoises have narrative purposes? Do elephants ele-phantasize? You know as well as I do that they do not. Man alone burns with books."

I hope you enjoy this work as much as I did. Whether you love it or hate it, though, I'm anxious to hear your thoughts! I love a good discussion :) In the meantime, happy reading!

Mary Beth