{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} The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society #1) by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society (The Mysterious Benedict Society #1) by Trenton Lee Stewart
Published by Little, Brown and Company, 2007
Hardcover, 492 pages
ISBN 0316057770
Genres: adventure, children's fiction, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, YA

Synopsis (via Goodreads): "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all? Welcome to the Mysterious Benedict Society.

My review: This is a cute book with fun characters and a very quirky adventure. Reynie, Sticky, Kate and Constance, the four children who one way or another pass the tests, make a great team, every child having unique strengths and weaknesses that make each essential to the others. Reynie is easiest to identify with and it is his perspective the narrative is most frequently told from. I like Reynie a lot, what with his sweet temperament, intelligence, occasional melancholia, and fierce loyalty. The rest of the children are much more far-fetched, though Sticky is quite lovable, Kate brave, and Constance hilariously stubborn. Mr. Benedict is the mastermind behind the tests and the mission the children must go on, and while he is a very likable character he is hard to get to know from the reader's perspective. I suppose as far as Mr. Benedict goes, I was expecting better character development. I hope, though, that since this book is only the first in a series the author has in later books evolved his character to a much more satisfactory degree as well as given the reader more history on him.

The story line meanders along pretty slowly, and while the ending is decent it is inevitable and lacking in excitement. I understand this is children's/YA fiction, so it's not going to be an on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller, but I was expecting something a little more lively. Also, this book is almost 500 pages long and tells a story that, with a good editor, could easily have been told in 200-300 pages. I enjoyed this book but it didn't inspire strong feelings in me, hence the three star rating. I plan on reading the other three books in the series because the first did inspire curiosity, I really like the illustrations, and I'm hoping that Mr. Stewart has resolved some of the issues present in the first. If you really like A Series of Unfortunate Events, Roald Dahl's children's fiction, The Borrowers books, etc. and have a lively imagination and a semblance of patience, I suggest you read The Mysterious Benedict Society. If faster-paced adventure/fantasy books such as the Harry Potter or Percy Jackson  series are more your thing, though, I would probably pass on this one.

Mary Beth

{Review} The Color of Magic (Discworld #1) by Terry Pratchett

The Color of Magic (Discworld #1) by Terry Pratchett
Published by HarperTorch (2000), originally published 1983
Paperback, 240 pages
ISBN 0061020710
Genres: adult fiction, adventure, fantasy, humor, magic, science fiction

Synopsis: The Color of Magic is the first book in the Discworld series, introducing the reader to Rincewind the wizard (of sorts), Twoflower the tourist, and the Discworld itself, of course, which is home to an eighth magical color, octarine. After a catastrophic fire tears through the Disc's twin cities, Ankh-Morpork, Rincewind and Twoflower are tossed into adventure after adventure involving trolls, heroes, gods, monsters, dragons, and an increasingly cranky piece of Luggage, eventually leading them to the very edge of the world.

My review: This was a fun book- a lighthearted, extremely humorous romp of a satire. Never taking itself seriously, it addresses some of the less savory bits of human nature and our world. Nothing is sacred in The Color of Magic and I think that's a bit of the point; it's certainly a book that aims to keep things in perspective for the reader.

I really like the characters, especially since Rincewind and Twoflower, the main protagonists, complement each other so well. Rincewind is cautious, a little paranoid (he has reason to be), very accident-prone, and just a little cynical. Twoflower is overly-confident, trusting, extremely optimistic, and apparently un-killable. It's amazing how a reader can identify equally with characters so diametrically opposed. I also adore the Luggage, a chest made of sapient pearwood with hundreds of little feet and a measure of sentience (not to mention a temper); it is more companion than inanimate object and has a story line all its own. There are a slew of characters and Mr. Pratchett weaves them in and out of the story so skillfully their entrances and exits don't disrupt the narrative in the least.

The tone of the novel is extremely enjoyable as it is intelligent but not superior. There is a magic about the narration that is reminiscent of children’s and YA novels, though Mr. Pratchett has here and there slipped in adult undertones (that tend to be quite funny). For so many of the incidents in this book being completely ludicrous, they come together to form a mostly coherent and very memorable story, which is about as much as anyone from Discworld can hope for.

I greatly enjoyed this book and I understand that Mr. Pratchett never intended to write a traditionally formulated story. However, the endlessly meandering nature of the narrative did, at times, slow me down and sap a little of my enthusiasm. A bit more direction would have been nice. I’ve heard, though, that a few of the wrinkles present in the first volume are ironed out later on, and Mr. Pratchett’s writing style becomes even better as the series progresses.

I would recommend The Color of Magic to just about anyone because even if they’re not already a fan of fantasy/science fiction, it’s a great introduction.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Discworld and its lovely (and not-so-lovely) inhabitants, so please leave a comment below if you are so inclined. I hope you have an awesome evening!

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} Redwall (Redwall #1) by Brian Jacques

Redwall (Redwall #1) by Brian Jacques
Published by Philomel, 2007 (originally published 1987)
Hardcover, 352 pages
ISBN 0399247947
Genres: adventure, animals, children's fiction, fantasy, science fiction, YA

Synopsis: Redwall Abbey is the home of a peaceful order of mice, dedicated to providing comfort, shelter and assistance to those less fortunate. Cluny the Scourge is a vicious and greedy rat determined to turn the Abbey into a castle for himself, as well as a headquarters from which to direct his future conquests. Enter Matthias, a young mouse raised at the Abbey who is training to join the order. While he dearly loves Redwall and the gentle creatures who raised him, he dreams of being a warrior, of battles and of glory. When Cluny and his army attack the Abbey, Matthias sets out to find an ancient sword once carried by Redwall's hero from ages past, Martin the Warrior. With this sword Matthias hopes to turn the tide of battle and save Redwall and his loved ones from slaughter at the hands of Cluny and his rats.

My review: I love this book. I know it's a children's book and almost 25 years old and everyone but me has probably already read it. But I just have to say how much I love it anyway. This series is one I've been meaning to read since I first discovered it on the library's shelves at age 8. How has it taken me this long to get around to reading it?? Oh well, better late than never, right?

First of all, I adore the characters. Matthias is lovable and you can't help but pull out your "Go Matthias!" banner every time he gets into trouble (which is quite frequently); Abbott Mortimer is the gentle and wise counselor we all wish we had (who I also refer to as "the original Dumbledore"); Constance is the feisty badger with a big mouth who always has her friends' backs; and Brother Methuselah is the oldest inhabitant of Redwall, a scholar and keeper of records, who defies his age by helping Matthias in his quest to find the sword of Martin the Warrior. These are just a few of the charming characters from Redwall Abbey and surrounding Mossflower forest who it's inevitable you'll be quite attached to by the end of the book. There are quite a few definitely-not-charming characters in this book as well, who add dimension and contrast with the defenders of Redwall. I was honestly surprised by how truly evil Cluny the Scourge is, feeding off of the pain and misery he inflicts on those around him. Being most often classified as Children's Fiction, I expected a nasty rat but not one who is so blatantly cruel. I'm glad he isn't a namby-pamby villain, though, because that would have annoyed me to no end as well as potentially ruined the book's flavor and plot. Also, this book does not represent a simplistic world composed of "good" and "evil"; instead, it consists of many shades of grey, and characters do not always make choices consistent with their assumed status of "good" or "bad". In addition, there are multiple villains, each being a "villain" for different reasons; one of them is such simply because his perspective and way of life is different, in conflict with that of the rest of the woodlanders'. I appreciated these subtleties, especially since children's literature tends to be full of rather worn out, overly moralistic and cliched perspectives on good and evil. This was refreshing and one reason, I believe, that this book can be enjoyed by such a wide range of readers.

This book is most certainly an adventure story with the reader frequently switching perspectives between Cluny and his army, Matthias and his quest, and the Abbey's defenders. I greatly enjoyed the style of narration; it keeps things moving, though doesn't switch perspectives too quickly, and gives enough detail to really be absorbed into the story and its environment, though not so much that a young reader will feel overwhelmed. Some people have remarked that they don't like the slightly meandering story line, but for me, it is reminiscent of The Hobbit and quite delicious. I love the little side adventures and details that are not strictly "relevant" to the plot because I feel they add to the overall mythology of Redwall, which is very important if you're going to go on and read the rest of the series. This is a book that can truly be enjoyed by readers of all ages, as well as the perfect selection for reading aloud. I hope to acquire these books sometime soon and enjoy them again in future, perhaps with my son, who I will make sure is acquainted with Redwall Abbey and the many adventures that concern it at a somewhat younger age than I am now.

Let me know what you think of this book in the comments below; I love hearing other people's perspectives and insights! Happy reading!

Mary Beth

{Review} Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs & a somewhat minor identity crisis

My blog has been having an identity crisis over the past several months. I've been agonizing and today decided to DO something about it (resulting in my blog being revamped... Again). I really do promise that this is the last time for a long time. Scout's honor. I've decided to do with it what I darn well please, so it is now (officially) a book blog. This makes me very happy :)

You may have noticed the new widgets (I love that word, haha) to the left. Three to be exact because I went a little overboard, but I couldn't help myself. They are all from that amazing site goodreads, which I have so completely fallen in love with since April. One widget shows what I'm currently reading, another how I'm doing on my books-read goal for 2011, and a third that is representative of my favorite books shelf.

One of the books I read this year that actually ended up on my favorites shelf is to the left - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Here's my review:

A fantastic new YA book
by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine #1) by Ransom Riggs
Published by Quirk, 2011
Hardcover, 352 pages
ISBN 1594744769
Genres: fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, paranormal, science fiction, YA

My review: 5/5 stars. Fantastic. A well-written and suspenseful adventure story, about which I have only one complaint: that it wasn't written sooner. Considering how engrossed I became in it at age 22, I can only imagine how my imagination would have taken flight when reading it ten or twelve years ago. It is not a book that will appeal to everyone, but I adore it and am eagerly awaiting more adventures with Jacob, Emma, Miss Peregrine, and the rest of the peculiars.

I'm still a little fuzzy on writing reviews, since I want to say what I like/dislike about the book but I also don't want to give too much away. I mean, goodreads has a little box you can check that will warn the reader the review contains spoilers, but I still don't like to give too much away, haha. So I'm still working on it. Have you read Miss Peregrine? Or another great YA book this year? I'm getting re-interested in YA books, strangely enough, mainly thanks to the peculiars and... Lemony Snicket, who I will probably talk about next time.

Toodeloo... good grief, my spell check tagged this word and wants me to replace it with "toothily," so toothily for now and have a great evening! Happy reading!!

Mary Beth