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Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Lilian Cheng has commented on (17) products
Just One Day
by
Gayle Forman
Lilian Cheng
, July 18, 2013
Just One Day is a surprising book, it's warm and charming, but also unexpectedly powerful. From the title, I thought I knew what the entire book would be about: a girl falls in love in a day, and the couple triumphs amongst naysayers who claim you can't love someone without "knowing" them. But Gayle Forman's Just One Day is so much more than that. Just One Day isn't about romance (don't worry, there's a bunch of that too) so much as about a reserved girl learning who she is, and who she wants to be. And the growth you see in Allyson, aka Lulu is what makes Just One Day shine brightly. Admittedly, I tend to put off YA contemporary novels in favor of sci-fi, dystopian, or apocalyptic fiction. But with all the love this book has been getting from so many readers, I had to check it out (that and because summer sounds like the season for light-hearted contemporary novels.) What draws me away from YA contemporary novels is its tendency to focus on romance and overdramatic angst. Too much of it makes me weary and sucks the interest out of me like a giant octopus. Thankfully, Just One Day didn't do that. I was eager to follow Allyson's travels, but Forman didn't need landmarks to reel me into Allyson's personal journey to self-discovery. Story, Pacing, Romance: What made Just One Day so special was that it was beyond my expectations. When I saw the title, I thought to myself, "I know EXACTLY how this is going to go down. It's going to be four hundred pages about one day in a foreign country. And at the end, the guy probably disappears like Cinderella for the sake of having a cliffhanger." Eighty pages in, I thought, "Wait! The eponymous one day is ending! What's the next three-hundred and something pages going to be about now?" It is those three-hundred something pages that made me fall in love with the story despite being nothing about love. I was invested in the story because I wanted to see Allyson grow and find herself. Make new friends, discover new hobbies, AND MOVE ON. Allyson Who Not Do Well On Chatroulette: Allyson was a frustrating character for me throughout the novel, especially in the beginning. I figure it's because while my personality is like Allyson ("safe" and reserved,) my outlook on life is a lot closer to Willem, where I see joy in accidents. Which would also explain my relationship with Chatroulette and Omegle, websites that allow me to chat with random strangers. There's this romantic idea of sharing a transient conversation with a complete stranger, to "meet" people you'd never otherwise meet. And when the conversation is finished, we walk our separate ways (though I rarely do give out my email.) There's also a comfort in being able to "disconnect" people. I also believe if something is meant to be, it will happen--and to move on and look for the next door if it isn't. Allyson clearly doesn't share this sentiment. If she was on Omegle, I can just imagine her feelings being hurt every five seconds when somebody disconnects. It is frustrating for me to see Allyson mope around and put her life on a standstill because she of a guy she met for ONE DAY. And that one day didn't even end well (but seriously, you're EIGHTEEN, not five. You shouldn't be having a breakdown because you are lost.) You met a wonderful, charming guy. Had the time of your life (at least to you.) Wonderful! Now treasure those memories, and MOVE ON. YOUR LIFE SHOULDN'T REVOLVE AROUND ONE GUY. You can't get greedy and expect every day to be just as magical. And how are you supposed to find the next great guy if you are moping around all depressed and emo? How are you supposed to meet the next person to change your life if nobody even wants to be within 5 feet of you? Allyson's negativity in two thirds of the novel made me wince. Thankfully, when Allyson sets out on her mission back to Paris that I started regaining excitement for the book. Allyson shows that when she puts her mind to a task--she can do it. I can relate to Allyson as she struggles to become an adult: forced to figure out what she wants to do with her life, or how to find a your first job with no working experience and in a bad economy, all without the support of family. Setting (Are We Really in France?) For a book that's centered around traveling, I expected more in the milieu department. Maybe I just don't associate being chased by gangsters and making out in an abandoned art studio to France. Eh. I felt Forman's use of "trivial" moments to introduce France was a very different perspective. The boat rides, and the free bikes--it makes me jealous (though I would get severely sea sick on a boat and it would not be pretty.) Overall, I highly, highly recommend Just One Day. Despite being released in start of a new year, I can foresee this book somewhere on my best books of the year list. It's one of those books that don't look like much from the cover, but under the cover lies a great story about a girl who has to figure out who she is. Also, this novel made me want to eat macarons. (WHY ARE THEY SO EXPENSIVE?!?)
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Level 2
by
Lenore Appelhans
Lilian Cheng
, June 20, 2013
Level 2's plot stands out as one of the most intriguing ones I've come across recently, with a blend of sci-fi, paranormal, and contemporary genres. In Level 2, the afterlife is where you rewatch memories in hi-tech pods, either your own or "rented" from others with credits. I'm drawn to creative world-building, and Level 2 has that. At least the beginning traces of one. Unfortunately, Level 2 desperately needs at least a hundred more pages to flesh out ideas, plot, setting, and characters. I have no idea how I read 288 pages without a solid grasp of any of these elements. One of the things that kept me reading was the fast pacing, but even that fell apart towards the end and felt like a cheap gimmick. Faux "Suspense": It doesn't take long to realize that Level 2 LOVES its cliffhanger chapter endings--to the point it's overused. It was like the author made a list of all the plot twists she could have and started inserting them to the end of her chapters. Scene changes don't signal a chapter break, instead plot twists or big revelations do. You know a chapter is ends when characters suddenly go missing, or something catches on fire. I understand that Appelhans wanted to retain the reader's attention by not giving them a chance to break away from the story, but it felt like a gimmick. I love a good twist any day, but I grew tired of them in Level 2 because they were so abundant, as if the author didn't have confidence in her story. It was cheap plot twists not characters that carried the story. Fast Pacing Can Be a Double-Edged Sword: What helped me finish Level 2 was because of its fast-pace, at least in the second half. 150 pages out of 288 without rising action is a bit much and left me uncertain what the story is about. You can only be stuck in a pod for so long. After Felicia escapes her "hive," that's when pace really picks up. A LOT happens. We have her joining a group of rebels (but first she has to weave around robots and explore the bleak landscape,) training, save her friends, escape from zombies, and "fight" in an "epic" war between wayward angels and God. And all of this happens in less than 150 pages, which left all of these events feeling EXTREMELY rushed. I am supposed to believe there's an important, epic war between angels and rebels, but I didn't feel it at all. This is the major event! The climax! THIS EPIC WAR WAS WHAT ALL THE LAST 288 PAGES WAS LEADING UP TO! But...I am not actually sure it happened at all seeing as it lasted less than a paragraph and the protagonist didn't even play a role in it. I can imagine myself having a chat with Felicia about the war and she'd reply with, "War? What war? OH! THAAATT WAR WITH THE ANGELS AND STUFF! Oh yeah, that happened. (pause) Didn't it?" I am left severely underwhelmed, as if the author was in a tremendous hurry to tie up loose ends. Level 2 could have benefited from either being a longer novel so the plot can be developed further, a more focused novel where the plot develops before the halfway point, or a longer series. Where's The Development? Why Does This Matter Again? Speaking of the elusive war that did or did not happen, I didn't care for it. Why should I care about "angels" that I haven't even met, or these "rebel" fighters? I don't even know what the point of the war was. I guess it was explained in a sentence or two somewhere. Something about angels called the Morati getting back at God for making them do the dirty work. We never meet these "angels," except from a distance. So we never know what their intentions are. Instead, we just have to blindly trust Felicia's judgment (and she's not exactly the best person to judge character.) Something about harvesting human energy...from their memory pods? And Felicia being the special snowflake (of course) whose power holds up the entire memory network. How does this work? I was very puzzled throughout the novel, trying to piece together the plot and all those plot twists. Characters, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?: It's ironic that Felicia refers to her memory chamber peers as drones because that's exactly what they are. Mindless drones. Granted, it's hard to form relationships when the only experiences you share are in a tiny white room, but I didn't care about Felicia's "friends." To be honest, they were more like plot devices than actually friends. One of them existed so she can turn into a zombie and the other so that Felicia can rescue her to prove her bravery. They also become part of Felicia's motivation to fight in the war, however I can't grasp Felicia's motivations. I never felt a connection between her "friends," and didn't see why she would sacrifice her life for them. While Felicia goes on and on about how important her friends are, I'm just waiting for her to shut up. On the other hand, I'm not sure if I even want to be Felicia's friends since all of her friends seems to have miserable luck when she's around. Aside from the two friends she's made in limbo, she's only has had one other friend, who she betrays due to lust. They are a frighteningly over-dramatic duo as one girl gets jealous over a boy (not to mention she probably has an inferiority complex too) enough to resort to self-harm, while the other regards a guy as her worst enemy for ditching her when her friend finds out their affair. I'm not sure if Felicia has any other friends, but I definitely would not be lining up. Aside from being a horrible friend, Felicia is also unpredictable in the weirdest ways. When she decides to confess her troubled past to her chaste boyfriend, she decides to do it naked. All of her traits are very convenient. She's beautiful, so all guys flock to her despite her lack in substance. She's conveniently "hacker," in which "hacking" translates to downloading a program to give herself free airline tickets. These skills allow her to hack her memory chamber in the afterlife. I guess to prove that she is qualified to be a hacker, she also has a 4.0 GPA (or at least she did.) But somehow her intelligence doesn't kick in when she's flailing around the afterlife like a lost puppy, or when she's making important life choices. In the afterlife, you can physically manifest anything that comes to your mind. A skill which Felicia masters with ease. Unsurprisingly, one the the first things she "creates" is nail polish so she can give herself a manicure. She's just a very shallow character despite attempts to prove otherwise. Oh, I never figured out what's her beef with pianos. Next Up On The Convenient List: Materializing Objects Out Of Thin Air!: In the afterlife, you have the ability to materialize objects with your mind. It's a fascinating idea but it felt like a easy cop-out. You need a weapon? Just think of one! You ripped a nail? Don't worry, just conjure a new nail! What's stopping these people from imagining nuclear bombs and tanks? Are there rules or limitations to this invincible power? Can I conjure up things that don't "exist"? Like a griffin? Why bother running around, finding a working memory chamber if you can just conjure one up? Unfortunately, we never get an explanation, or even guidelines to how this power works. Love-Triangle-ish: Julian, the "bad-boy" was the only intriguing character because of his mysterious past. But I can't say I'm rooting for him. Neither am I rooting for Neil, the perfect love of Felicia's life. I really think both of these guys should just ditch Felicia. I just don't see what they see in her aside from her beauty. Religion, Why?: I am not sure what to make of the strong Christian motifs in this novel. Neil and Felicia meet in a church. They go to a church camp together. The discuss chastity. Neil is the worship leader and plays in the church band. Religion is portrayed in a negative light as the church members view Felicia with disdain for "stealing" Neil. The term "slut" also shows up. Neil also promises to give up his position as worship leader for Felicia (which apparently is a very big deal for they spend forever going back and forth with corny declarations like, "I will give up my religion for you!" and "Oh no, you shouldn't have to give up what you love for me!".) In limbo, the role of angels are much more ambiguous and have a sinister vibe. The religion elements aren't overbearing, but they did make me question the loyalty of the characters. It also made Neil a wishy-washy character who could be easily manipulated. Structure, Juxtaposition of Past and Present: I think the use of memory chambers to reveal Felicia's past is a creative way to tell Felicia's story. I liked the use of tags and ratings. We see how much the memory is worth to Felicia, and how much it's worth to other people. However, some of them did feel mundane and random. In one scene, she is asked if she remembers the day before her thirteenth birthday, then the story jumps to a memory of a birthday spent with Neil. I spent a full minute wondering if there was a typo, or if Felicia really started dating Neil at thirteen (which would mean she made out with Julian at twelve.) Overall, Level 2 was severely underwhelming. I believe there's a brilliant concept underneath all the flat characters and under-developed, wishy-washy plot, but it just wasn't executed properly. I still enjoy the idea of rewatching memories in limbo, and the juxtaposition of memories with present time is a wonderful way to structure a novel. Unfortunately it's many flaws made me disengaged with the novel. It was below average read for me, but it will suffice for a light read. If you want thought-provoking imagings of the afterlife, I would recommend David Eagleman's Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives instead, half the size of Level 2, but contains so much more insight and creativity. ---- Title Change to The Memory of After: This is more of a sidenote than part of the review. If you haven't heard, Level 2's title will be altered to The Memory of After for its paperback release. I think it's a great idea, since Level 2 was a bit misleading. Not so much because I thought it was a sequel (which was apparently the reason for the title change,) but because I thought it had something to do with video games. The font doesn't help either. But the new title suits the book better.
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Eleanor and Park
by
Rainbow Rowell
Lilian Cheng
, May 26, 2013
I very much enjoyed Eleanor And Park. It was a warm and charming love story that started on a school bus. I loved watching their story unfold through comic books and music. Although at times the love story felt a bit too angsty and saccharine at parts, it also felt realistic. It felt like teenage love, where you everything seems infinitely more important. And it was okay to be unsure of yourself. I am usually not one for romances filled with endless love proclamations, but Eleanor and Park is so much more than that. Although I had gripes with character development, I still wouldn't hesitate to recommend this novel. Definitely one of the best I've read so far this year. Misfits? Who? The blurb calls Eleanor and Park, "two star-crossed misfits." But I have to disagree with that. I didn't feel either of them were "misfits," other than their physical appearances. They were not exactly misfits because everyone shunned them, but because they were so enamored with each other, everyone else was an annoyance to them. Or they never try to make friends in the first place, especially Eleanor. And then she blames it on her appearance. All of the "friend" characters had to approach them. Eleanor and Park were supposed to be these funny, "cool" people--but I didn't want to be their friend. Eleanor is made to be a misfit more because she is fat, has curly red hair, and wears weird clothes than because of her family circumstances. I found her family situation heartbreaking. It is what made the story addicting. I wanted to know more about her troubled family life, especially her mother. For me, Eleanor's mother was the most intriguing character in the entire novel because of her conflicting emotions and her role in the family as a loving mother and good wife. And perhaps being divorced once has made her feel unloved to the point she can't easily walk away from domestic abuse. And I wanted a lot more backstory for Eleanor's step-father. However, Eleanor's dysfunctional family is often overshadowed by her eccentric clothing (which I see as more of a personal choice than something forced upon her.) Despite these gripes, I didn't mind Eleanor's constant attention to her personal appearance (though I don't think she really cares about remedying the situation.) Because that is what teenage girls do. I still wish she would own up to her fashion choices though and be like, "This is my style, deal with it." Oh, and apparently can't afford toothbrushes, so she has to rub salt on her teeth. I'd hate to imagine her dental hygiene. I liked Park for being a minority. I feel there needs to be more minorities in YA literature, ones that aren't used as cheap plot devices. You know how those stories go: ethnic kid goes to new school where everyone are vicious, racist bullies and then somehow everyone realizes they're wrong. And then all the bullies apologize and everybody cheers. And then confetti falls. THE END. Park broke that stereotype. Despite his personal insecurities, People liked him. He had friends. What a miracle! However, here's where my gripes come out. I only liked him because he was Asian. Take that quality away from him, and he wouldn't be so special anymore. In fact, I was bored of him by the second half. I only wanted to figure out Eleanor's family. Let's Talk About Being Asian-American: Even though I am Asian American, I can't relate to Park. This is not a fault of the novel at all. I've been raised in a very different time and place, and have never once felt uncomfortable with being Asian (though I wouldn't mind being about a feet taller.) Perhaps because of my cultural background, my radar is alert (this just made me sound like a cyborg) when I come across Asian culture in literature. For the first time in a long while, I enjoyed how Asian-American culture was portrayed. Perhaps because Park is only half-Korean that many of the cultural aspects were left out. Park's family seemed much more "American" than "Asian," and I was completely fine with it. I didn't mind the focus being on Eleanor and Park, and their teenage romance. I'm VERY grateful that Rowell didn't use this opportunity to throw in a bunch of Korean words into the dialogue. Instead, the Korean accent is tackled in a much more subtle and humorous way. If I had a nickel for every misused Chinese word I've come across recently, I'd be rich. Stop using Google Translate, people! Comic Book and Music References, Thank God I Read This After Watchmen: Coincidently, when I got my hands on Eleanor and Park from the library, I was also assigned to read Alan Moore's Watchmen for school. Thankfully I finished Watchmen before I started Eleanor and Park, so I wasn't spoiled. (But really, why did the ending have to be spoiled? Or a I just the last person on Earth that hasn't read Watchmen) Eleanor and Park is filled with comic book and music references--many of which went over my head. I only heard of The Smiths because two of their songs were on the 500 Days of Summer soundtrack. Shame on me. I'm glad that these music/comic book references didn't take away from the story. I think there always has to be a balance with references to pop culture. While they help set the scene in a specific time period, too much of them can alienate the reader. I found that balance was done well, and I appreciated them. Not because I knew all the references, but because the romantic idea of walkmans, vinyl records, comic book serials, and MIXTAPES did a wonderful job reminding me that it was the eighties, a time where mixtapes had to be painstakingly made with CASSETTE TAPES instead of dragging song files on ITunes. If someone took the time to make a mixtape for you, it meant something. Overall, I really enjoyed Eleanor and Park's story. I am usually not a "contemporary" romance reader (though it is set in the mid eighties, but to call it an historical sounds like something from the WWII era,) but Rainbow Rowell just won me over. Despite being a YA novel, I feel this book will also be a good fit for older adults--for nostalgic reasons. Now, onto Attachments! P.S. Don't read this book if you plan to read Watchmen for the first time sometime in the near future.
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You
by
Austin Grossman
Lilian Cheng
, May 23, 2013
After five pages, I already had a bad feeling about You (this title makes anything taken out of context sound rude or ungrammatical.) But because I thought it was impossible to make video games boring and unfinished books haunt me, so I decided to keep reading, hoping for some miracle to make this novel bearable. That didn't happen. You was SO BORING (thanks to the title, I now sound like a toddler). Not even in a rage inducing way so that I can at least laugh about it, but in an incredibly bland and uneventful way. The writing was long-winded, as if the author was trying to reach a word count. Pacing was gut-wrenchingly slow and fast in all the wrong places. The switches between first, second, and third person was confusing. The unannounced flashbacks and spontaneous jumps between Russell's imagination, the video game, and reality didn't help things. It was even worse than taking a philosophy class--there was no point in time while reading this novel that I knew what was going on. There was also no moment that I felt engaged. Everything felt disjointed and lacked direction. The characters were paper cut-outs. Worse of all, the protagonist is a condescending loser I wanted to throw off a cliff. Expectations, Comparisons to Ready Player One: Now that I finished the book, I went back to read some reviews of it from other readers. And the consensus is: STOP COMPARING THEM! THEY HAVE ARE NOT ALIKE except that they are both about video games. Both take a VERY different direction with the topic. And I completely agree. Why I bring it up is because I wonder if Ready Player One, one of my favorite books of the year, gave me expectations about this novel and therefore influenced my opinion. And I don't think so. Even looking at Austin Grossman's You as a slower, contemplative novel...it still didn't work. Russell, The Guy I Want to Push Off a Cliff: He is the reason I had a bad feeling from the first five pages. As the protagonist, he is not very likable. Basically, he wakes up one day with a mid-life crisis. He's twenty-eight, dropped out of law-school, and he doesn't know what to with his English degree. And he sees his high school buddies, all of whom he ignored for the past decade, have great success by starting an award-winning video game company, Black Arts. He thinks they are "cool," so he gets a job with them to join the "cool" party. Douchebag move. So he gets the job even with no credentials, experience, or passion for the field because he has connections and an English degree. He didn't even do his research, failing to recognize his company's past productions during a meeting. Ad he only ever had one computer in his entire life. Never mind that he shoved that computer under desks to accumulate cat hair. Why does this guy want to be in the industry again? Oh right, he wanted to be "cool." At this point I would be questioning if it is really THAT easy to get a job as a video game designer. Doesn't EVERYONE want to get paid for playing games? Seriously, does he at least need writing samples? But apparently back then, it WAS THAT EASY to be a game designer because that's how the author got his job according to an interview (I am envious.) This also makes me lose faith in the writing behind video games. Then with a stroke of luck, Russell is promoted to lead designer despite having done NOTHING except drag a few elves around on his computer and "not be reduced to incoherent rage" in the process. Does Black Arts only have five people or something that they have to resort to promoting this guy? I don't mind underdog characters who start out being a loser, but grow as a person throughout the novel. Russell is not that character. He WANTS to be that character, but he isn't. Lisa, his co-worker and former friend, turned herself into my favorite character (which is really not saying much) by calling him out on it: "And so, you know, bye-bye nerds. And that's what you did. And now you're back a decade later saying, "Hi nerds, where's my job?" HALLELUJAH! This is the only time I felt a simulacrum of joy while reading this book. Then Russell acts like a wounded puppy for about five seconds before plunging into another video game. The highlight of his existence is when he dates a video game character. His tendency to blur the lines between reality and video game makes the novel confusing. It's creative, but leads me to question Russell's sanity. He is the reason why parents are paranoid when their children play violent first person shooters. Simon, The Dead Video Game Genius: The blurb makes it sound like the novel is about solving the mystery behind Simon's death. There's no mystery behind his death, the novel makes it clear in the first five pages that he died in an accident. Probably by falling through an elevator or something--nobody cares about the details, not even the author. Instead we see Simon as the stereotypical reclusive genius through Russell's condescending eyes. Poor Simon. Lisa, The Only Real Female Character: Like the rest of the characters, Lisa is a paper cutout. It makes me wince to see her portrayed as this uptight character who loves to read, but doesn't know how to have fun. Russell also thinks she has "some cognitive deficit" because she talks too fast. Classic jerk-face Russell. She is thrown into stereotypes, which is saddening when she is the only character with the guts to call Russell out. The only other female character we get is Leira, the princess character in the Realm of Gold video games. The other characters are just pitiful. There's no character development, everyone else is dismissed as reclusive "nerds" and "geeks" under Russell's judgmental eye. But apparently, "geeks" are cool now, so Russell rushes to join the group. Mystery? What Mystery? And Why Should I Care? Simon is also somewhat of an antagonist for planting a "bug" into a game: an invincible black sword that wrecks havoc. Because these designers can't do anything by themselves, they just reuse Simon's old coding and software from previous games, which leads to this bug being embedded in all of Black Art's releases. You don't even that this is the main point of the novel until Chapter 22, when he black sword is finally mentioned a second time from its brief appearance in Chapter 6. Until that point (and even after it,) the novel felt like it was flailing around aimlessly. Everything would be solved if they just started from scratch, but I guess nobody has the talent to do that. Russell, now put in charge of tech support, has to fix the bug. It will be the only thing he "fixes" in 383 pages. I guess all the other bugs don't matter or he is just very bad at his job. He wonders why none of his co-workers ask him about the bugs, despite them being assigned to him. BECAUSE YOU ARE USELESS! THAT'S WHY. There's also something about the stock market weaved into the story to raise the stakes and also something about a white flower. I didn't care enough to figure it out. What I Thought Was The Plot, The ULTIMATE Game--Am I Missing Something: I didn't read the book blurb before finishing the book, so I thought the book would be about creating the ultimate game since that's how the story opened. Russell is asked what game he would create if he could create anything. He answers with some chess game when he is secretly imagining a game where the user could weave their own storylines and all that romantic, deep stuff about video games. Russell, that game already exists. It's called life, with surround sound and 3d high definition technology--and it's also free! This theme pops in an out of the story. It also randomly appears again a third into the book as if the author forgot he already mentioned it in the beginning. I have a feeling this is what Grossman wanted to convey, that video games could tell stories. But this idea was buried amongst poor execution. Pacing, Info-dumping, ALL Tell and NO Show: For anyone who never knew what "show, don't tell" meant, this book is the perfect example. The entire novel left be disengaged because the novel merely told me what was happening, but I didn't feel like I was part of the story at all. There's only so much interest I can muster reading about watching a guy play a game on a monitor: the screen flash rainbow colors with realistically rendered characters, the 8-bit sun was gleaming in all shades of yellow, and the orcs went north, and the elves went east, and I strategically sent south to set up an elaborate trap, look at me jump over this bridge--it's so exciting! Yeah, fun for you because YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO GETS TO PLAY, while I have to listen to you brag for fifty pages. I felt like that envious younger sister who has to look at her older brother play video games at a distance, when all she wanted to do was take the controller. For a book titled You, the book didn't give a damn about me. The sloppy writing dragged down the pace significantly. There's a LOT of superfluous writing. Even though Russell was doing many "exciting" things in his video games, I didn't feel like I was in the game. Rather it felt like I was reading an instruction manual because Grossman would dedicate at least five pages to introducing the video games characters and history. And because Russell embarks on a mission to play ALL of Black Art's games, the banal info-dumping keeps happening. I know it's hard to avoid for the author who wanted to squeeze all these video games into one novel, but in the end, I didn't care for any of them because there wasn't enough room to fully immerse me into all these different games. So you are left with a very boring "summary" of the game which doesn't sound too different from the one you read in the last chapter. Even though it was fast paced in that Grossman covers the entire creation story of Endoria (the Realm of Gold world) in ten pages, it read like a chunk of filler text that didn't play a role in the story as a whole. I found a trend in Grossman's writing: he LOVES long lists with an intense passion. Lists that go four times longer than they should. Lists that read like space filler. Where's the editor? Speaking of filler text, here are some puzzling examples I've encountered: "language and reality have no sacred connection." pffffftttt. "the prince emerges, ready to do what must be done." Which is? "He is, without any doubt, what Simon looks like in his deepest, most private fantasies." Why would you know what? "slightly precious-looking saber stance" Precious-looking? seriously? there isn't a better word for this? Second-Person Narrative, I Want Nothing to do With This Guy: I hated it. The use of second person made the book annoying. Maybe it was supposed to make me feel engaged to the novel, but it felt like the book was pointing fingers at me, desperately trying to mold me. Or it sounded too much like a commercial. How ironic for a book about having control and choosing your own path. The more I encountered the second person narrative, the more I felt like being a rebel: "You should be combing the galaxy for Mournblade and kicking bugs off your to-do list." Yeah, YOU should, Russell, not me--but YOU. God forbid YOU do the job YOU are paid to do. "Evidently you have been crying." No! I have NOT been crying. And even if I was, I don't need YOU to "evidently" point it out. I knew the second person narrative is addressing Russel or Simon, and not me. But it felt like the book was addressing me as if I was in their shoes. A position I did not want to be in. I didn't want to be the anti-social genius who died in a "ridiculous accident," nor did I want to be the twenty-eight year old loser who came crawling back to his "nerdy" friends. Stuff I Learned from You: 1) Don't title a book "You" 2) Video game designers from the nineties are masochists and have poorly designed game creating software. These are the people behind user experience? 3) Adding a penis is the perfect way to make readers do a double take. You also know when a penis appears that the author is getting desperate. 4) People said "Screenshots or it didn't happen." in 1998. So hipster. 5) Even professionals have poor grammar and write stuff like, "Fix soonest please." I literally rather watch paint dry than read this drivel again. CONFESSION: One of few reasons I finished You after the first five pages was so that I can take out my frustrations in a review. I found You disjointed and painfully banal--I didn't even know it was possible to make video games boring, but this book succeeded. I didn't care for the characters, nor the first/second/third-person narrative. It's portrayal of women didn't impress me either. The book tried so hard to be deep, but just fell flat. However, there are others who LOVE this novel for its introspective, authentic look at life and the nineties video game industry. It makes me sad that I was so excited for this book too. I was squealing inside when I saw it in Barnes and Noble's. Lovely cover though. Now that I've written this review, I can finally delete You from my Kindle.
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Lunar Chronicles 02 Scarlet
by
Marissa Meyer
Lilian Cheng
, April 15, 2013
This book has NO "negative" reviews! Now I have to be the weirdo. This review will have spoilers about Cinder, so don't read on if you don't want to know. I hoped Scarlet would redeem the series for me since I was one of the few people who wasn't a fan of Cinder. While I know why Marissa Meyer set Cinder in China (because the tale of Cinderella originated there,) the way she handled the culture was a complete mess, and greatly hindered my enjoyment throughout the novel. Thank goodness, I only had to bear Meyer's misuse of Chinese honorifics in one scene in Scarlet. Scarlet, on the other hand, is largely set in France--a country I have no experience/associations with and therefore would not notice if there were cultural discrepancies. I was right, Scarlet annoyed me a lot less than Cinder did, but still a book I would hesitate to wholeheartedly recommend. Juvenile Writing, Tackling Uneasy Subjects and Relationships: This is more of a personal gripe. I just checked Amazon, and apparently Scarlet is targeted towards ages 12 and up (I always thought the book was targeted towards 16 and up, oops!,) so I guess the lengthy writing that often made me feel like Meyer is underestimating her readers is suitable after all. There is a scene were the author suggests a one night stand (okay, maybe it was a one week stand, but that's not that much better) and also the brief suggestion of rape in another. Being that the age level is twelve, I see why these topics are glossed over, but it also makes me feel like the author is not confident enough to tackle these issues despite throwing them in. Queen Levana: GIMMIE THE BACKSTORY!: I know I am supposed to hate Levana, but I had problems finding a reason to hate her. I get that she wants world domination--and that's always bad--but I wanted to find out WHY she wanted so many people to love her. Was she bullied? A social outcast? World domination is not easy. Not sure why she has to marry Kai either. Why not just kill him and win world domination through conquest? But I just imagine her as a desperate cougar. I would personally spend my time reading than ruling the world. Cinder tries to make her hateful by describing her burn wounds as a baby, but I felt that was too forced. If her orchestrating the mutation of her people into werewolves and the destruction of thousands of lives didn't make me hate her, a baby getting burned won't miraculously do the trick. If Cinder's stepmother made me feel for her, despite her "evilness" (which I felt was one of the brighter moments in Cinder,) Queen Levana should have a fleshed out story as well. Maybe her story is revealed in the novella? I certainly hope so. Cinder, Poor Girl Gets Overshadowed: I like Cinder and Scarlet equally, they both have their strengths, but also can be too oblivious or have anger issues. While reading the story, I felt much more invested in Scarlet's character and Cinder quickly became overshadowed. I also felt Cinder became less appealing, not only because she was overshadowed, but because everything became too convenient with her new Lunar powers. Now not only did she have cyborg powers of quick problem solving and the ability to fix hardware by connecting them to her...head? but also mind-control AND the ability to make spaceships undetectable. It felt like every time the author hit a plot hole, she "solved" it by giving Lunars a new ability. "Oh shoot, how is Cinder going to break out of prison? Eh, she can just mind control the guard with her Lunar gift! Oh shoot, how is Cinder going to travel undetected in a gigantic spaceship? Um, well Lunars have the ability to do that too! Oh no, Cinder is stuck in a crowd, how will she get out of it? That's easy! Her Lunar gift can change her appearance to disguise her from everyone!" What can this girl NOT do? And how much of it is actually attributed to her as a person...and not because she has the ability to download and process manuals from the Internet. Suddenly, it felt like Cinder became invincible. Her "let's connect electronics to my cyborg brain" thing made her even harder to relate to. Cinder & Kai: I was okay with Cinder & Kai's relationship in Cinder--even though Kai didn't have much of a personality aside from being handsome (he also has way too much time on his hands for being the leader of the entire Eastern Commonwealth.) In Cinder, he struck me as a very poor leader, spending his time being angry, relying on his advisors, not showing up on time to state meetings, and hitting on a girl. Kai really got the short end of the stick in Scarlet, in the few scenes he does appear in, he only serves as background details to the plot. He still has yet to win me over. I wonder how Kai and Cinder relationship will work out, precisely, how Kai will react when he finds out Cinder's true identity as Princess Selene. Will he be jumping for joy? And how will he convince Cinder to be with him without being a jerk that's like "I know you are the princess, so let's marry and everything will be fine and dandy! And let's ignore the whole part about locking you up in prison, doubting you, and stuff." It's going to be sappy. I can just feel it. Scarlet & Wolf, Echoes of Twilight/A Discovery of Witches: Not instalove, but dangerously close. Their relationship progressed in the way that romance novels do: the characters don't trust one another and there's some tension, but then they suddenly realize that they are made for one another. How fast their relationship gave me this schadenfreude feeling. I didn't want it to be THAT easy. I WANTED THEM NOT TO WORK OUT. I am evil like that. And because I thought Scarlet did not deserve Wolf. Seriously, that girl has some anger issues. When Wolf comments on her scent, she immediately snaps at him, telling him it's none of his business. That is NOT how you treat a guy who is willing to help you track down your missing grandmother. There's a difference between being a badass and being rude and ungrateful. I admit, there were some sweet moments, but when I got to the end, their relationship made me wince. I felt Wolf had more development than Kai though, so I did root for him. But there was a point where I just felt bad for him because Scarlet was just--mean. I could just picture him being that wounded dog thrown out into the rain. And then came the Twilight echoes. Scarlet was made to be this independent, strong-willed girl, but then she still depended so much on Wolf to save the day. There are moments when she overestimates herself, kind of like Diana from A Discovery of Witches. And then Wolf had the whole "I am too dangerous for you! You have no idea how close I was to harming you..." thing. Ugh. Blending Fairytale with Sci-fi: I appreciate how Meyer weaved sci-fi and fairy tales together. The fairy tale elements are often in the background, while the characters have a life of their own. There was a moment, when Scene ran onto a stage in an opera house that was supposed to be a "forest," that struck me as heavy handed and unnecessary. Perhaps it was especially annoying because she was supposed to be in great danger, yet the author still makes her run through a stupid cardboard "forest" for the sake of tying it into the fairytale. Oh, poor Scarlet! Addressing Plot-Holes: THOSE ID CHIPS The id-chips left me with a lot of questions in Cinder: how did these id-chip stealing androids get placed in a government facility? Is this a conspiracy? And I am glad Meyer addressed them. Somewhat. I still felt it could have been better handled. Apparently the general public CARE about those chips, and would riot if they knew it was stolen, because it's VERY important to the family--or so it is said. Which is a surprise, because nobody seems to care enough to claim it after their loved one's death. Or even notice its disappearance. ID-chips causing a riot? I doubt it. Overall, I felt Scarlet was slightly stronger than Cinder due to more character development in the new characters, though it also had quite a few flaws that made Scarlet a slow read for me. Scarlet has the same fast-paced, action-packed, sci-fi and loose fairytale qualities I enjoyed in Cinder though. It's a pity that Cinder and Kai recede into the background, which makes me scared that the next books will do the same thing and introduce more new characters at the expense of the old. If you loved Cinder, I am certainly you will love Scarlet. Just be prepared not to see Kai or Cinder too much. As for me, although I was not impressed with the series thus far, each book for slightly different reasons, I know I will probably still read the next book, hoping it will change my mind. I am determined to like this series!
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Lunar Chronicles 01 Cinder
by
Marissa Meyer
Lilian Cheng
, February 24, 2013
I love sci-fi and fairytale re-telling. With all the praise surrounding Cinder, I was certain this would be my book. It wasn't. I enjoyed Meyer's futuristic interpretation of Cinderella, she had an interesting concept--unfortunately the execution was lacking, especially the clumsy world building. Perhaps I'm Chinese that I am particularly critical of how my culture is being portrayed, and Cinder irritated me on that front. It was also on the predictable side, where we all knew the plot-twist before page 100--yet I was still eager to keep exploring Cinder's eccentric characters. Shallow World-Building, Why not set it in Europe already?: Asian Culture Goes Beyond Cranes, Kimonos, and Dumplings, People! Like the book mentions, the culture in Cinder is really just "cobbled together from many [Asian] cultures." Except the main cultures haplessly "cobbled" together are just the Japanese and Chinese (there are Arabic and Sanskrit influences on a few names, but that's it)...and a large helping of Western culture. Sure, the language and descriptions have figments of Asian (by Asian, I mean only Japanese and Chinese) culture, but the way they act is completely Westernized. The concept of having a "ball" is completely Western (on another note, why someone would wear a kimono to a dance is beyond me.) So is kissing people on the hand. I am sure the music that was played during the ball was probably Bach or Chopin and not traditional oriental music. And the way Cinder talks her elders? I don't mean to be stereotypical, but if I spoke like that, I would be thrown out of the house. The world in Cinder had all the signs of a Western society, plus maybe a few cranes, bamboo, Buddha dolls--and dumplings. What Happened To The Technology?! Another issue I have with Cinder is that I didn't believe it was set in the future at all. Apparently they've invented androids, cyborgs, hover cars, but why has life still so pitiful? People still have to work in markets out in the open (I guess there's no online shopping anymore?,) actually go to meetings in person, and their medical facilities are just pitiful. On top of it, they have a disease they cant cure so people are dropping like flies. There are auto-drive functions in hover cars, but I guess not in normal cars, because Cinder still crashes into a tree. Language: Confusing, Random Honorifics: One of the most confusing, jarring parts of Cinder is their names, along with the honorifics. I rather Meyer forego the use of honorifics altogether since it seems to do more harm than good. In the acknowledgements, Meyer thanks Paul Manfredi Ph.D. for his assistance in Chinese honorifics. I don't have a doctorate degree, but I do speak fluent Chinese so I do think I am qualified to add my two cents on the use of Chinese honorifics. I think Meyer got confused between Japanese and Chinese honorifics. While both cultures use honorifics, Chinese tend to use them to a lesser degree--especially in modern times, and when they ARE used they usually denote a special relationship (along with respect). In Meyer's FAQ section on her website, she explains the usage of a few honorifics: For my futuristic culture, I simplified it to the following five honorifics used in the Eastern Commonwealth: -dàren: for a high-ranking official -shìfu: for an older male -jūn: for a younger male -jiĕ: for an older female -mèi: for a younger female Jiĕ and mèi are the two most commonly used honorifics in Cinder, and their usage always puzzles me and strikes me as clumsy (or unnecessary clunky) writing. Whatever happened to the the honorifics for royalty? How about doctors? And Mr and Mrs? Prince Kai refers to Cinder as Lihn-mèi, but using mèi denotes a close relationship. And for a guy to use it, he is usually as close to the girl as he is to a sister (even closer than if he were to use her first name.) It is very surprising for a PRINCE to use it, and to a girl he barely knows! Cinder refers to her mother (albeit stepmother) by her first name, which is just rude. She also refers to her father with his first name. I should just accept that Cinder has barely anything to do with Asian culture. I admit after reading the acknowledgments, I had to wonder just how much help from the PhD Meyer got (so I Googled him.) Or if I was the stupid one who didn't know anything about her own culture and the language she spoke fluently. Names: Wrong Romanization/Pinyin The names in Cinder seem to either come from Chinese or Japanese names. At first I thought the royal family would have Chinese origins since they rule New Beijing after all. But it turns out Japan must've taken over at some point because their names are Japanese (is this Meyer hinting at Japan's superiority over China?.) Rikan can be both Chinese or Japanese, so can Kai. But later I find out Kai is short for Kaito--which can only be derived from Japanese romanization. Curiously, we never get his last name. I can accept the Japanese names, but the Chinese ones are a mess. I appreciate Meyer for putting tone marks on the honorifics, but they don't appear anywhere else. Even without tonemarks Lihn should be "pinyinned" as Lin. I'm not sure if Nainsi is supposed to be a Chinese derivative of "Nancy" whoever named her fell asleep on the keyboard, but that n in the middle should not be there. The only one that has a believable Chinese name is Chang Sacha, but then her son (Sunto) is either misspelled or Japanese. For a Chinese-based world, there aren't many Chinese names. Or maybe Chinese names are a pain to pronounce (I know, because I gave up trying to teach people how to pronounce my Chinese name.) Romance: I appreciated that Cinder didn't fall in love at first glance, but I still don't find Prince Kai that appealing. That is probably due to his inappropriate bursts of sarcasm during political meetings. Why Do People Hate Cyborgs Again? From what I gather, cyborgs are still human with a few prosthetics, yet apparently they are hated as second class citizens. Melo-dramatic, much? I am sure if any of those other people ever lost a limb, they would welcome a prosthetic instead of being leg-less for the rest of their life too. Politics, MOON PEOPLE ARE OUT TO GET US. I really Don't Get Politics. Real or Fictional. I admit that I was left confused over how the politics work. Apparently the queen of the moon is going to wage war with Earth if they don't give her control because she's evil and she feels like it...yet she wants to marry a prince ten years her junior even though she has mind-control powers. Why she doesn't use mind-control for world domination to save herself the trouble is beyond me. Why Prince Kai still thinks there's anything worth negotiating is beyond me. Why can't he just send a nuclear bomb over to the moon? Problem solved. But I guess he is all for "peace," so bombs are out of the question. I didn't pay too much attention to the political talk since it seemed to get nowhere. Characters: I applaud the depth Meyer gives her characters. Surprisingly, I find the minor characters (Adri and Pearl more appealing than the main ones.) Despite Adri fulfilling the role as evil step-mother, I was sympathetic towards her losses (woman lost her husband and her daughter) and why she blames Cinder because of it. She was a mean grouch, but I thought she had legit reasons for her actions. Unlike the other "villain," Queen Levana who is evil and seeks world domination because she can. Cinder, The Mechanic with an Attitude (I think she needs anger management) I love Cinder for her intelligence. She is a determined character that has an heart for people she loves. However, I often want her to chill out. When she meets the doctor who informs her about her past, her society, and Lunars (moon people), she freaks out and starts hyperventilating even though she thinks the doctor could be just a crazy old man. At one point she wants to hit the guy with a wrench, or shoot a bolt of lightning through his head. Poor guy. For some reason Cinder is clueless about her own society and needs to be informed about the black market by a doctor (though I suspect he exists for info-dump purposes.) And people keep telling her national security secrets. After awhile, it gets in her head and she gives herself the responsibility to track down the enemy perpetrator by holding onto a communication chip instead of handing it to authorities. AND THE PRINCE IS OKAY WITH IT. So much for national security. She's a mechanic, not a hacker. Prince Kai, The Guy Who is Sarcastic in the Most Inappropriate Situations: I am not sure being sarcastic to an "evil" queen with mind control powers is a good idea. While I think his sarcasm is supposed to be funny, I found him childish. I kept wishing he would grow up to prove himself as a great leader instead of trying to be sarcastic all the time. For a prince, he really has too much time on his hands. Word of the Day: Thaumaturge Thaumaturge must be Meyer's favorite word. I can't read "thaumaturge" without thinking "trauma-turd-ist" or "centrifuge." Can someone tell me if using the word "magician," "miracle worker," or even "dowager" is too mainstream? Plot-Twist, I Saw You Coming From Page 100 The plot twist was predictable, but I didn't really mind since I was interested in getting to know the world and its interesting characters. Cinder, on the other hand, took a looonnng time to piece it all together (actually, she didn't even piece it all together, which says something about her intelligence.) Sailor Moon! Meyer did write Salor Moon fanfiction, and it's evident some of it seeped into Cinder. *coughSerena...Selenecough* I am sure I'm the minority who didn't fall head over heels into Cinder, and I'm sure a lot of it had to do with the sloppy world-building. While I have to give props to Meyers imagination, Cinder didn't appeal to me liked I hoped it would. I read Cinder so I could get to Scarlet, but after Cinder--I am unsure if I want anymore of Meyer's writing. Perhaps Scarlet would be better since it is set in France (and thank God not in China.)
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Mind Games 01
by
Kiersten White
Lilian Cheng
, February 23, 2013
Did I hear "heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller"? Because I want in. Mind Games is a refreshing addition to the YA genre, especially when psychological thrillers is often exclusive to adult fiction. White delivered a interesting plot and a fierce female character (albeit she stole the the spotlight from everyone else) all in a fast-paced two-hundred page novel. We've seen all the elements before from crazy training schools (Ender's Game, Insignia, Variant, The Vindico) to exploiting psychic abilities (Minority Report), but White takes these elements and weaves something her own. Unfortunately, despite the compelling premise, the delivery fell short, leaving much to be desired. Poor Organization: I Usually Like Multiple Perspectives, Shifting Timelines and Fia Stealing The Whole Show Fia and her older sister, Annie, both speak to us in first person. While usually perspectives alternate, Mind Games didn't follow a specific pattern: there might be a present Annie chapter directly preceding a 18 month ago Annie chapter. Eventually I gave up trying to do the math to figure out the chronological order between chapters. I often had to flip back to the start of the chapter to find out why a character supposedly imprisoned in the last chapter could be roaming free in the next. I know chapters from the past aid in giving backstory, but the sudden transition confused rather than enlightened. Many times, I didn't care what mundane stuff happened in the distant past, I want to get back to my "intense psychological thriller" already! Another problem with the multiple perspectives was that Fia stole the show. From the start of the novel, she establishes herself as a femme fatale who is not afraid to lie and break a few bones to get what she wants. She is manipulative and cunning. After the first chapter, I was sold. But then I found out, Fia wasn't the only voice of the novel. Annie, Fia's older sister is radically different from Fia, she's the calm, reserved one. She basically sat around being emo. *yawn* Writing Style: White's writing didn't do it for me. I'm not sure if it's because this espionage training school forgot proper English lessons so neither character sound eloquent, or if both characters are too screwed up. Both characters speak in a stream of consciousness. From the writing, we can feel the sister's troubled state of mind, especially Fia's. I thought I was supposed to feel fear, frustration, and hurt from Fia, but I just kept thinking she was high on drugs. Her terse sentences and repetitions were meant for emphasis, and perhaps to imitate the impulsive, conflicted, uneditted human consciousness that characterizes Fia, but it wasn't long before I grew exhausted with those short sentences. There was not enough contrast between the two sisters' voices. Action Scene Writing is Hard Stuff Fia's passages are distinct from Annie's primarily due to her action scenes. I found it odd that her action scenes are the few moments when Fia turns "eloquent" (or her sentences turn long), but not in a good way. Her sentences turn into lists of action after action, then some other action. I kept wishing for sensory details to bring me into the scene. I admit I rarely come across action scenes that actually work in writing without sounding like a list but because of the rigid, un-varied nature of these sentences, they felt jarring--I didn't believe for a second it was Fia recalling the moment, but a third-person narrator giving me a summary of what he saw Cat Woman do in a movie. These action scenes drove the novel, but unfortunately, they were also the weakest parts. The Emotions I was not convinced. From romance to sisterly love, all of it was forced. The romance was borderline random; I had no reason to care for either prospective lover. As for sisterly love, Fia and Annie are supposed to care deeply for each other, sacrificing and taking care of each other when they have nobody else. But I don't know what bonds them together at all. For most of the novel, they have no interaction (Annie misses Fia holding her hand) aside a few secret whispers here and there. I felt not warmth from these two. Only betrayal, negligence, and jealously. So..What is This Story About Again? There are so many subplots going on that aren't adequately explained that I really can't tell you what's going on. We have two sisters enrolled in a suspicious school run by a mysterious guy. That mysterious guy's sexy son is trying to overthrow his father. To overthrow his father, he "trains" Fia. This sexy guy is not to be trusted, but Fia likes him so she helps him overthrow his father. Somehow the president is involved in the school. There's a nice doctor who's saved by Fia and randomly reappears. There's a society going against the school (they have the weirdest logic where they kidnap people only to let them out the font door) On top of that, the sisters need to get their relationship sorted out. Yep, I'm lost. Too many random faucets are opened all at once, and we are still at square one trying to answer questions and figuring out why I need to care. I CAN'T KEEP UP. Fia has...Perfect Instincts? I am not sure what having perfect instincts entail, but that's Fia's special power and what makes her so valuable. Is it just keen perception? I find it weird that she can just pick the best selling stocks. Those things have nothing to do with gut feeling. Apparently her instincts also allow her to ace multiple choice tests. WHAT??!?! Plot Twist: Meh. I suspected it. Overall, I appreciated the unique concept and the fast-paced kept me reading, but execution is far from perfect. This is one of the messiest books I've come across, with way too many subplots, confusing transitions, and no answers.
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Insignia
by
S J Kincaid
Lilian Cheng
, January 12, 2013
A disappointing, middle-grade version of Ready Player One (which was one of my favorite books of the year,) is the best summary of my reactions to S. J. Kincaid's Insignia. The problems I found in Insignia reminded me of the ones I found in Wesley King's The Vindico; both books had an compelling plot, creative ideas, but he execution failed to bring those ideas to life and grazed over heavy-handed issues in exchange for superficial cliches. My Suspension of Disbelief is Straining, These People Need Anger Management!: First of all, all these 14-15 year olds are supposed to be the cream of the crop with exceptional intelligence and abilities (Figure Skating Champion, Scholarship winners, etc.) With the aid of a neural processor in their brains they have become even smarter than usual. Actually, their intelligence is optional since they just "download" knowledge instead of learning. Whatever they don't know their computer brains will look it up for them. They are also given perfect complexions and grow six inches in a week. Yet, despite their intelligence, their priorities only lie in teasing each other with stuff like "girly hands" and "man-hands." Not sure what the intelligence changed in them. The knowledge certainly hasn't made them any more empathetic, as they spend most of their time plotting to ruin each other's lives (and are encouraged to do so!.) What tested my suspension of disbelief was how easy it was for characters to make decisions. Tom accidentally (being digitally manipulated as part of a class demo) bumps into the class bully, and all of a sudden the guy hates his guts. Programming teacher, Blackburn, decides to "punish" Tom for not revealing who hacked into the school system (which I argue, is the right thing to do,) and then he becomes an evil "villain" soon after. For an adult, Blackburn is irrationally quick to jump into conclusions: Tom mentions a word from Blackburn's devastating past, then within five seconds he decides Wyatt, his best pupil, is a flithy liar, then proceeds to stomp out of the room like a five year old. What was even more confusing was how easy it was for Tom to be able to get a classmate to hack into the school system for him. It went like this: Vik (Tom's best friend): Hey, hack into the school system to change Tom's profile! Hacker (Wyatt): No! I got in trouble last time! I can't risk it. Go away. Vik: Your friend said to. Hacker: Oh, in that case, sure! What...just happened there? Is Wyatt bipolar? Multiple personality disorder? And world-class military security was hacked by a 15 year old in seconds?!?! So much for security. Suspension of Disbelief Continued: War Is Fought in Space! And Funded by Companies! Exciting! To stop violence wars are fought in space (controlled on Earth) over resources. These wars are sponsored by large companies, who sponsor these teen fighters. Not sure who thought it was such a brilliant idea to use resources (what you are running out of!) to building spacecraft for war. If you want to avoid violence, why not just have the whole war in virtual reality? Better yet, let's just solve conflict over a game of chess. No need to waste fossil fuels. Why would they let make spacecrafts, capable of destroying satellites, or crashing into Earth to "avoid violence"? And controlled by TEENAGERS who have spent countless hours playing video games--and none driving a car. This is a recipe for disaster. Tom, I Really Thought He Would Have More Depth I have to constantly remind myself that he is fourteen, just so I can forgive his selfishness and his enormous ego. He starts off as a troubled teen, facing a drunk father and a mother who left him for a new family. He has acne and no friends in school. He also shows up late to school every day and makes stupid excuses. I could relate to his guy and wanted to root for him. Then, he became a perfect cyborg and all his worries magically disappeared! Even though he had a troubled past, Tom never showed signs of it. I guess he was preoccupied staring at beautiful girls. Every time he was "attracted" to a beautiful girl, I winced. I thought he was the most interesting when he was "zombified." I was hoping for an elaborate revenge plan where he plays the part until the end. I should know better. The author tried to convince me that Tom was trustworthy and would die before selling his friends out, but I didn't buy it. For a guy that would exploit a girl's self-esteem for his own profit? No way. I admire him for keeping his word, but felt much could've been avoided if he just told the truth. I understand that he feared that his friends would be kicked out, but if he and programmers are in such high demand, I'm sure his friends would be safe. Apparently due to an unhealthy diet, Tom can't grow anymore. I am not sure what this means (even though Tom was bummed out about it) since the topic was dropped pretty quickly. Medusa I was expecting more confidence from you, girl! Flat Characters: Yuri, Vik, and Wyatt are supposed to be Tom's best friends, but to be honest I didn't feel the chemistry. Where happened to their backstory or at least some hobbies? I only know Yuri is a suspected spy, Wyatt is a talented programmer, and Vik is a joke-cracking Indian. Not sure what their dreams or aspirations are. Even Tom himself is pretty elusive, it appears aside from getting a girl and being famous, he has no aspirations. When Tom's friends sense something wrong with him, they dismiss him as a jerk, and his best friend walks away from him. Some friend. I just never thought of them as friendly classmates more than friends. My favorite character was Tom's dad, a minor character that had the most depth despite his short appearance. He knows he isn't the best father and despite his worries, lets his son join the military. He is also immediately there for Tom when he wants him. Not a bad father, despite being a drunk gambler. Names With Confusing Gender: Maybe it's just me, but it took me a while to remember that Yuri is a guy and Wyatt is a guy. Suits Are EXPENSIVE, The Use of Money: Okay, I admit I'm not well-versed in the suit business, but I did a Google search. Dalton Prestwick, the rich "villain," wears a twenty-thousand suit. He can afford a twenty-thousand suit, but apparently his credit card limit is only at fifty thousand (or at least the one he gives Tom.) Why he would give a fourteen year old his credit card is beyond me. On the other hand, Tom is not shabby either, wearing an eleven-thousand dollar suit in the same scene. For that price tag, it must be some custom tailored masterpiece--but Tom was never even measured. Oh well. I don't mind characters wearing expensive suits, what I did mind was how jarring it was for these price tags to be thrown in. I didn't get the intended sense of luxury and grandiose, only the narrator being lazy and using long numbers instead of vivid adjectives to describe wealth. Simplistic Writing Hurt the World-Building: The writing is what made me feel Insignia should have been a middle-grade novel instead of young-adult. For a sci-fi book, especially one that deals with virtual reality, I am extra picky on world-building. While Insignia had some nice ideas, such as recreating historical battles, the execution was paltry. Many of these scenes were too short for me to be immersed in them. These scenes, which I hoped to be the focus of the novel were used to prove Tom's violent, rebellious attitude. I wonder how Tom will react to a game where the goal is not to kill anyone. Despite the praise, I found Insignia disappointing. It adds nothing new to the genre I haven't seen before. I was not immersed in Tom's world, but I did appreciate the fast pacing that kept me reading even if I was not impressed with the characters, world-building, and plot. While I was reading, I kept comparing it to Ready Player One, whose protagonist had a similar past, and also had a crush on a girl he has never met--but Ready Player One had better execution that made you want to be in the world. What Ready Player One accomplished in two chapters, Insignia failed to do in 444 pages. Despite being focused gaming, Ready Player still manages to make you think about the consequences of immersing yourself in virtual reality and what that means for society. Insignia seems to promise that depth with he mention of World War Three and parental neglect, but chooses to avoid those topics for one about an "average" boy who was to deal with evil professors, military officers, and corporate executives. Despite my gripes, I would still recommend it to a younger audience looking for a laugh (not my kind of humor, but others have been saying how hilarious it is.)
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Death of Bees
by
Lisa ODonnell
Lilian Cheng
, January 02, 2013
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. Despite it's twisted, morbid plotline of two sisters burying their parents in their backyard (and a dog that has an uncanny knack of digging up body parts from flowerbeds,) The Death of Bees filled me up with warmth and made me smile. Built with a unique cast of memorable characters, with their own fears and quirks, O' Donnell crafts a brilliant tale about family ties. Sometimes real families aren't formed by blood ties. Perhaps Marnie and Nelly are by far not the most innocent girls, but I still found myself cheering them on every one of those three hundred pages. Characters: I love multiple perspectives, and O'Donnell does it exceptionally well. We unravel the story with Marnie and Nelly (the two sisters) and Lennie (their 70 year old gay, misunderstood "sex offender" neighbor.) What usually happens in books with multiple perspectives is that the voices blend together and don't sound like two different people. Perhaps because each character is so distinct from each other that there was never a problem differentiating between them. Marnie has a dark, rebellious edge, while Nelly autistic eloquence sounds like the Queen of England (with a bit of swearing). Nelly reminds me of Becky of Glee's inner voice. Pacing: Very well-paced book. I admit that fifty pages in I had no idea where the story was headed. I was worried that this would be one of those books that hooked you in with a intriguing premise, then left you stranded with a messy story that went nowhere. Thankfully, that didn't happen and the story picked up as the story progressed. This is not also one of those books that felt like it should've ended fifty pages ago. Suspending Disbelief: There are moments where you just have to believe. This was one of my major worries going into this book. I just didn't know how O' Donnell could convinced me that two minors would be able to live without their parents. Where's the landlord when rent can't be paid? What about taxes? What about pesky census people? Can their two parents have been so isolated from friends and family that nobody is suspicious when they disappear? There were quite a few parts that I felt were just TOO convenient. But I was still grateful that it happened. Bits of Humor: Even though the novel touches upon many heavy-handed topics such as parental neglect and drug abuse, there were also bits of humor that not only made me smile, but made me like the characters. Marnie has a wicked sense of humor. And there's also a wife that barges into the house to pick a fight, run aways, but forgets her baby in the house. Overall, a very enjoyable book that I wasn't expect to like this much. It explores family ties, while not being afraid to delve into more heavy-handed topics such as parental abuse and neglect. It's a book I wholeheartedly recommend to people not afraid of a book with attitude, but will fill you up with warmth.
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People Who Eat Darkness The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo & the Evil That Swallowed Her Up
by
Richard Lloyd Parry
Lilian Cheng
, January 01, 2013
After I finished the prologue, I already had chills going down my spine. It was not a good idea to start this in bed/before going to sleep, since there was this "a ghost is sitting on my bed smoking a cigar" scene. I've been reading a number of dark books lately, I didn't know if I could get through another and still have a good night's sleep (being the scaredy cat that I am.) I debated immediately returning the book to the library, but ultimately decided to stick it out. I had a plan where I would read at least fifty pages a day of People of Darkness, while I also read other happier books to "neutralize" the horror. So much for that plan, because I ate (pun intended) this book up in two days. Before reading this book, I already knew about hosting in Roppongi, courtesy of a few Japanese dramas I've watched that feature hosting--albeit a romanticized version. There are also similar occupations in Hong Kong (my birthplace,) where girls would drink with customers in a bar/karaoke--though I don't think it's nearly as lucrative of a business as the one in Japan. Although the idea of hosting isn't surprising to me, I was impressed with Parry's description of Japan which was always vivid. Suspense (I See What You Did There): I wasn't sure how Parry would be able to expand a news article into 430 pages without boring me, but he did. Because of the suspenseful writing. Parry has a way of obliquely referring to something, but NOT TELL YOU THE ANSWERS. After the big criminal reveal, I was expecting to delve into his eccentric lifestyle, or his motivations, but instead I had pages upon pages of stuff about his family. It wasn't boring, but I kept thinking "HURRY UP! STOP BEATING AROUND THE BUSH, GIVE ME THE JUICY DETAILS." I was restless as Parry goes through the family roster. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found out there wasn't much information of Obara's youngest brother so I was spared at least a page or two. Hallelujah! The same thing happened with Lucie's family. A chunk of the book was dedicated to the drama between Tim and Jane, Lucie's divorced parents. *yawn* Pictures, My Greatest Fear: I hated the pictures in this book. Not that I think Lucie wasn't pretty, but because I already knew the fate of Lucie that I kept thinking of her as "that dead girl who gets cut up and dumped in a cave." Seeing her picture inevitably brought up images of a decayed, cut up cadaver. It didn't help that I took Biology last semester and the section on body farms scarred me for life. Pictures of Obara didn't bring up images of decaying bodies, but I kept thinking "oh, this guy looks friendly! He doesn't look like the type I would pepper-spray on the street at all." His aversion to pictures made him such an interesting person (it also made me wonder if he was prepping for his a life of crime all his life.) His picture drawn on the cover? I thought it was just a mean-looking lady until I read the book. It's the hair. I guess you really can't tell bad from facial features, although I keep thinking I can. The last two at the end of the book gave me a minor heart attack. Don't worry, it wasn't gruesome. It was just a picture of Lucie and one of Joji Obara on the next page. I told you I was a scaredy cat. MY REACTION during those last three pages: Whew, I'm done with the book! AHHHH!! *heart attack* THERE'S A PICTURE OF LUCIE! Okay, I think I recovered. *flips page* AHHHHHH!!! JOJI OBARA IS BARING HIS EYES AT ME. *heart attack again* Y U DO THIS TO ME?! I wasn't expecting two pictures back-to-back. So whoever decided on the order of pictures, I hate you. Japan, Safest Country? Parry makes it a point that despite these horrific crimes, Japan is still a safe place. And therefore, there's a lack of experience from detectives in solving crimes. However, I wonder if the reason for low crime rates has to do with police not taking reports seriously (this guy raped at least two hundred of women before he was caught, what the heck? Aside from a name change, he wasn't even being that sneaky.) Or is it just the people who have reservations about reporting crimes? In an effort to maintain their reputation and the illusion of a safe city, do they purposely dismiss people calling for help? Turns out the police weren't inadequate at all once they had the ball rolling. But I sure don't want to be involved in any crime activity in Japan. Who knows when something will actually be done? On the other hand, it's a paradise for criminals. It was decades before Joji Obara was caught. He wasn't even particularly a stealthy criminal, kept a mountain of incriminating evidence around, had a notebook on how much chloroform to administer like he was doing a science experiment, should've probably also destroyed his computer too. Reading how the mystery was unraveled made me think, "Damn it's really hard to bury a body" since there were witnesses EVERYWHERE (just that they didn't know the significance of what they saw.) Objective: Parry did a wonderful job leaving the topic objective. It's too easy to say that Joji Obara was a creep and a evil man. But like Tim, Lucie's father, I felt for Obara despite his horrendous crime. He was rich, but he had no friends (if Parry's guesses are correct,) his brother hasn't seen him in a decade, and seems to be in some serious denial, to the point he's crafted some ridiculous fantasy for himself. The laughable, clumsy way he tries to cover up this tracks made me think he was not only panicked, but also felt guilty. Why would he go through the trouble of making a "oh, she joined a cult!" phone call to Lucie's friend, Louise? He would later imitate Lucie (albeit very poorly) and write a "Don't look for me" letter" that would fool nobody. In retrospect, Louise should've probably lured the guy out with a fake address (he was probably trying to bribe her with money) and then have the police arrest him. I think I watch too much TV. But Still, We Don't REALLY Know What Happened: Courtesy of Obara's denial, what caused Lucie's death is still a mystery in the end. It is suspected to be a sleeping drug/chloroform overdose, but what kind is still unknown. How in the world did he get his hands on so much of it? Knowing she died of drug overdose or chloroform is also somewhat comforting, knowing that she died in her sleep and not brutally tortured to death. It is frustrating that Obara will probably be carrying these secrets with him to his grave. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I'm not surprised it appeared on many best of the year lists. I was surprised, however, at how fast I was about to get through it. Though I admit to speed reading after the mystery was unraveled and the suspense was drained. I also admit to be utterly terrified of this book. After finishing it, I returned it back to the library along with a few other horror reads (or anything that involved dead people) I had planned for the month. I don't think I have stomach any more dark reads for the month. I need a happy book now! Reading this book also made me want to keep a diary so that if I ever disappear, people will know what's up--hopefully. On the other hand, it doesn't show in the cover picture, but the physical book looks stunning. The book cover almost looks like it's been printed on foil due to it's high-reflectiveness. I kept holding it against the light. SHINY!
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Eyes Wide Open
by
Andrew Gross
Lilian Cheng
, December 28, 2012
Ugh. I picked up Eyes Wide Open because I was hoping for the same non-stop action, heart-pounding page-turner that was 15 Seconds, which I enjoyed this past summer. Unfortunately, Eyes Wide Open was not that book. The unoriginal plot not only was messy and extremely repetitive. Pace was frustratingly slow. The characters were not only unlikable, but confusing. The villains defied logic. And the police are useless. However, there were some wonderful suspenseful moments. I also applaud Gross for using his only experiences, but overall Eyes Wide Open was just your average suspense novel that I would hesitate to even call it a thriller. When In Crisis, Just Claim You're A Doctor Or at least that's how the protagonist, Jay Erlich, operates. "I'm a doctor." seems to be his default automated message. He says it to emergency personal, cops, reporters, taxi drivers, everyone else he meets. I get it, you have a fancy medical degree, so what? What being a doctor has to do with solving crime is beyond me. Perhaps his pride is what keeps him from CALLING THE POLICE. For some reason, all of Jay's "guesses" turn out to be correct, or somehow turn into truths as the story progresses. The witnesses claim to be unsure of the suspect's gender. Along the way, the suspicions are dropped, and everyone believes the suspect is a woman...because a doctor (who didn't even speak to the witness) suspected it. Also, Don't Tell Your Family Anything One of the most annoying parts of the novel is Jay's numerous phone calls to his over-reacting wife. He's only gone for a week, and she's already freaking out. Gosh, woman! Calm down! It's ONLY been a week. I thought at any point she would be filing for divorce. His I'm not going to tell my wife anything because she won't understand attitude doesn't help matters either. What kind of marriage is this? I'm supposed to like this guy? Really? I Have No Compassion For These People The author tried to make Charlie and Gabby pitiful, unlucky victims who just lost their son. But their reliance on family money, being on welfare, having no job, drug addictions, left me disgusted. Shifting POVs: I don't mind multiple perspectives. In fact, I welcome them. But the shifting POVs from first-person to third-person, and to different characters, was confusing. Especially because it was not mentioned in the chapter heading. Every few chapters I'm left with "Who is this again?!?!" Plot Holes, I'm Not Falling In You! To do what these criminals are capable of, they must work for the mafia. I thought these people were supposed to be delusional druggies, but somehow they are VERY capable of hunting down people. I swear they must have access to police records. I have no idea why Jay thinks the criminal (who is supposed to be poor) has the money fly to New York to kidnap his son, and then fly right back. The face-off between Jay and the criminals was easily the worst part of the novel. He pleads the police not to shoot the criminal, who is charging at him with a knife, because "he has my son!" You want to be dead, or what? I have no idea why Jay would think the criminal would even tell him the location of his kidnapped son. But Jay is missing a few brain cells like that. Ending (WHAT IS THIS?): I didn't even know it was the ending until I started reading the Afterword and was like "What is this? This doesn't fit into the plot!" I was looking for an ending with more finality, but I was just glad the book was over. But I guess Gross was leaving room for suspense. I would prefer the epilogue to be left out for it only made me dislike Max (Jay's son,) who sounded like the stereotypical teenager whose vocabulary didn't stretch beyond "Sweet!," "Cool!," and "Awesome!" Ewww. I only met him for three pages and I already dislike him. Maybe it's because I'm a teenager (technically) that I am extra perceptive to the way teens are being portrayed.
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Never Fall Down
by
Patricia McCormick
Lilian Cheng
, December 25, 2012
I'm surprised Never Fall Down hasn't received much attention despite being a National Book Award finalist. I suspect it's because of it's categorization as a young-adult historical/non-fiction that just doesn't sound as appealing against the host of dystopians cropping up lately. But Never Fall Down is a dystopian of its own, complete with information suppression, ruthless tyranny, moral ambiguities, twisted ideals, and a young hero's desperate fight to survive another day. Despite being a mere two hundred pages Never Fall Down is easily much more frightening than any dystopian you'll ever read because these horrifying events are real. Never Fall Down will terrify you, but its grit will pick you back up and leave you with a tear-stained cheek. Arn, Redefining Badass (This Kid Really Knows How To Survive) Arn's strength is soul of the entire book. How he adapts to his circumstances to survive while other kids are either sabotaging their peers or waiting to die is nothing short of incredible. He witnesses the ugliness of humanity, yet still retains a modicum of sympathy. Despite being hungry, he hides food to feed his friends (And also as a bribe.) Despite all the killing he witnesses (and is responsible for,) we also see him conflicted over his morality, asking himself why he is evil. Gore, More Blood Than A Horror Novel: There were some very graphic passages (cannibalism, prisoners having their livers cut out, etc.) that I felted tested the limits of Young Adult literature. Going into this book, I expected something milder, along the lines of Lois Lowry's Number the Stars, where genocide was only hinted at and never described in excruciating detail, but Never Fall Down opts for the realistic, unedited route. I fully agree with Never Fall Down's 14+ age categorization, for it is even bloodier than an your average adult horror novel. Writing (Arn's Accent): I realize that I'm usually impatient with accents in young adult literature (The Knife of Never Letting Go and Blood Red Road,) but it worked in Never Fall Down. The lack of plurals and clumsy grammar was convincing in letting Arn's voice shine through. I smiled when I read some passages out loud, which reminded me of the Filipino accents (although Arn is Cambodian) so common here in Hawaii. Pacing: My own gripe with this novel was the pacing. There were moments where I didn't know where the story was heading (especially after his escape to Thailand) and the book dragged as one horrifying experience after another. Overall, a powerful, inspiring, and heart-wrenchingly raw novel that I won't forget anytime soon. I know I am guilty of straying away from painful, gritty real-world topics such as war, but sometimes these are the books I need to remind me that I'm fortunate to be literate, and not forced to plant rice on a empty stomach twenty hours a day while people around me are brutally murdered (and not even with a gun, because that would be "wasting bullets".) I urge you not to be intimidated and join Arn's journey.
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Dust Lands 02 Rebel Heart
by
Moira Young
Lilian Cheng
, December 22, 2012
Unlike most readers, although I did enjoy Blood Red Road , I wasn't impressed (partly because of the "Better than The Hunger Games…" blurb, which made me go in with unreasonably high expectations--obviously, the publisher is milking that blurb for all its worth, evident in its SECOND appearance on Rebel Heart's cover.) Just like Blood Red Road, Rebel Heart doesn't quite surpass The Hunger Games in my book--but it is a better attempt. Rebel Heart has more depth and emotional conflict. We see characters develop, especially Saba as she faces guilt and vacillates between family, friends, and love. Fans of Blood Red Road will be sure to ravenously devour Rebel Heart. Pace, Everyone Decided to Take Weed…Then Cocaine with a Double-shot of Red Bull For a bulk of the first half or so, we follow Saba at snail pace as she travels across various lands, signaled by the start of a new chapter. To be honest, I didn't care where she was, they all seemed the same to me. These chapters are where we also explore Saba's inner conflicts. She has to come to terms with (literally) seeing the ghosts of all the people she's killed (but all of a sudden, it's fixed because she visits a mystic?!?) Being impatient, I found myself putting the book down numerous times. Fortunately, the pace does pick up as Saba escapes from various dangers. Then the last hundred pages? Every one is on cocaine. I expected Saba to be irrationally impulsive, but she turns bipolar. Somehow she suddenly turns into a harlot, while I'm scratching my head wondering where the old Saba went. "Huh? What in the world did I just read?!?! Did I miss about fifty pages of development somewhere? Is this real life?" Stuff happened so quickly and so randomly that I wondered if Saba was hallucinating again. Hello, Love Square. Like I said, Saba turns in to a harlot. Somewhere along the way she also grew super attractive to all men within a twenty mile radius. But I also can't say it's really a love triangle/square, simply because it isn't mutual. Lugh, Wins Award for Character That Needs to Shut Up I didn't like him in Blood Red Road, despite Saba's constant praise over his gorgeous hair, I felt his actions were selfish. First, he sat on his butt and waited to be saved by his younger sister like a damsel in distress, then he took a deaf kid's bow and left him with a slingshot. I figured my dislike was only because he didn't have a chance to prove his worth (he was only in the first and last chapters.) I also thought he changed by the end of Blood Red Road, where he let's Saba lead the group. But it turns out my gut feelings weren't wrong. He is constantly whining and telling Saba that Jack is not worth it. It seems like he forgot who risked their lives to save him. However, I can't completely fault him for his negativity. He is the one who is forced to follow his sister while she blindly tries to meet up with her lover when they should be trying to find a better life. Jack: I remember loving him in Blood Red Road. His opening chapter in the book reminded me of just how much I liked him. He has an admirable sense of responsibility, and a sense of humor. Unfortunately, he is like Lugh in Blood Red Road, and only appears in the beginning and ending chapters. Emmi: Hooray! She's Less Annoying in Rebel Heart I found her the most annoying nine year old ever in Blood Red Road. Her stubbornness and refusal to follow directions made me feel for Saba. I related to Saba most during her frustrations toward her younger sister. Thankfully, Emmi grows into a stronger character, even stronger than her brother, Lugh. But she does do something stupid as a plot device to send the crew into ANOTHER "adventure." *bangs head on the wall* WHY?!?! I Probably Should've Re-read Blood Red Road…But I Was Too Lazy This is a problem with all sequels that come out ages after the last book. I never remember anything and spend the first half of the book blindly trying to figure everything out. I plunged into Rebel Heart six months after I read Blood Red Road, thinking it was just six months. It's not like I'm suffering from Alzheimer's. I should be fine! Well, that might've been a mistake. For the first fourth of the book I was desperately trying to recall what happened in the last book. I mistook all the animals for people and didn't know who was supposed to be still alive. Writing Style, That Accent!: The accent is usually what most readers have a problem with in Blood Red Road. It doesn't get better in Rebel Heart. For the first chapter, I kept thinking "WHERE ARE MY BELOVED QUOTATION MARKS?!" Thankfully, I grew accustomed to it pretty quickly. I remember disliking the accent in Blood Red Road, but I forgot how much. I winced every time I saw "expects" as "especks," or "situation" as "sitchation." It made me think of the characters as under-educated barbarians, which might be what Young was trying to do. Only one character speaks "normally," DeMalo. But then he knows how to read, so maybe that's why. I am curious to find out his story. I Can't Take the Name "Tonton" Seriously, It Sounds Like a Toy Is it just me? I keep thinking of "Tomtom," the GPS car navigation system. Props To Moira Young for Touching Mature Topics I didn't expect Young to go this route, but I applaud her for touching mature topics such as sex, rape, death, and drugs. However, I felt these aspects could have been explored further, and not just breezed over like taboo subjects. "Ha! I touched it!!...but not really!" Death, which carried enormous weightin the first half, resulted into nothing in the second. People were killed without a tear being shed. Overall, I felt the adrenaline and character complexity in Rebel Heart made it a stronger novel than its predeccesor. Fans are sure to be left breathless (and a bit furious with Saba.) Hurry up and read it! I need to discuss the "plot twist" with someone!
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Trust Me Im Lying Confessions of a Media Manipulator
by
Ryan Holiday
Lilian Cheng
, December 19, 2012
I was drawn to this book because of its cover (I'm a sucker for illustrative covers) which stood out amongst the host of non-fiction with covers that look like Daniel Pink or Malcolm Gladwell rip-offs. Usually, my non-fiction book picks revolve around social phenomena or psychology (which explains my affinity for Malcolm Gladwell and David Eagleman)--Ryan Holiday's Trust Me, I'm Lying is no different. Holiday exposes how social media has devalued truth and how viral content it ruins innocent people in the most sinister ways. In this two-part book, Holiday teaches you how to exploit the media for your own gain, and why you should think twice before you do so. Read this book before you click another slideshow or an enticing headline with a question mark at the end. This book has made me consider my Internet browsing habits, and who is profiting because of it. With every click, someone is profiting off ad revenue. I will never see a slideshow the same way again. Or misleading headlines. Just yesterday, I clicked on a link that proclaimed a seven-year girl saved her mom by slapping her with pizza (I found it amusing that the book used the same event in one of its examples.) Turns out pizza isn't as life-saving as I thought, and the mom was probably saved by emergency personnel instead of tomato sauce. Lying is Great for Publicity...but you still probably shouldn't do it, because you just might ruin someone's life So maybe page-clicks aren't such a big deal. It's not like they are taking MY money. But more importantly, the book explains how easy it is to manipulate media, especially social media with little to no publishing integrity and ravenous bloggers hopping to gain as many page-views as possible. It is easy to "bribe" bloggers to write whatever you want (even if completely false.) And if you do it enough, you might find your false story turn "true." But Holiday gives us the other side of the coin. If it is that simple to spread lies, then we can also ruin people's lives. Everybody loves to read about juicy scandal, but nobody cares to read about people living normal lives. Despite enjoying the book, I also had a few gripes: ARGH! This book is so repetitive! Throughout the last hundred pages, it felt like everything I was reading was already said at least a dozen times before: blogs are greedy for page clicks, blogs only want to be the first one to leak shocking news (regardless if it's true or not,) everyone is making stuff up, etc. If I was Holiday, I would probably never have trouble meeting word counts for college. His points were already well-established in the first part, which made much of the second part read like incessant rambling. Questionable Parts: There are generalized points I don't agree with and parts I thought could have been elaborated upon. I don't agree that the reader views links as a sign of a more trustworthy article. A more distracting article maybe. I also don't see snark as inherently evil, though I agree that Holiday's examples are ones that flaunt bad taste. Humor is entertainment, and doesn't have to come with an hidden agenda. I feel snark can have wit. I also wanted Holiday to elaborate on that study about corrections having the opposite effect as intend: instead of refuting the (false) original article, corrections strengthen them. In one chapter about "using technology against itself," Holiday laments having to "spoon-feed readers and bloggers like babies" by breaking down a compelling chapter of a book into eight pieces to fit the demands of the web. If it was really THAT great of a chapter, then why would length be an issue? (Never mind, that I would never read a random chapter of a book that I was planning to read anyway. Why would I want to spoil the book like that?) Not only was Trust Me, I'm Lying an enjoyable read, but it also made me think about my Internet surfing habits (who is profiting from my page clicks, and how DARE they!) and my own book blog. Of course, I don't care for monetizing my blog, nor do I run a highly-trafficked news blog dedicated to getting the first scoop about anything scandalous, so I would like to think of myself immune to many of Holiday's criticisms. But I wonder if there a cost to my honesty after all. And what about all the blogs I thought I could trust? TRUST NO ONE! On the other hand, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to bloggers. Or any devious people hoping to spread false rumors about their mortal enemies. You will have a new perspective of your role on the Internet.
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Lost Girl
by
Sangu Mandanna
Lilian Cheng
, December 12, 2012
If you are going to read one young-adult dystopian novel this year, make it Sangu Mandanna's The Lost Girl. Mandanna has woven an unforgettable masterpiece, complete with a creative, thought-provoking plot, moving, complex characters, a strong heroine, and a tiny bit of romance. I went in with low expectations, but The Lost Girl took my breath (along with a few tears) away, proving itself to be a hidden gem in YA fiction this year--and one I can't recommend enough. Plot in a Nutshell: There are three Weavers (creepy scientist people that remind me of the Three Fates) who work in the Loom where they weave life. They are commissioned to make Echoes, copies of living people, to replace a loved one if they ever die. These Echoes are raised to imitate their "other," living their life in preparation to be someone else. Unfortunately, Echoes are also illegal for being "unnatural." If one day, the Weavers or the commissioners decide they no longer need the Echo's service, the Echo will be un-weaved. The protagonist, Eva, is an Echo, she wakes up everyday reminded that she does not belong to herself, that her actions depend on her other's whims; Eva has to read the same books, learn the same lessons, have the same hobbies, and learn to love the same people. More importantly, Eva is forbidden to do what her other, Amarra, hasn't done yet. One day, Amarra dies, and Eva is sent to fulfill her purpose: to replace her. I NEED TO DISCUSS THIS BOOK WITH SOMEONE: This Book Will Make Such a Great Book Club Read One of the main reasons I loved The Lost Girl so much was because of its philosophical, ethical issues. The idea of "ordering" a replacement family member is twisted, but also understandable--why not save yourself from grief if you could? But it also makes me wonder, how many successful cases of Echoes assimilating to their new families are there. Are there people who can really live a lie, surrounded by "fake" family members? Or does the facade inevitably fall, and everybody is just depressed all over again? Won't having an Echo only make the situation worse, keeping the family from moving on and having a constant reminder walking around their house? And what if the Echo dies too...then do people need to make multiple Echoes just in case? Does having a Echo for children make parents more careless, thinking they will always have replacements? I think of Echoes as actors. Basically these paranoid families are buying an actor to one day put on an elaborate show for them. How dare they "order" an actor, have them train to be your perfect family member, only to throw them away as they please. Painfully Realistic Characters Made The Story Mandanna gives us different perspectives of the ethical issues through her vivid characters. Eva, the Echo, believes she must do her best to "lie," so that the family and friends will regain a sense of normalcy after their lost. Amarra's mother is in denial, desperately clinging to the delusion that Amarra is in Eva. Amarra's siblings know that Eva means to the family, and to their parents, so they accept her. Amarra's friends detest Eva for "stealing" their friend's life. Ray, Amarra's boyfriend, is also a complex character because he causes Amarra's death. On one hand, he hates Eva for replacing the love of his life, yet it is because of Eva's illusion that has spared him from guilt. I find his anger at Eva is not simply because she "stole" Amarra's life, but that he has to live knowing that he killed his girlfriend. Perhaps it's because he doesn't want to face that guilt that it took him so long to realize it was Eva and not Amarra who was standing in front of him. A Little Bit of Angsty Romance: I have heard people call the romance a love triangle, but I didn't think it was at all. There was some other, handsome guy, but he wasn't exactly vying for her love. The Lost Girl had a sweet romance (albeit, not the focus of the book), filled with a bit of angst, but also was touching. Eva and Sean don't do epic love proclamations, but they are both great characters, who place each other before themselves. The way they push each other away for the sake of survival makes their love story better than a million love proclamations. If Echoes Are Illegal, Why Are The Creators Marking Them Again? If you are trying to hide your illegal operations, why would you mark all your "creations" with an obvious neck tattoo? Seriously, people could just check everyone's necks for the Mark--so much for remaining inconspicuous. And why doesn't Eva try to hide the mark with concealer? or another tattoo on top? Similarities to What's Left of Me In some ways, The Lost Girl was what I was what I was looking for but didn't get in Kat Zhang's What's Left of Me. Both stories are about a girl named Eva who has to deal with sharing a life and struggling with the thought-provoking, ethical problems their society has forced upon them. Both girls are ostracized by society for their existence and are desperately trying to hide from authorities. But while I didn't care for What's Left of Me's Eva for her selfishness, her determination to regain power, even if it means putting her sister in danger, I loved The Lost Girl's Eva who is always tries to make the best of the situation. She touched my heart. I could empathize with The Lost Girl Both books are also released in the fall season under HarperCollins. I was set to give this book a solid A rating...but then I hit last fifty pages and had to add a minus. That ending was not good, all that drama, tension...built up to that? Otherwise, The Lost Girl just earned a place on my best of the year list. Why are you still reading this? Go read The Lost Girl now!
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What's Left of Me
by
Kat Zhang
Lilian Cheng
, December 12, 2012
What's Left of Me is one of the most creative YA dystopians I've read--ever. I can usually tell how much I'll like a book after reading its first chapter--What's Left of Me was one the few times where I was wrong. The book started out strong, I felt for Eva (the protagonist) and I wanted to know her. She's such a unique character because she is only a consciousness that resides in a body she does not control--her entire life is a movie. I was interested in analyzing her complex bond with Addie (her "sister" that shares her body.) But as the story went on, the pace dragged and I grew tired of the characters and even hated Eva at times for being selfish. Is This Book Trolling Me? or is it just slow paced? One of the biggest frustration is inaction. Whenever I expect something to happen, I am rewarded with the exact opposite: nothing happening. For example, when Addie/Eva is warned by a friend to run away before the authorities catch them. Here is the part where I expect the girls to panic, pack, and run. But instead they go on with their lives like sitting ducks until the authorities come for them. For a good eighty percent of the book I kept thinking, "Are they going to run away now? no...then how about NOW!...nope?...now?...AH HA! I SEE AN OPPORTUNITY! IT MUST BE NOW!...or not." On one hand, nothing went as I expected. And not in a good way either. Eva, the protagonist who was supposed to disappear: Eva had my heart in the first chapters. I felt sorry for her. She has no body to control and nobody acknowledges her existence anymore. She will never experience first love, fated to watch her sister lead a normal life. Even as she is regaining control of her body, she considers Addie's feelings. Eventually, her obsession with gaining body control takes over her character. The first moment I winced at Eva's character was when she pulled the guilty card on her sister. Eva finds out there might be a way for her to regain mobility control, while Addie is skeptical (and fearing the consequences if word leaks,) Eva says something along the lines of, "If our roles was switched, I would do it for you." So maybe Eva has desperate, I forgive her, but my dislike solidified when their hybridity was discovered because Eva moved. However, instead of being frightened, or at least trying to remedy the situation, Eva celebrates about moving again. At that moment, I wanted to slap Eva for sealing their fate in this institute. For a whole chunk of the novel, I didn't see the compassionate Eva who worried about Addie until the end. I, us, our, Addie, my One noteworthy aspect of the book is when Eva uses what pronoun in what situation. You'll notice that sometimes Eva will say "Addie moved OUR arm" and sometimes "Addie moved HER arm," I suppose this is her way to clarify if she "approves" of Addie's decisions? But sometimes I feel like it's her way to shrink from responsibility, "oh, it's not me. It's all HER fault." If I were to re-read this book (not happening) I would want to pay closer attention to those pronouns. Addie, the dominant soul At first I didn't really care for Addie. But the more I disliked Eva, the more I could sympathize with Addie. Unlike Eva, Addie is much more logical. And perhaps because she isn't crazy over the need to regain mobility, she is the worrier of the two. She cares about the consequences but yet she let's Eva have her way. After three years of "normalcy," suddenly Addie has to share her body again--and get dragged into some institution for it. Eva never apologizes for dragging them into this situation. She could really just ignore Eva and go about her life as a "normal" teenager. Complexity in Characters: Addie and Eva are such unique characters that I keep thinking about their bond. Unlike us, they can't really call their body their own. I wonder how they see each other. I'm sure at times they get frustrated at an inescapable soul spying on them 24/7, but I wonder what if the souls hate each other? What bonds them together...in the end, they are each just a voice in the other's head. They will never physically hug each other. They cant even "gossip," since they experience the same things at the same time. Sure Eva gives Addie test answers...reminds her about daily things, but is that because Eva cares for Addie, or is it because she wants to interact with reality, even if only vicariously through Addie? To share toys is one thing, but to share your body, a piece of your identity... While I saw Addie and Eva as very different characters, I didn't really care about the other hybirds which seemed the same to me. The Parents: I can see why they let their daughter go away, but really? signing your daughter away just because a bunch of strangers came to your door? All the other stuff: All the other stuff was a blur, the world-building was just too simplistic and breezed over before you know it. We never get solid answers, only a few shallow hints here and there. "ooh, hybrids are dangerous..government is against them..other countries are ruined...but wait, it's a conspiracy!" Except I think I just made it sound more interesting that it actually is. Made me think about multiple personality disorder: I am still holding onto the suspicion that Addie or Eva is crazy. If Addie/Eva is just a soul that can't bleed, can we really "kill" one of them? If Eva isn't even supposed to exist, would anyone care? Overall, the creative concept had so much potential and I felt the opportunity wasn't grasped. I found the story just too slow, and Addie/Eva's inaction for a bulk of the novel bored me to the point of no redemption. I still want to know how Kat Zhang will resolve Eva and Addie, will one of them die? Or will one soul be transferred into another body? Or is this whole thing a lie? Hmmmm. If you don't mind something slow paced, and you are looking for a creative that get you thinking, don't hesitate to pick up What's Left of Me.
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Mystic City 01
by
Theo Lawrence
Lilian Cheng
, November 23, 2012
I need to stop being lured in by blurbs that mention The Hunger Games and sparkly covers (though it is one of most enchanting covers I've seen in a while.) A much more accurate blurb would be: a Romeo and Juliet retelling with magical people who are nowhere as cool as X-men. I didn't go into this book with high expectations, but I was expecting a lot more action (that wasn't made up of aimless running around) and a lot less love proclamations. I couldn't get past the extremely predictable plot, flat characters, and the main character's stupidity. This Couple Has OCD Issues: On two occasions, Aria finds these secretive letters in her house, then instead of stuffing it in her pocket or locking doors before anyone sees her reading them, SHE ORGANIZES THEM BY DATE. WHUT? Aria's lover, Hunter isn't much better. When Aria and Hunter have minutes before the vicious, armed bodyguards barge into the room where they are having their secret rendezvous, instead of escaping, they proceed to sit around and talk...and talk...and talk some more. And then Hunter cleans up vomit. Y U NO RUN AWAY OR DEVISE SOME PLAN? They get caught. All because they were too busy talking and cleaning up vomit. *facepalm* Extraneous Writing: I often wonder if Lawrence forgot to remove his notes from the story since I kept coming across these jarring, filler moments. On one occasion, Lawrence dedicates an entire paragraph to telling us how Aria takes a bunch of clothes into her room, take the letters from her missing friend's clothes, then runs back to put the clothes back. Ummmm, girl, you could've just kept the clothes in your room and said you wanted to keep some clothes in memory of your friend...or you could even say the clothes would be a great addition to your closet instead of running back and forth between rooms suspiciously. I get it, you found these top-secret letters, NOW TELL ME WHAT THEY SAY. I don't care about the itty bitty details about you covering your tracks. On the other hand, she reads these secret letters she finds...then she eats dinner for a few paragraphs, then goes back to reading letters. No idea why that dinner scene had to be there unless, eating stewed rabbit was a major turning point. Flat Characters: This was the main fault of Mystic City. I just wasn't compelled by the main characters, who were all conveniently "gorgeous." (Gorgeous must be Lawrence's favorite word.) Lawrence is much more concerned with describing clothes than people (you'd be surprised how many times he talks about flowing dresses and stylish clothes). There are no shades of gray in this story; all the "evil" people were all irrevocably evil, or suspiciously treacly. Everyone in this story LOVES to over-react and be drama queens. And Aria was the most gullible person ever, she never came to her own conclusions, instead she listened to people around her for confirmation. The only character I felt mild interest to was Davida, Aria's servant, and would've preferred the story from her point of view. They Also Don't Know How To Write Letters. Aria happens to find these love letters in her room which sound like they are written by an insecure, over-dramatic creep. The most hilarious one reads: I have nothing to say tonight but thank you. If you have nothing to say, why are you writing a letter?? Or the letters are so blatantly unnatural that makes me wince. On another note, if you want to keep your letters a secret, you should burn them. If your friend can find them in less than five minutes, you probably weren't doing a good enough job hiding them. WHY IS IT SO PREDICTABLE?: Anyone would have guessed what happened to Aria in the first few chapters. The most frustrating part was how long it took for Aria to figure it out. Part of it was because the story is in first-person, so she's giving us all these hints that something is awry, but ironically, she's still completely oblivious. The plot twists were once again VERY PREDICTABLE. The foreshadowing basically handed us everything on a sliver platter (from who were the evil people and what those mysterious gloves are capable of.) Action? With X-Men, Bey Blade, and The Hunger Games in the blurb, I was expecting ACTION. And while stuff happened, it was mostly Aria running around aimlessly in dark alleys, trying to find clues to her past, but still ends up clueless...then SHE GOES TO WORK where she serves coffee and arranges files in a cubicle. *yawn* She doesn't need a job, she needs to get to school so she can learn some critical thinking. Finally in the last few chapters, I get the action I wanted...except it suddenly turned into horror scene with decapitated people and body parts slewed around. Well that was unexpected, especially when the story was lovey-dovey up until that point. Romance Lawrence avoids "instalove" by maintaining the couple had a history before Aria's memory loss...but it just felt unconvincing. Book Trailer: One of the cheesiest things I've ever watched. Why do both guys have douchebag hair? And why do none of them look like teenagers? World-building: Although I felt the story was lacking, the world-building is lovely (and maybe that cover had something to do with it.) A mystical city amongst the clouds--that's some lovely stuff. Not sure if I'm having bad luck or I turned into nitpicker, but I've been on a roll with mehhhhh reads lately. If you want a sweet romance about a girl getting amnesia and waking up to a perfect life, read Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me instead. I don't know if I will be picking up the sequel next year; while I am mildly curious about the story, I just don't care about these flat characters.
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