I write this post still feeling emotionally devastated by the experience of reading Elizabeth Scott's Living Dead Girl. This terrifying novel is the account of 15-year old "Alice," a young woman who has been in the clutches of a sexual predator since he kidnapped her at age 10. Ray has named her Alice...the same name he gave his last victim. Now Alice is nearing the age when Ray tired of the previous girl, and despite the fact that he starves her to keep her looking like a child, Ray grows angrier with her every day. She longs for the release of death, but Ray has something much more sinister, much more sadistic in mind.
The prose in this novel is so sparse and lyrical it feels like poetry. The author convincingly portrays not only the physical but the psychological damage Ray inflicts on Alice; Alice seems barely human at times, incapable of any but the basest instincts.
I usually avoid this type of book, put off by the "movie of the week" feel of the plot description, but this one just drew me in despite (or maybe because of) my intense feeling of horror on reading the inside cover. I feel wrung out having finished this novel, and still slightly nauseated...but I can't deny it was a powerful reading experience. Certainly a must read for those who liked The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
How To Ditch Your Fairy
If you're looking at trends in teen literature of the last few years, you can't deny that fairies/faeries/faerys are BIG. They come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities--flawed and humanesque in the works of Melissa Marr (Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange), good versus evil faeries in Herbie Brennan's Faerie Wars, dark and wild in Holly Black's realm (Tithe, Valiant, Ironside), and fluffy and dim-witted in the world of Harry Potter.
Well, late 2008 brought us another take on the concept of "fairy" in How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier. The novel takes place in a world that isn't, according to the author's note, "Australia or the United States of America but in an imaginary country, perhaps a little in the future, that might also be an amalgam of the two." Specifically in a city called New Avalon "the greatest city in the world" according to the residents, who never would want to leave...why would you when, as you in learn in school, New Avalon is graced with the highest mountains, the deepest oceans, the most famous artists, the best sports stars...you get the idea. But best of all, here in New Avalon people have their own personal fairies--unseeable charms that help you excel at something. There are loose-change fairies, good hair fairies, never-drop-a-ball fairies...but 14-year old protagonist Charlie (Charlotte Adele Donna Seto Steele) has a fairy she hates--a parking fairy. Charlie can't drive yet, but she is constantly being used by family and classmates to get prime parking spots. Why couldn't she have gotten a shopping fairy like her best friend she wants to know? And though there is no scientific proof that you can get rid of your fairy, Charlie sets out to do just that.
When I saw the cover of this book, I thought it was going to be a fluffy bit of romance, nothing more (I know, I know...never judge a book...). I'm glad I went ahead and read it because there's more going on here than that. Yes there is a romantic interest with a boy from outside New Avalon, but when an all-the-boys-like you fairy starts making trouble, some interesting ethical questions arise. Plus, his outsider status allows him to speak for the reader and ask why are all you people so arrogant? Larbalestier also likes to play with language and the New Avaloners have a whole range of words that outsiders don't use (you may find yourself turning to the glossary yourself on occasion). There's also interesting tension built around the prestigious sports school that Charlie attends, where life is regimented and rule-driven...and all the kids love it?
All told, this fairy tale is a modern story of love, friendship, and choices with elements of science fiction sprinkled throughout--and a tale with several subplots left unfinished so be looking for a sequel to come. Fans of Maureen Johnson and E. Lockhart will especially want to check this out.
Well, late 2008 brought us another take on the concept of "fairy" in How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier. The novel takes place in a world that isn't, according to the author's note, "Australia or the United States of America but in an imaginary country, perhaps a little in the future, that might also be an amalgam of the two." Specifically in a city called New Avalon "the greatest city in the world" according to the residents, who never would want to leave...why would you when, as you in learn in school, New Avalon is graced with the highest mountains, the deepest oceans, the most famous artists, the best sports stars...you get the idea. But best of all, here in New Avalon people have their own personal fairies--unseeable charms that help you excel at something. There are loose-change fairies, good hair fairies, never-drop-a-ball fairies...but 14-year old protagonist Charlie (Charlotte Adele Donna Seto Steele) has a fairy she hates--a parking fairy. Charlie can't drive yet, but she is constantly being used by family and classmates to get prime parking spots. Why couldn't she have gotten a shopping fairy like her best friend she wants to know? And though there is no scientific proof that you can get rid of your fairy, Charlie sets out to do just that.
When I saw the cover of this book, I thought it was going to be a fluffy bit of romance, nothing more (I know, I know...never judge a book...). I'm glad I went ahead and read it because there's more going on here than that. Yes there is a romantic interest with a boy from outside New Avalon, but when an all-the-boys-like you fairy starts making trouble, some interesting ethical questions arise. Plus, his outsider status allows him to speak for the reader and ask why are all you people so arrogant? Larbalestier also likes to play with language and the New Avaloners have a whole range of words that outsiders don't use (you may find yourself turning to the glossary yourself on occasion). There's also interesting tension built around the prestigious sports school that Charlie attends, where life is regimented and rule-driven...and all the kids love it?
All told, this fairy tale is a modern story of love, friendship, and choices with elements of science fiction sprinkled throughout--and a tale with several subplots left unfinished so be looking for a sequel to come. Fans of Maureen Johnson and E. Lockhart will especially want to check this out.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Harry, A History
While I am a very loyal and enthusiastic Harry Potter devotee today, I do feel a bit of a fraud because I came to the series so late in the game. My husband, my mom, and my sister were all on board from the first book, but I just never got around to starting. Talk about humiliating for a librarian! Anyway, around the time the first movie came out, I finally got hooked (I have a firm policy against viewing a movie before reading the book), much to my husband's relief and triumph.
I tell you this story because I recently finished the memoir/literary journalism Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon. The author, Melissa Anelli, is the long-time editor of the popular fan site The Leaky Cauldron and, I am relieved to say, a fan who also came late to the Harry Potter party. That is not to say she is an unreliable source--by no means. She quickly became immersed in the fan culture, and as an aspiring journalist, fell into the role of BNF (Big Name Fan) and found her hobby and passion often took precedence over her "real" professional life.
While I found the organization of the book a little confusing at first (chapters are organized by themes, not necessarily linearlly), I soon found myself engrossed in the back story of the little book series that could. Anelli recounts the unlikely beginnings of the first book, the struggle to get it published, and the grass-roots efforts that helped it become an international powerhouse. She examines the birth of wizard rock and the importance of the growth of the Internet and interactive websites to the success of the books. I found the sections about the inner workings of the publishing industry and the drama and controversy surrounding the writers of fanfiction particularly fascinating. Throughout she recounts personal anecdotes about the experiences reading the books the day they came out, her meetings with J.K. Rowling, and her funny and sometimes bizarre interactions with both fans and detractors.
The story feels a little uneven to me, but overall I thorougly enjoyed the journey and the chance to wax nostalgic over my own experiences with the series. A must-read for Harry Potter fans and the people who love them.
I tell you this story because I recently finished the memoir/literary journalism Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon. The author, Melissa Anelli, is the long-time editor of the popular fan site The Leaky Cauldron and, I am relieved to say, a fan who also came late to the Harry Potter party. That is not to say she is an unreliable source--by no means. She quickly became immersed in the fan culture, and as an aspiring journalist, fell into the role of BNF (Big Name Fan) and found her hobby and passion often took precedence over her "real" professional life.
While I found the organization of the book a little confusing at first (chapters are organized by themes, not necessarily linearlly), I soon found myself engrossed in the back story of the little book series that could. Anelli recounts the unlikely beginnings of the first book, the struggle to get it published, and the grass-roots efforts that helped it become an international powerhouse. She examines the birth of wizard rock and the importance of the growth of the Internet and interactive websites to the success of the books. I found the sections about the inner workings of the publishing industry and the drama and controversy surrounding the writers of fanfiction particularly fascinating. Throughout she recounts personal anecdotes about the experiences reading the books the day they came out, her meetings with J.K. Rowling, and her funny and sometimes bizarre interactions with both fans and detractors.
The story feels a little uneven to me, but overall I thorougly enjoyed the journey and the chance to wax nostalgic over my own experiences with the series. A must-read for Harry Potter fans and the people who love them.
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