Fortunately, the Milk
Neil Gaiman
Ill. by Chris Riddell
After reading something as mature as The Manifesto on How to Be Interesting, I needed something a little more fantastical and extraordinary, in every sense of the words.
When Dad pops to the shops to get some more milk, his children are surprised at how long it takes. They speculate that he may have bumped into someone they know and got caught chatting; but when Dad comes home, he has an epic tale to tell full of pirates, vampires (wumpires), and a time-travelling dinosaur.
Fortunately, the Milk survives each element of the unbelievable adventure. This book is hilarious and ridiculous, but with illustrations from Chris Riddell, you cannot help but get caught up in the action. Each scene is so visual you barely have to suspend your disbelief.
Allegiant
Veronica Roth
London, HarperCollins, 2013, 526p
It has taken me a little longer to read this final book in the Divergent series than the previous two. When I started it, I jumped right in, eager to find out what happens to Tris and Tobias, but I found this book slower paced and less gripping than Divergent and Insurgent.
It's hard to write about this novel without giving anything away. Let's just say this: Tris, Tobias and their friends learn that the world they have known is not what it seems. As the city divides - people choosing whether to defend the system of factions or battle for factionless society, it becomes clear that the city is only a small part of a greater plan, and the young characters begin to see themselves as tiny elements of a much greater world.
Here, everything becomes a little science fiction, which is where I lost my connection with the series. Where I had previously loved the dystopian action - pages filled with fights and Tris' inner turmoil - the final book in this series felt like it got too big for itself. It felt a little like the Resident Evil books, where each new story reveals a darker and larger conspiracy. Veronica Roth clearly had a big plan for her series, but this novel did not seem to fulfil her ambitions.
Allegiant is written from the points of view of both Tobias and Tris, switching between the two narrators chapter by chapter and revealing Tobias' inner most thoughts and fears, particularly as their romance developed. Unfortunately, although Veronica Roth has created a clear and complex character in Tobias, I did not find his narrative all that distinct from Tris' and sometimes had to flick back to the start of a chapter to work out who was talking. Apparently, Roth has written some mini-chapters from Tobias' viewpoint previously, and I would be interested to read these and see if they are any better.
When I spoke to the students at school about this book, those who hadn't read it were excited by the final novel in their nre favourite series, and those who had read it convinced me it got better at the end. Admittedly, as the revelations unfolded and the action built up, I rediscovered my love and respect for Tris and her companions (increasingly, the other female characters became intriguing, particularly Christina). But I cannot ignore my disappointment at the turn this series took towards science fiction and that it just felt a little too much like dragging myself through tar.
Boom!
Mark Haddon
London, Red Fox, 2009, 195p
At Oxford Spires, we will shortly be launching our 2013-2014 First Story anthology, and this year our special guest is Oxford local author, Mark Haddon. I adore his writing, but it has been some time since I have read anything from his repertoire, so thought I would rectify that by reading Boom!
Jimbo and Charlie are adventurous, mischievous boys, often up to no good. So when they land themselves in intergalactic trouble, they know no one will believe them, a little like the boy who cried wolf. It all starts when they use a walkie-talkie to listen in on their teachers' conversations, which leads them to discovering that some unusual staff members talk in a strange language. When Jimbo wants to back off, Charlie pushes full steam ahead, determined to find out what is going on. But Charlie disappears, and Jimbo knows he has to go and rescue his best friend.
'Strange' doesn't even begin to describe this book. It is the weirdest adventure story I have ever read, but so brilliantly crafted that I could not help but become engrossed. Haddon has created a weird and wonderful alternative universe - a planet recruiting human sci-fi fans to keep it going.
As Haddon notes in his introduction, this is not his first attempt at this story, but an intricately edited version. But he got it perfectly right with this peculiar adventure, mixing comedy, the supernatural, and
The Last Wild
Piers Torbay
London, Quercus, 2013, 326p
Usually, I don't really like books with talking animals - they are very hard to take seriously, especially when they are highlighting an environmental issue such as this novel. But somehow, Piers Torbay has created an original and fascinating dystopia with a true spirit of adventure.
The world of The Last Wild is very different from that which we live in. There are no animals left alive - all have been killed by a disease known as the red-eye. The people are confined to the cities, protected and fed by Factorum, a huge omniscient company that appears to be a little suspect.
Kester doesn't talk. Separated from his father, he is locked up in Spectre Hall where they send kids who are a burden on or embarrassment to society. In his room, he pretends to talk to the cockroaches, which apparently were not affected by the red-eye. Then he discovers he can communicate with animals, of which there are in fact some left alive, and a hoard of pigeons and varmints are plotting to help him escape. They take him north and show him more animals, living in solitude away from the humans, but everyday at risk from infection. They have brought him there because they have a shared dream: they believe Kester is the one who will cure them.
With a stag, a wolf-cub, and a cockroach, Kester sets off to Premuim, the city where he grew up and where he hopes his father still lives. He thinks his father, a vet, might be able to cure the red-eye. Kester is a reluctant hero, never fully believing that he will be the one to save the animals; but he is eager to be reunited with his father so agrees to help.
The Last Wild carries a strong environmental message about the impact of science and the economy on wildlife. I feel guilty about not being a vegetarian after reading about these colourful, loveable animals.
The creatures in this book a beautifully personified, making me wish I knew an adorably eager wolf-cub and a dopey pigeon. In contrast, humans don't come across well, from murderous Facto bullies to misleadingly friendly farmers. Every page of this book presents a new danger to the team, both man-made and natural. And you come away from this read feeling increasingly aware and strangely horrified about the evil we inflict on the animal world.
But the adventure doesn't end here - Kester and his friends still have a long way to go.
Sky Run
Alex Shearer
London, Hot Keys, 2013, 267p
I have confessed in the past that I am not great with teenage fantasy, particulary when it is not written very well and it is impossible to visualise the action. However, Sky Run is far from the usual fantasy fiction - it is funny, original, and has a lesson to teach the reader.
Gemma and Martin are travelling with their Gran to start school. They have grown up in isolation on a floating island in a dystopian future where the world has been shattered into small flecks of land orbitting the sun. Gran thinks the kids would benefit from some real-life experience and the opportunity to meet other children. On the journey, the threesome face strange dangers and meet perculiar people: sky-sharks and cloud-hunters and an island of people high on kelp. With each leg of their journey, Martin and Gemma learn something new about the world of which they had previously seen so little.
I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed this novel, but I think I can pin my adoration down to the characters. The book is narrated by each of the family members, starting with Gran, a tough, brave, street-wise old woman of one hundred and twenty years. She loves the kids dearly, despite her initial reluctance to take them on when the orphans turned up on her island. When it came to the end of her monologue, I was apprehensive about reading the voices of Gemma and Martin because Gran had been so welcoming and entertaining, but the children proved to be just as interesting. Martin is a curious, sometimes naive boy, whilst Gemma has the appearance of being tough as nails but is secretly a softy.
Along the way, the people they meet teach the children something new about the world. They learn not to judge people by first appearances, that an island called 'Friendly' is far from friendly, and that rats like the smell of young boys. They also pick up some strays along the way - a warrior, taken from his family and trained as a soldier, but now alone; and a young girl who has read all the books in her father's home a million times. City Island is handing out free education to all who want it, and these individuals hugely value the opportunity.
Sky Run is an uplifting novel that takes you on a fascinating and educational journey through a strange world; but what I love most is the characters, who welcome you into their adventure with open arms.
1602
Neil Gaiman, Andy Kubert & Richard Isanove
Marvel, 2011
I have been looking forward to reading this for months, so when I found myself with a quiet weekend, I indulged in a bit of Marvel gone historic.
It's 1602 and Queen Elizabeth is close to death. In her court, Doctor Stephen Strange and Sir Nicholas Fury conspire with the Queen to protect her, concerned that her death might bring forth the rule of King James, who has no love for magical arts. Witch-like activitiesn will be supressed and a reign of Catholicism will rule over England.
This gripping Gothic graphic takes all our favourite Marvel heroes back in time. From the X-Men to Fantastic Four to Captain America, they are all hidden under historical guises, unaware that they are about four hundred years too early. Something unexplained has disturbed the chronology of history, and somehow these characters have langed in Elizabethan England, unaware that they are destined for another time.
It is incredible how easily the Marvel characters slip into the seventeenth century - you might think that there would be profound differences in their situation, but actually it turned out to be rather easy to surplant them in another time. As in the twenty-first century, they are at risk of prosecution for their abilities, forced into hiding and always in conflict. Scientific explanations for their powers are replaced by magical and supersticious explanations, but the core 'otherness' remains.
There are many layers to this story, but the brilliant and detailed illustrations keep you abreast of the flow, and so it is able to jump around from each characters' storyline until they all come together to overcome the darkness that hangs over the world. For some of the characters, it is clear who their modern alter-ego is, but some are more subtle, revealing themselves to you as you read on and learn more.
I found myself completely engrossed in this story. If anyone has any doubts over the educational potential of graphic novels, surely this overcomes any argument against, as it teaches seventeenth century history through the medium of the superhero story.
The Shadow out of Time
H. P. Lovecraft & I. N. J. Culbard
London, SelfMadeHero, 2013
There are an increasing number of classics being adapted to graphic novels recently. In my library, I have graphic versions of Dickens and Shakespeare. For reluctant readers, graphic novels are a more accessible route into stories, through use of illustrations and short pockets of text.
The Shadow out of Time is a rather complicated novel, and this graphic adaptation continues to use the complex terminology of the original. When Professor Peaslee loses five years of his life, he struggles to piece together the facts amidst terrifying nightmares. He learns of a mysterious race older than man, who draw from human experience to create a library full of the secrets of the universe.
It is a dark, mysterious story. I found it confusing in places - I couldn't make sense of the strange fantastical beings Peaslee uncovers. Lovecraft is a master of the weird, and this story spans great passages of time and space. Peaslee is a engaging protagonist, suffering through horrendous nightmares, determined to understand what has happened to him, travelling across the world to gain the knowledge he so desires. But he remains surprisingly lucid, eager to do what is best for his son, in spite of his overwhelming psychological trauma.
The art work in this graphic novel are incredible, particularly the scenes towards the finale that take place at night. It is incredible that Culbard is able to illustrate the drama of the situation using dark blues and blacks. On some pages, I had to look incredibly closely to see the detail.
This is not the sort of graphic novel you might give to a reluctant reader, as the language and story are so complicated. But for a lover of fantasy, regardless of age, this is a beautiful piece of art and literature.
Dark Lord: The Teenage Years
Jamie Thomson
London, Orchard, 2011, 341p
It is not often I cannot finish a book, but I have given this one a few days and multiple attempts and still failed to get engaged.
The story is about Dirk Lloyd / the Dark Lord, who has fallen through into our human universe and finds himself caged in the body of a teenage boy. Powerless and angry, he must negotiate this new existence and seek a way to dominate these strange people and find his way back home.
When I embarked on the journey to read all the Bookbuzz selection, I actually started with this one, but got confused by the beginning so decided to read it later. But reading it now, my difficulty with it hasn't changed. The concept sounded great, but I expected it to be far more funny. And I felt the pace was too slow - I read almost half the novel but found myself waiting for something to happen whilst Dirk got to know the people and places around him.
To be honest, this is not a book I would have chosen to read as a teenager or now. Sometimes, I pick a book that I might not usually enjoy and find myself engrossed. This was not the case for the Dark Lord. I will be interested to chat to my students and see what they think of it.
Nevertheless, I have loved this years Bookbuzz selection: there was war and loss, love and friendship, hawks and dogs; there were adventures and romances, laughs and tears, drama and excitement. I am sorry that my mission to read them all has come to an end.
Payback
Graham Marks
London, Franklin Watts, 2012, 53p
It's always a delight to stumble across a short read for teenage or young adult readers.
Payback is about Greg who finds his rather boring Saturday taking a turn for a worse when he picks up a mobile-shaped item from a park bench. The oblong talks to him, telling him he is a Watcher for the Reapers, helping them see who is ready to move on from this world into the next.
It is a rather strange concept for a short story - and one that is very hard to develop in such a limited space. But it is written in such a way that it pulls you in: no words are wasted, meaning it is perfect for reluctant readers who might get lost in the waffle of many longer pieces of fiction.
What I love about the Rivets / Edge series from Franklin Watts is their accessibility. These books are printed with large font, but within a frame that looks like any other, meaning students do not appear to be reading anything different or special from their more able classmates. And the content is brilliant - fast-paced fantasies or thrillers about normal teenage kids in unusual situations, taking the reader on an imaginative adventure.
Furthermore, the language is perfect for the target audience - a great mix of simple, colloquial phrases with some more challenging words, explained so that the reader is learning new vocabulary without realising.
I imagine it is fairly tough to get the balance right when writing short novels like this, especially in terms of successfully creating a whole story in such a constrained word count. Payback is a slightly peculiar concept, but a perfect example of a short story for older students.
The Maze Runner
James Dashner
Frome, Chicken House, 2011, 371p
Hailed as a must-read for Hunger Games fans, The Maze Runner is currently being adapted into a movie franchise. When Thomas wakes up, he finds himself in a darkened lift, unsure who he is or where he is being elevated. When the lift stops, he is in the Glade, a microcosm of young boys abandoned to their own devices. They have set up a society in which everyone has a role and order is law.
But there is no way out. Beyond the Glade is the Maze - an ever-changing mess of alleyways infested by deadly creatures. For two years, Runners have mapped the Maze, searching for an escape, trying to avoid the Grievers: gooey mechanical monsters that scratch, sting and kill. Thomas can't remember anything about his life before, but he knows he wants to be a Runner.
This novel is sickeningly thrilling, all because of the horrendous Grievers. The Maze is rather difficult to visualise, but Dashner details the monsters like something from his nightmares. He is not afraid to be graphic in scenes of violence, with pain and death being a constant threat to this group of boys. And, with Thomas and his companions having few or no memories, the reader is constantly guessing, wondering what is next and what came before.
That element of mystery is what kept me gripped. The pace is quick from the first page, but begins to lag at the half-way point, when the path the plot will takes seems inevitable but frightening. But the uncertainty is a constant, with hints of revelations floating before you and then being pulled from beneath you. Nothing is obvious - you cannot tell good from bad, safe from danger, truth from lies - but it all feels terrifyingly possible.
Arguably, this is a story that has been told a million times before - an amalgamation of everything from The Lord of the Flies to the Hunger Games - but it feels original. It may not be flawless (in particular, I didn't feel any strong connections to any of the characters, though all had been well developed), but it is thrilling and intelligent, keeping the reader eager for more.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Chris Claremont & John Byrne
New York, Marvel, 2011, 176p
I am incredibly excited about the release of the next X-Men film. I have really enjoyed this particular superhero franchise - whereas some of the comic book to movie adaptations have been misjudged, these movies have never failed to entertain me. And yet, I have not read much in the way of the graphic novels, so thought it was time I follow my rule about always reading the original before watching the adaptation.
Days of Future Past is the culmination of issues #138-143 of the original publications, featuring amongst other things a Wendigo and a Christmas demon. We find ourselves in 1980, following the departure of Scott Summers from the X-Men due to the death of his love, Jean Grey. Kitty Pryde, the youngest of the X-Men at only 13 years old, arrives at Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, and is immediately thrown into danger. We jump forward (remember, it's 1980) to 2013, where we find many of the X-Men and other superheroes dead or captured, controlled by Sentinels, an army of giant machines who keep the mutants under control. The X-Men's only hope is to transfer the spirit of 2013 Kitty Pryde into the body of 1980 Kitty Pryde, in the hope that she can lead the 1980s team to prevent the assassination of Senator Kelly, which caused the destruction of the superheroes.
I think I have made it sound rather more complicated than it is, so let me be more blunt: it is brilliant. The story is fast paced and action-packed. Whether you have just a basic knowledge of the X-Men or are a passionate enthusiast, the distress of knowing some X-Men are dead is universal.
Comic books offer a different form of story-telling to novels or movies. Obviously, they are far more visual, so the text is not clogged up with descriptions of settings or people's appearances, but can focus on character's internal monologues or conversations. This really suits some readers, especially those who are reluctant to read something with too much bulk. The graphics in the X-Men series are brilliant, bright and detailed, engaging the reader with the story. People learn and absorb information in different ways, and many individuals are visual learners. Such people benefit from the visuals in a comic book - research shows that people are far more likely to remember the information from a comic book than a text book or novel because the information is supported by images.
Many adults dismiss comic books as a too simple to support children's' leearning and achievement - I have come across many teachers who tell students to put their graphic novels away and read a "proper" book. This is infuriating, because comic books are really just another medium for literature, and are actually brilliant on so many levels: they engage reluctant readers, offer an alternative form of literature for more advanced students, and, if you think about the combination of text and images, they are in fact rather complex. I hope they start to be more universally recognised as a realistic alternative for some students, so I plan to keep making them available in my Library.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There
Catherynne M Valente
London, Much-in-Little, 2013, 344p
This sequel is everything I wanted it to be and more. I adore the creative genius of Catherynne M. Valente, who has brought to life a world where your strangest dreams seem rational and your wildest fantasies are explored and visualised.
Most fairy stories end in relief and happiness, but rarely are the futures of the characters explored. The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland is just that: what happened after September saved Fairyland? We rejoin her back in her boring old life, washing tea cups and desperately missing her father. She carries with her the secret of her time spent in Fairyland, waiting for the day when she will return. Then, one day, she slips back through, and discovers things are not as she left them. Shadows are being stolen from Fairyland, and taken to Fairyland-Below, in a plot let by September's own shadow, now known as the Hollow Queen. Consequently, all the magic is being sucked out of Fairyland, and it is slowly becoming normal, like September's world.
So, September reluctantly embarks on a quest to wake the Sleeping Prince, the rightful ruler of Fairyland-Below, in the hope that he will overrule the Hollow Queen and all the shadows will be returned to their rightful home. Along the way, September meets a Night Dodo, a Minotaur, and the shadows of her old friends, Ell and Saturday.
This world is so magical and fantastic, I am choosing to believe it is real. Valente draws on years and years of fairy tales, folklore and myths to create this world of knights and talking teacups and perilous challenges; she reimagines them in her own way, somehow making sense out of the most unusual elements of these legends. It is philosophical in it's treatment of the quest story. She has been incredibly thorough, with every detail formulated and researched to perfection.
Fairyland is a heaven for book-lovers. A characteristic of all my favourite books is that they celebrate the value of the written word, both through their language and formation, and through the themes and plot. In the case of this book, Valente uses her extensive vocabulary, intelligence, and wit to entertain the reader. She speaks to you, does not patronise, and draws you into her story. And within the story, books and libraries are praised and explored. Ell, a.k.a. A-Through-L is a Wyverary, a dragon Librarian. September visits a Library in the course of her travels, when she is seeking information to help her on her quest. And later, she falls into a book, opening a door to another part of her journey. As Valente writes, and as her novel proves:
"A book is a door into another place and another heart and another world."
I couldn't have put it better myself.
The Night Circus
Erin Morgenstern
London, Harvill Secker, 2011, 387p
I was so engrossed in this world that I didn't want the novel to end. I felt like I was part of something brilliant and magical. The circus haunted me through my days; I could not escape the desire to pick it up and continue on it's journey.
The Night Circus is a celebration of magic, friendship and love. Marco and Celia are bound together by a competition between two old friends. Both are powerful young illusionists, and neither are sure of the rules of the game, but one must be declared the victor. Against the wishes of their masters, they fall in love, and must find a way to escape the world that they have created.
It is the intricate details that I love most about this story - the settings, the supporting cast, the magic. Despite being a subject of fantasy and dreams, the Night Circus seems so real, coming to life like one of the characters. It travels, it creates, and it breathes. With the use of the second person narrative, you can picture yourself there, amongst the black and white tents, following the pathways through this strange and invigorating environment. Even the physical book is designed to reflect the symbolism within the story - a heavy hardback with black edges and a red ribbon to mark your page.
It would have been so easy for Morgenstern to let the love story guide the journey of this story, but I found the lives of the other characters to be far more fascinating and significant. Of course, Marco and Celia are vibrant, passionate characters (Celia, in particular, I adore - she is no damsel in distress, but a brave, noble young woman), but the story is carried by others. There is Bailey, a young boy outside the circus, who is captivated when he sees it appear one morning across the field. Poppet and Widget are twins, born on the opening night, who grow up within the maze of tents, seeing and hearing everything - past, present and future. And Friedrick Thiessen, a German clock maker who follows the circus wherever it goes: watching, admiring, recording it's every detail.
At it's core, this is a story about stories. Many of the characters are avid readers, hoarding books like gold dust. Many are also story-tellers, from Thiessen's writing about the circus, to Widget's ability to tell stories aloud. It is said, towards the end of the novel, that story-telling is a sort of magic:
"It's in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict."
The Amber Spyglass
Philip Pullman
London, Scholastic, 2000, 548p
This is the final novel in the His Dark Materials trilogy. It has taken me longer to read than the previous two for a number of reasons, but not least because it is the most complex and philosophical of the series.
The Amber Spyglass is the climax of a conflict that have been building throughout the trilogy. We rejoin Will, seeking to be reunited with Lyra after their separation at the end of The Subtle Knife. Together, they are a great power, a team built on friendship and understanding. Together, they are confident they can do what they have to do, even if they are not yet sure what that is.
As readers, the journey we go on with Will and Lyra is dangerous and fascinating. We explore unimaginable worlds, where strange creatures roam and dark forces overwhelm good. We see the world of the dead, where the ghosts of many species wait in misery for who knows what. Lyra and Will bring light to these worlds, striving to do good. For the ghosts, they open up a window to allow them to escape out to nature, becoming one with the world:
"All the atoms that were them, they've gone into the air and the wind and the trees and the earth and all the living things. They'll never vanish. They're just part of everything."
Suddenly, for the characters and the reader, death seems less scary, more hopeful. This is the sort of hope that I can relate to.
Pullman has been challenged by some religious groups for the atheist themes in his novel. As a piece of teenage fiction, some of the subjects explored are difficult for young people to understand - even I struggled in places. He is an intellect and proud of it, littering his pages with references to literary greats, from John Milton to William Blake (causing me to dig out my old Blake anthology - what beautiful poetry!). But beneath his anger against organised religion, Pullman creates a beautiful world, where hope and humanity are victorious over greed and power.
The Subtle Knife
Philip Pullman
London, Scholastic, 2005, 325p
I love the introduction of Will Parry to Lyra's life. As the great, brave heroine, I did not think it possible to create a character who could equal her inner beauty and outer courage, but Will matches her on all counts, and provides just the sort of support and friendship to move her journey onwards.
The Subtle Knife is the second of the His Dark Material series, following on from Northern Lights. We begin in our world, in Winchester, where we meet Will. He is running away from men who want to hurt him, when he stumbles across a window into another world. He steps into a hot, deserted city, where he meets Lyra. Although they have never met, their lives are intertwined, and their destiny binds them together.
I enjoyed exploring our Oxford through Will's eyes, especially in contrast to Lyra's Oxford. I can picture the streets and buildings as he describes them. It is particularly wonderful when Will brings Lyra into our world, and she compares our Oxford to the one she knows. Her shock and unease is paralleled by her awe. Pullman picks out tiny details, like double yellow lines and traffic lights, that seem so normal to use, and makes them seem unusual through Lyra's eyes. When Lyra stumbles across the Pitt Rivers Museum (my favourite place in the city), her delight and confusion remind me of how I felt when I first discovered it.
Pullman's use of children as the protagonists is brilliant. Not only does it mean that the danger seems to be heightened, as they are surrounded by adults who wish to bring them harm, but their innocent curiosity helps lead the book on it's journey. Will has the same naive bravery that leads Lyra into trouble in Northern Lights; so when Will finds the window into another world, it is inevitable that he will step through.
This is a beautifully written book, full of increasingly complex concepts, especially relating to religion. Again, the line between good and evil is blurred, so you can never be sure of the characters' motivations. The plot builds up towards a great battle against Authority, a God-like figure. As an adult, some of the ideas in this novel are difficult for me to comprehend - can this novel really be categorised as young adult fiction?
Northern Lights
Philip Pullman
London, Scholastic, 2011, 397p
When new worlds are brought to life in fiction, there are often parallels with the world we know and live in. There are characteristics or places that seem familiar, and thoughts and ideas that are universally acknowledged. This is a technique for creating a world that the reader can understand and imagine; and a technique Pullman has used to perfection.
Northern Lights is set in the most majestic of alternative universes, like some great fantasy from within the mind of a child. The story begins at Jordan College in Oxford, where we meet a young girl with an appetite for adventure. Suddenly, all across Brytain (yes, intended typo), children are disappearing, and Lyra finds herself traveling North on a dangerous adventure.
It is not the plot of this novel I love so much as the details within in. With regards to Lyra's journey, it takes her North, into the dark recesses of snow and ice, where characters have Nordic names like Iorek Byrnison (oh, how I love Scandinavia!). Lyra is surprisingly brave for a twelve year old, facing up against witches and armoured bears, lying to scientists, and plotting an elaborate escape plan from an experimental laboratory. She is kidnapped and captured countless times, but has a smart head on her shoulders and a childish optimism that keeps her calm. And somehow, along the journey, she becomes braver and stronger, learning more about herself and the complexity of the world around her.
But the details are what I adore - those little elements that are grounded in our reality and seem so within reach. Things like dæmons, human souls in animal form that guide and support the human characters - I will leave you to learn more. Things like the pages of clippings in the back of the novel, an appendix with materials designed to confirm the reality of this fantasy. And, of course, the alethiometer, a compass-like devise used to uncover truths. These details feel so real, so that as you read, you imagine what form your dæmon might take.
The adventure story is somewhat complicated, full of twists and turns and plenty of danger. Lyra is an intelligent hero, but it is never clear to her or the reader who is good and who is evil - much like real life, the characters are complex, with secret motives and uncertain fates. I think this is the thing I like most about the novel.
Reading this as an adult, Northern Lights has had a profound effect upon me. I remember reading it as a child, but I did not remember what happened. I think this is partly due to the complexity of the language and themes tackled here - Pullman does not patronise the teenage reader, but challenges them to think about morality, philosophy and original sin. There are so many levels to this novel that it's vast fan base has created a wiki to try to unravel meaning and truth. It is this complexity that I feel will stay with me; so on to the next one!
Cloud Atlas
David Mitchell
London, Sceptre (Flipbacks), 2011, 854p
Flipbacks are my new favourite thing. For those who don't want to lug around a hefty novel whilst travelling, but don't want to succumb to the new technological era, these small, lightweight publications are a perfect alternative. Who would have thought I could carry Cloud Atlas in my pocket!?
Cloud Atlas is a tome of genius and creativity - an 800 page novel narrating six different interlocking lives, across many centuries. With each story, the style, tone and pace changes, keeping the reader on their toes. The stories are split, so the narrative is disjointed and, sometimes, I struggled to remember the smaller details, especially as I have been reading it over a long period of time.
But I love the unique nature of each of the lives - it is incredible that Mitchell is so flexible and creative, offering such variety whilst maintaining a narrative flow. For example, the first story is written in the form of a diary, as Adam Erving tells of his adventures at sea; then it is the correspondence of a young composer, Robert Frobisher, writing to his friend Sixsmith whilst lodging in Bruges (my personal favourite). There are movie scripts and interviews, as well as a section that is written like spoken word - as Zachry tells his story to a listening crowd. In the first few pages of each section, you have to take a moment to readjust, but soon you begin to drown in the language and imagery, and most significantly, the characters.
Throughout, the characters are linked by memory, mythology, and a comet-shaped birthmark. Frobisher tells Sixmith that he is reading the diary of Erving; and later, Luisa Rey seeks out Frobisher's Cloud Atlas Sextet, after meeting Sixmith and embroiling herself in a dangerous mystery. Elsewhere, Somni 451 (a clone, who draws suspicion for being more intelligent than she was manufactured to be) becomes a deity in the distant future, after the Fall of civilisation. In this way, each character keeps the memory of the previous character alive.
The overarching theme of greed and power, leading to destruction, subtly seeps into the reader's subconscious. Unfortunately, I felt the novel lacked the big ending I felt it deserved. But each narrative highlights the evil of greed, and the consequences of power structures - from the feminist undertones in Luisa Rey's story, to overt slavery, both in Erving's historical narrative about colonisation and Somni 451's experience as a clone in the future. In the distant future is a dystopia in which man has reverted to an ancient state, living like cavemen, due to the internal combustion of the greedy civilised world.
I cannot recommend this book enough, both in terms of it's originality and literary beauty. It's length might seem put some people off, but it is definitely worth it to escape into these incredible worlds and fascinating lives. And with Flipbacks, you don't even have to carry around a huge copy!
(I should really be getting paid to say these things.)
Maggot Moon
Sally Gardner
London, Hot Key Books, 2012, 279p
What an unusual, original novel. Whereas The Weight of Water was unique in it's approach to story telling, Sally Gardner clearly has a brilliant imagination and had created a plot like no other.
Maggot Moon does not give much away until you are deep within it's pages - the cover and blurb say little about the plot, and the first few pages make it seem like a normal story of boyhood. Instead, it is about a strange dystopia in which people go missing without warning and the Motherland rules an oppressive regime.
Despite appearances, this is a very dark novel - it is like a world in which the Nazis won the Second World War. Power is held by a minority, and the weak struggle to rise up. Differences are eliminated, and conspiracy is ripe. The Motherland are attempting to launch a rocket to the moon, but the young protagonist Standish Treadwell is sure it it all lies.
The novel jumps about rather a lot, and as such, little is given away in the first few pages. Luckily, Gardner offers enough to make you want to keep on reading. In time, all is revealed. The pages are illustrated with gruesome images of rats and flies, adding to the sense of danger and decay that pervade through Standish's adventure. He is an unlikely hero, finding bravery in comradery. Against the power of the Motherland, Standish has companionship in the form of his subtly rebellious grandfather and the Lush family. Hector Lush becomes Standish's friend, his brother, and their relationship empowers Standish to be strong.
Sally Gardner has created a troubled, horrible world, but in it, she has given her reader hope and offered us faith in humanity. As in many novels about teenage characters, friendship can overcome adversity.
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making
Catherynne M Valente
London, Constable & Robinson, 2012, 328p
How is any lover of literature meant to be able to resist a book with a title like this? It has the word "circumnavigated" in it!!!
This is the tale of September, a young girl who escapes the boredom of her lonely house, and is carried off by the Green Wind on the back of a Leopard. The Green Wind helps her through customs into Fairyland, but cannot escort her through the mysterious world. Instead, he tells her the rules of this strange land, and leaves her to make her own friends and adventures.
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making is not a light-hearted romp of a fantasy. It takes inspiration from a plethora of resources - fairy tales, classic literature, modern culture - and brings them all together to make one of the most surreal worlds I have ever had the joy to explore. If it had been written badly, this could have been one of the most cliched novels in literary history; but Valente has such passion and knowledge that she creates a world that few others could have even dreamed of.
My favourite character is a sort-of dragon, a Wyvern, called A-Through-L. His father is a Library, and he has an encyclopedic knowledge of anything beginning with letters A to L. September finds many friends along her journey, and is loyal and loving towards them all. Although she is only twelve years old, she is wise and generous, and incredibly brave.
I say the book is not light-hearted because it is very dark in places. September suffers, separated from her friends, attacked by strange creatures. At one point she even turns into a tree. Life in Fairyland is far from easy, under the difficult rule of the Marquess.
With any fantasy literature, the reader must suspend their disbelief, at least to some extent. In reading this brilliant novel, it is a pleasure to step into September's world, and sometimes it is a struggle to come back to reality. Everything in Fairyland is so unusual and wonderful, and created with such love, that it comes to life in a way no other fantasy world ever has.
Beautiful Creatures
Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
London, Penguin, 2013, 563p
It is not often that I am unable (or was I unwilling?) to finish a book; but, though I tried, I can not read any more of this novel.
Beautiful Creatures has been hailed as the new Twilight, but I didn't want to be put off by that. I wanted to see what all this supernatural fiction was about - everyone seems to adore it. I couldn't stomach Stephanie Meyer, but, attempting to ignore the comparisons, I attempted Beautiful Creatures.
It is the story of Ethan, a boy from the south of the United States, who meets the girl who has been haunting his dreams, Lena. She is ostracised at school and throughout town; but Ethan thinks there is more to her, and is determined to understand why he feels so drawn to her. As the novel unfolds, it would appear that she is a caster, which is Garcia and Stohl's attempt at distancing themselves from previous witch stories. On her sixteenth birthday, Lena will either be taken by the darkness or the light - it is her curse.
Of the hundred or so pages I read, I found myself unsure if this book has even been edited. The descriptions are short and unimaginative, the dialogue is stunted. The pages are littered with lazy cliches and unrealistic events. When Ethan ran out of school, chasing Lena to comfort her, risking joining her in being a victim of school mockery, I wasn't convinced.
I was unsure of the male narrative voice. The story is told from the view of Ethan, and my feminist self automatically went on high alert, as Lena instantly became defined by his male gaze. This, I found to be unusual, since the authors are female. But neither of the characters were very well developed, neither gained my sympathy.
I hate being unable to finish a book. In many slow-starters, the plot or characters eventually develop enough to deserve my attention. But there is so much juicy literature out there, I do not want to waste any of my precious time.
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