fantasy

Review: Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

| Tasha

vessel

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst

When Liyana took her dreamwalk, she found out that she would be a vessel for her goddess to return to the world.  This meant that the Great Drought would end as the goddess Bayla would bring water to their dry wells in the desert.  Liyana worked to make sure that her body was worthy of the goddess, but when she danced the sacred dance, Bayla did not appear.  Left behind by her tribe to die in the desert alone, Liyana met Korbyn, a god inside his vessel.  He explained that five gods were missing, kidnapped by someone.  So Liyana joined Korbyn in traveling to the other nomadic tribes to tell them of their lost gods and save their vessels.  But the journey is dangerous, the tribes unwelcoming, the real enemy unknown, and as they journey, Liyana finds more and more reasons to not want to disappear when her goddess returns.

Durst has a great storytelling skill which is evident in this book.  The storyline is complex with many characters, mortals and gods alike.  Durst keeps the story moving forward at a brisk pace, populating her world with many unique characters.  Even the desert itself is wondrous with its sand wolves, giant worms, and glass sky serpents.  The ecological disaster of a world-wide drought drives the story, creating its own tension and time limits. 

But what Durst does best here is create an amazing heroine.  Liyana is not only worthy to be the vessel for the goddess, but worthy of awe herself.  She is not only strong but very vulnerable.  She is so strong but also rocked by the new emotions of love and lust that she finds awakening.  She is devoted to her goddess but also questions her own role in bringing the goddess to life.  Complex and completely human, Liyana is simply remarkable.

I must highlight here that Liyana is clearly a non-white heroine in the story and happily, the cover reflects that as well.  This is an amazing girl of the desert with skin that is described as burnt cinnamon.

Get this one into the hands of teens who enjoy the strong heroines of writers like Tamora Pierce.  They will love the world building, unique setting, and Liyana herself.  Appropriate for ages 13-16.

Reviewed from copy received from McElderry Books.

Review: The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

| Tasha

crown of embers

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

This sequel to the amazing The Girl of Fire and Thorns continues the story of Elisa and other beloved characters from the first novel.  It is the story of Elisa’s new role as queen of a country after war.  They won the war against the Inviernos only through Elisa’s use of the Godstone that she bears as part of her body.  The war may have been won, but her enemies are all around her as spies and perhaps even manipulating her own government.  After several attempts at her life, Elisa heads on a new journey; this time searching for a source of power using the guidance of her Godstone.  It is a harrowing journey that will put all of those closest to her at risk.  It is also a journey that readers will be thrilled to take with her thanks to the action, strong heroine and romance packed into this book.

Carson has done it again.  I was looking forward to this book so much, but so often my favorite series slip in the sequels.  This time, the second is as strong as the first.  I love the fact that Elisa is brave, strong and almost fearless, yet at the same time has achingly large doubts about so much of her life.  She is complicated as are so many of the secondary characters around her.  Carson invests much in each of them, making them unique and interesting too.  So many could be spun into their own novels.

The world building here is exceptional.  Carson has created a place of political intrigue, murder and deceit that would be too much without the equally strong message of the power of friendship, the ability to do what is right, and the love that flows throughout the novel.  Beautifully realized, the setting is made all the more vivid thanks to the characters who populate it.

Highly recommended, this book will thrill fans of the first novel.  Get this series into the hands of teens who love Kristin Cashore’s Graceling series.  Appropriate for ages 15-18.

Review: Son by Lois Lowry

| Tasha

son

Son by Lois Lowry

Claire gave birth to her son when she was fourteen.  As a Birthmother in the community, she wasn’t allowed to touch or even see her baby, who was whisked away immediately.  She expected to be a Vessel for some time, but something went wrong during the birth and she was considered unfit to bear more children.  So Claire was sent to work at the Fish Hatchery in the community, but as she left the birth center, she asked about her baby and whether it had survived.  That’s when she learned she had a son.  During her free time, she started to volunteer at the Nurturing Center and figured out who her son was.  But there was no way for her to really connect with the baby, this disconnected time together had to be enough.  So when her baby left the community, Claire had to follow him.  The journey would leave her stranded, desperate and completely changed.  This conclusion to The Giver Quartet ties the various threads from the other books together and will leave fans of the series satisfied and amazed.

Lowry is the first author I ever wrote a fan letter to and it was for The Giver.  At the time, dystopian fiction was not the rage and was quite unusual, especially for children.  Throughout the series, Lowry has built upon that incredible first book, startling those who thought Jonah had died when he fled, and creating an entire world that was solidly built and designed. 

This book startled me with how effortlessly it reads.  The prose has wings that shimmer and shine, illuminating the incredible world that Lowry continues to expand.  There are so many small moments in this world, from the hand-crafting of a boat to the years of practice before taking a life-risking trip.  There are small birds in cages, picked flowers on tables, and the strength of a long marriage.  Lowry weaves these together into her world, making it hearty and vibrant.

Claire is a wonderful character.  Even in her desperation she is radiant, someone who refuses to accept the world that she is placed in and continues to seek new ways.  It is through her perseverance and determination that the book works.  And it certainly does work.

A memorable ending to a ground-breaking quartet of novels, this one was breathtaking, wrenching and pure wonder.  Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Broxo by Zack Giallongo

| Tasha

broxo

Broxo by Zack Giallongo

Princess Zora has traveled from her clan of the Granitewings to find the Peryton Clan and convince them to join the trading alliance that is being formed between the different clans.  When she reaches Peryton Peak though, she does not find the bustling clan that she expected.  Instead, it is a bleak and empty place.  Broxo is one of the few who still live there, a young warrior who survives alongside his huge furry pet.  There are others on the Peak too: a witch with a sordid history, the monster Gloth who hunts for flesh, and the hordes of undead who haunt the lake and the area around it.  This graphic novel takes classic fantasy tropes and adds zombies, making for a thrilling read.

Giallongo is a newcomer to graphic novels, but has created one that will have you looking for all of his previous work.  His pacing is a nice mix of quieter character-rich moments and wild dashes of action that leave readers breathless.  The slow realization of what has happened on the Peak also makes for intense reading, leading the reader to want to figure the puzzle out. 

The combination of a strong female lead and a strong male lead without any romantic entanglement is also refreshing.  The theme here is about pride, family and redemption rather than heartbreak or just hearts. 

A great graphic novel pick for middle school readers who will relish the zombies, the battles and the depth of the storyline.  Appropriate for ages 11-14.

Reviewed from copy received from First Second.

Review: The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini

| Tasha

other normals

The Other Normals by Ned Vizzini

Perry Eckert loves to play Creatures & Caverns in all of his spare time.  He doesn’t have any friends to play the game with, so he just creates characters.  When someone inspires him to create a character based on himself, he does.  Of course the character differs in some ways, like his red skin, yellow hair and tail, but he is also not that strong, not that fast, but full of honor.  Perry’s parents are worried about him being a social outcast, so they send him to summer camp.  There, Perry is swept into a world where Creatures & Caverns is real!  Even better, they need Perry to help them save their world.  All it will take is Perry kissing the most popular girl at camp.  No pressure.

Vizzini is a master of misfit characters.  He takes Perry and throughout the book reveals much more about him than just his geeky exterior.  Instead, we all discover that Perry is a true hero, filled with honor, who is intelligent and very brave.  Vizzini throws in realizations that Perry has about modern American life, about thinking too much and acting too little, that will resonate with readers. 

Vizzini does not shy away from swear words in critical places.  There is also some nudity (on the part of Perry) but I won’t ruin those parts for you.  Vizzini brings lots of humor to the story, enough to bring out big guffaws of laughter at times.  There is also plenty of adventure, some death, enormous monsters, and everything that D&D players would want in a book. 

Get this into the hands of kids you know who game.  They will enjoy not only the game brought to life idea, but also the winning hero at the heart of a great adventure.  Appropriate for ages 15-17.

Reviewed from ARC received from HarperCollins.

Review: Every Day by David Levithan

| Tasha

every day

Every Day by David Levithan

A wakes up as a different person every morning.  All A knows is that it is going to be someone different and somewhat nearby the last person.  After living life this way for 16 years, A has gotten used to it and doesn’t know any other way of life.  A can jump into either a girl or a boy, straight or gay, abused or adored, each day is completely different and each life and family exists for just a day.  There is freedom in this life but also loneliness.  A has rules, trying not to do any damage to the person whose life is being borrowed, trying to pass tests and live a normal day.  But then A meets Rhiannon as A spends a day in her boyfriend’s body.  The two of them spend an amazing day together at the beach, skipping class.  A is in love for the very first time, but how can a person who moves from body to body even go on a first date? 

This beautifully written book is told in the first person from A’s point of view.  The concept of the book is immensely strong and makes for a read that is so strong and vibrant that it lingers with you and you think about it afterwards.  A is an amazing character whose life is wildly different from our own and yet it’s a life that also sheds light on what we should be celebrating as we live our more stable lives.  A manages to show how truly broad human experience can be.  Moving from body to body, there are no longer judgments about straight and gay, race or religion.  It is all about being immensely and breathtakingly human.

Levithan also examines many facets of being human, from family ties and relationships to being different in profound ways to self acceptance.  His writing is a gorgeous mix of fast-paced storytelling and lingering thoughts.  It is in those moments where he puts words to love, life and being human that his writing is transcendent. 

A strikingly bold concept, a vibrant main character who is impossible to define and amazing writing make this one of the best teen novels of the year.  Appropriate for ages 15-18.

Reviewed from digital review copy received from NetGalley.

Review: Cardboard by Doug TenNapel

| Tasha

cardboard

Cardboard by Doug TenNapel

What’s the worst birthday present ever?  It just might be the cardboard box that Cam’s father had to give him.  Cam’s dad can’t find work, his mother is dead, and his family is falling apart.  But Cam is still optimistic about the fun the two of them can have together building things from cardboard.  Little does he know that the cardboard things they create are about to come to life!  There are rules that come with the magical cardboard.  Gather all of the scraps that are unused and return them to the man who gave Cam’s dad the cardboard.  Unfortunately, the local bully finds out that Cam has something worth taking away and starts to create an army of cardboard monsters.  What will it take for Cam and his dad to fix the misuse of magical cardboard?

TenNapel’s graphic novel is pure maniacal genius.  He takes a universal thing like playing with cardboard and makes it first pure magic and then dark and sinister.  He also carries the story to the extreme, refusing to back away and take an easier approach.  It makes for a riveting graphic novel that will have plenty of kid-appeal.  My only quibble is that the side story of the father’s romantic interest in the neighbor lady does not add to the story.

Because I am reviewing an advanced copy of the book, I don’t have it in the full color throughout.  The pages I do have are a mix of sandy tan, zips of red, deep purples with plenty of shadows in black.  He plays with angles and points of view, creating an entire world of cardboard before he is finished. 

This is a darker comic for kids, something that children will appreciate and gobble up.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from ARC received from Scholastic.

Review: The Girl with Borrowed Wings by Rinsai Rossetti

| Tasha

girl with borrowed wings

The Girl with Borrowed Wings by Rinsai Rossetti

This is a stunning debut novel that will have your heart beating fast for many reasons.  Frenenqer was created in the brain of her father, the perfect girl.  So she tries to be exactly that for him by following his long list of rules about how to hold her fork, close doors silently, and never embarrass the family.  But she can also feel the absence of wings on her back, as if she had been meant to have them all along but instead she has the pressure of her father’s finger there.  Her life is lonely and dull, not even allowed to walk outside on her own in the oasis where they live surrounded by desert.  Everything changes though when she rescues the dying cat in the market, against her father’s wishes.  That dull lump of fur turns out to be a boy who can shapeshift, who can fly and who can show her new worlds and remembered places.  As their relationship grows into something beyond friendship, Frenenqer has to face her own life of isolation and her part in her father’s controlling ways.

Rossetti’s writing is magnificent.  She creates such a sense of claustrophobia in Frenenqer’s life, such a world of stifling expectation, lack of humanity and perfectionism.  That feeling is amplified by the setting of the oasis, limiting even further her options of a different sort of life.  When her rescuer arrives he represents breaking those rules, throwing them aside, and a freedom that she had never dreamed of.  Here is where Rossetti makes a choice that sets her book apart from others.  Frenenqer does not tumble easily into that freedom, she fights it, struggles with it, and almost rejects it.  And it all makes wonderful sense.

Frenenqer is a unique character.  She is a mix of world traveler and solitary reader.  She yearns for freedom and shuns it.  She longs to be touched but rejects that too.  She is shown love of a new sort and doesn’t know what to do with it.  She is beyond brave but also terrified.  She is certainly abused mentally by her father, ignored by her mother, but also defies them in small ways that show you she is not cowed by them yet.  She is pure and lovely complexity that works.

Beautifully written, wonderfully sculpted, this novel is a fresh look at fantasy from a new author.  Appropriate for ages 13-16.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books.

Review: The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan

| Tasha

brides of rollrock island

The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan

Released September 11, 2012.

Rollrock Island is remote and isolated with only one ferry connecting it to the mainland.  It is also a place of magic, magic that is less sparkles and fairy dust and more ocean currents, sealskin and lust.  It is where Misskaella the witch lives, a woman able to peel away the skins of seals and gather their energies together into a woman who is beautiful and biddable.  In this way, Misskaella takes vengeance upon the women of the town who never accepted her.   She charges the men for the honor of having a wife from the sea, taking not only the money they have gathered now, but future wages as well.  These men are just as dazzled and tamed by the magic as their once-seal wives.  The desperation and quiet horror of the selkie story builds steadily as the book continues, leaving it to the next generation, the children of these unions, to see if they can resolve this, or not.

I have long disliked stories based on selkie myths, so I read this because of my love for Lanagan’s work.  But Lanagan gets at the nastiness of these relationships, the sandy dirtiness of them that will not wash away.  Her writing is by turns ethereal and wondering and then turns to the baseness and cruelty of what is happening.  There is a strong sense of place woven into the story.  It simply could not take place anywhere else.  From the seals at the base of the cliff to the tiny town that is simple yet enticing, Rollrock Island is unique and astounding yet also grindingly normal.

Lanagan plays with contrasts throughout the entire book.  The women who rise from the ocean are compliant yet wrenchingly miserable, longing for a world that they have lost.  The men are dazzled and yet absent.  The children beautiful, part sea and part land, yet also unable to see the truth until it is forced upon them.  It is as much Misskaella’s story as it is the selkies.  Their destinies intertwined thanks to her magic.

Told in a series of short stories that show the different points of view, though never the point of view of one of the selkie women, this book is pure richness and beauty.  Lanagan takes a timeless myth and exposes it, yet leaves the reader hopeful in the end.  This is a glorious read.  Appropriate for ages 15-18 and a great crossover read for adults.

Reviewed from digital copy via NetGalley.