Thursday, 25 October 2012
Book on Trial #38: Rebel Heart
Note: Random House Canada did not pay me to endorse or review this book.
SPOILERS TO BE HAD.
Title: Rebel Heart
Author: Young, Moira
Keywords: Deserts, rebels, government, Tonton, opium, chaal, Saba, YA, teen, wreckers, post-apocalyptic, western, adventure, romance, awesome, Canadian, sexual maturation, abuse, hurt, deceit, betrayal, mysticism, prophets, tattoos, brands, New Eden, attempting dystopian, Near and Middle Eastern lifestyle, horrible spelling and grammar.
Recommended For: 14+, Firefly, Westerns, Middle Eastern–style dystopia fans.
Rating: 
Sentence: I sentence Lugh to a six-month journey through the Wraithway, that ungrateful, chaal-snorting lout. (I couldn’t be bothered to sentence Moira Young as I was far too fixated on Lugh.)
Review:
As far as middle books go, this one was pretty standard. A separation of young lovers; too much travelling without a consistent destination; and an overview of the “bigger picture”.
That being said, the bigger picture is not much to look at in this book. On the one hand, you see a little more of DeMalo; and on the other, readers are only getting to skim the surface of New Eden and the cleansing of the lands. It seems like a pretty vague allusion to Hitler and eugenics, but without a real motivation other than these “visions” of the past (us, Wreckers) and the future (the “purebred”). I liked the bigger picture when it was about drugs, gangs and Western-style fighting. It didn’t really need all this extra…whatever it is.
Anyway, for those who just want a brief summary of what to expect in this book, do not wait for a femme fatale level of badassery. In fact, just do not expect much action from our protagonist at all. Let’s just say this once-upon-a-time badass, Angel of Death (who is, fittingly, dead to the world), is no longer open for business. She’s a simpering, lovesick and mentally disturbed teenager. Not that I’m saying she should not be mentally unstable after everything she has done, but this whole flip-side thing does not suit her. She’s too sad and open to betrayal. It makes me really feel for her, sure, but I’m also rolling my eyes as I read about her inability to cope.
This installment is all about finding Jack and “saving” him. Really it’s about how Saba can’t seem to live without him for more than two months until she finally believes he has betrayed her, and sleeps with the first man she stumbles across (thank you Lugh for planting the doubt from the get-go). Okay, okay. He’s not just ANY man. He is THE man. The Pathfinder. All that sexual tension finally sort of messing up everything! And, honestly, I was glad for it. I know it’s not the exciting thrill of action readers get from Blood Red Road, but goddamn it’s some kind of action. And I’d probably respond no different. A sexy, powerful man that has just saved you from drowning yourself and then shows you a better world in front of all his creepy human-breeding-farm-people? Okay, so maybe I wouldn’t be so quick to jump in the sack, but still…she’s human. And that’s one of the greatest things that drew me to Saba in the first book. Despite being an asshole that can kick ass, she has all the faults I enjoy seeing in characters. She’s a fuck up. She is selfish (and sometimes she’s self-sacrificing). She’s also confused and self-doubting. I can deal with that. I just want to grab her face and stare right into her eyes and say “Gurddammit Saba. You bin gittin into a whole lotta trubbel fer a gerl yore aij. But I kan unnerstand it. I kan git behind yooz an try’ta givya sum gud advice. I ain’t gunna maik ‘em decisions for ya, but I’mma try’ta guide yoo.”
Okay, so I just spent like twenty minutes on that. I need to stop or I’ll revert back to my NOLA accent (I miss that beautiful-weird city so much—okay, just the French Quarter).
Also, she keeps ending up in different colour dresses. How is no one pressing her (harder) on that situation? If I were Maev I’d be on that like redheads on the Doctor.
Don’t even get me started on the stupidity of Lugh. He was so not worth saving. Actually, I don’t know what he’s been through, but if it’s worse than Molly, Saba and Emmi combined, I’d be willing to understand why he is such a dick.
The entire plot was not as slow as I had initially expected it to be, but there were a few pointless mini adventures and random psychic, lightning-witch/seer moments. Seriously, where were we going with that if Saba’s having little prophetic dreams without Auriel’s help?
Basically, I have determined this series is wrought with too many YA elements, if that makes sense. Its got the drug trafficking, Western adventure, mysticism, twins, twin fallout, attempts at a Utopian society, rebellion, and fantastical creatures (see giant worms). I can’t even begin to pinpoint the genre of this series and not in a good way. As soon as a new element or previous element is brought in, the others are forgotten. I wouldn’t be surprised if by the third book it’s all steampunk and we’ve forgotten about star-reading and seers.
I still liked this book despite all of the complaints I have. It’s solid writing and I’m already pretty attached to the characters. I just can’t get enough of them.
FINALLY, I know the Tonton are people that work for the Pathfinder, but how can anyone not picture people dressed as tauntauns? I just want to slice one open and sleep in his/her entrails.
Posted 6 months ago
♥ notes (1)
Friday, 23 March 2012
Book on Trial #23: Anna Dressed in Blood
There will be bloody fucking spoilers in this review.
Author: Blake, Kendare
Title: Anna Dressed in Blood
Keywords: Anna, blood, gore, horror, young adult, teen, love, ghosts, supernatural, demons, voodoo, athame, witchcraft, spells, mystery, death, resolution, grief, friends, family, humour.
Recommended For: 12+
Rating: 
Sentence: I sentence Kendare Blake to a Supernatural and possibly some classic Japanese horror movies marathon. Also, writing something that is not teen.
Review: When I first saw this title in stores I thought Shit, this author knows how to hook you in with the dramatics. And then I thought, I hope this isn’t a teen version of Carrie. While keeping it fairly dramatic, Anna Dressed in Blood did not disappoint me.
This series is a reminder of why I bother with teen at all. I had sworn off teen for three months and failed because sometimes it just doesn’t feel like teen. It’s something more than that stupid, superficial crap or the very depressing “everything is about me and it’s all life and death” stuff. Don’t get me wrong, some of those books turn out very good, but they are all very overdone.
Well written horror teen is pretty hard to find and Blake’s novel is just that. Readers start off with a lonely Cas and his mother travelling around the world and freeing the ghosts tethered to certain areas; causing mayhem and death. You end up with Cas trying to figure out how he can keep Anna in his life, even if she isn’t alive.
I’ll admit at first the way Cas wielded the athame reminded me of Supernatural, but then the story started to create its own character. Cas turns out to be a compassionate young man just trying to save people and ghosts alike. And there is certainly Something About Mary Anna.
If possible, there is a more sinister creature than Anna haunting Thunder Bay. Familiar bite marks are discovered on the bodies and Cas is suddenly facing his ultimate ghosty; the one that killed his father.
From the setting in Thunder Bay (Canada, ftw) to the overly expressive cat (and even the touch of voodoo), Blake weaves a story about love, friendship and haunting histories.
This book bled into a seat of favour on my bookshelves.
Posted 1 year ago
♥ notes (1)
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Book on Trial #10: The Sisters Brothers
Title: The Sisters Brothers
Author: Patrick deWitt
Genre: Western, assassins, action, gold rush America, black humour, satire, fiction.
Recommended For: Western lovers; people who love humour in their fiction; people who like making fun of traditional Westerns; fans of True Grit; Canadians; award-winning book readers; mature content and themes.
Rating: 
Sentence: I sentence Patrick deWitt to toothbrush-clean smiles, but also the ability to avoid being mauled by fifty jobless prostitutes.
Review: This may be one of the stranger “serious”, award-winning books I’ve read. I know many people claim similarity to Blood Meridian and True Grit, but it’s almost like deWitt is making fun of the stereotypical-ness of this Western scenario.
The story hones in on Charlie and Eli Sisters (who are obviously brothers) and their plot to assassinate a Mr. Warm for the Commodore. While they are feared and clearly try to display a lack of empathy, due to their ruthlessness and aptitude for killing; Eli seems to actually be a little bit compassionate; even towards his burdensome horse, Tub. Charlie, on the other hand, appears to be a cold-hearted drunkard, but even cracks in his beastly personality make an appearance every once in awhile.
If the reader goes in expecting an epic western story out of this very short and simple novel, they will be disappointed, because there isn’t one. It’s certainly hilarious and has its quirks, but it’s almost like drowning in the misfortunes and “ups” and downs of these two brothers.
It eventually leads to their proposed “last job”, which goes horribly wrong in some hilarious and unfortunate ways.
Overall, it was a well-written story, with some much-needed humour that I find nationally acclaimed novels are lacking these days. It’s a break from my more depressing reads of this year. Although not without it’s own depressing message (to me anyway): being an assassin during the California gold rush (1850s) sucks ass.
Posted 1 year ago
♥ notes (11)
Saturday, 4 June 2011
Blood Red Road
Spoilers Ahead
I think it’d be difficult to understand what exactly I loved about this teen book. Firstly, I guess I should say, it’s not an average teen book. I mean, sure there’s a new post-apocalyptic and dystopian teen book every week, but they all usually start and end with angst and the most annoyingly dominant love story ever.
Blood Red Road threw me off first because of the prose. Not only does it demonstrate an existence of dialects, but also the lack of education and a loss of something we all hold dear: knowledge through books.
Young starts us off near the end of a drought by dried up land once known as Silverlake. We seen glimpse of the lives of our narrator, Saba, her twin brother Lugh (“Lug”; named after the Irish deity) and their younger sister Emmi. It becomes clear, right off the bat, that Saba is not perfect. In fact, she’s just as selfish and sometimes just as childish as Emmi. And just like every family, even this one comes with it’s inner turmoil and tension.
When Lugh is kidnapped by Tonton and their father killed, after a sandstorm, Saba is determined to get her twin bother back.
While her adventure reminded me of Westerns and True Grit, this is not a mission of revenge. This is not an angry 18 year old going after the world, determined to kill all obstacles. In fact, the most human thing about this entire story is Saba’s dislike for killing and her guilt, especially when she is forced to cage fight after her sister and she are captured by a nasty couple on their way to Hopetown.
While her relationship with Jack, who she met while in captivity, is very Beatrice and Benedick (Much Ado About Nothing), it is also a source of much needed humour.
Finally, the idea that drugs have power and society is unorganized is a nice change.
I really do think this series or trilogy or whatever it may be, has much potential. Although sometimes I say that more often than not about teen trilogies, I will be anticipating this one the most.
Besides that, the author is Canadian! :)
4/5 plums
Posted 1 year ago
♥ notes (1)
Excelsior, fellow book lovers!
Sometimes I wonder why my books haven't asked for my parents' blessings yet.
You don't need to know who I am. Only that I like things. Like books. I am also a bookseller, which is why my hands are so dry to the point of them peeling off like snake-skin.
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