The Book Thief---Stealing Back Freedom

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is the story of a young girl in Germany in the midst of World War II. What separates this wonderful book from the World War II novels that have come before it is that it has a unique narrator: Death. Zusak’s “Death” is not the normal grim-reaper character that one would usually imagine. In fact, this “Death” is a compassionate, but dutiful worker who has quite a difficult and labor intensive job carrying away the souls of those who fall victim to the war. “Death” is intrigued by the story of reader Liesel Meminger.

It is hard to explain The Book Thief without giving away parts of the book and it is so good, I want readers to discover the book on their own, so I’ll do my best to keep this with few spoilers. Liesel has been sent to live with foster parents from a young age. She and her family do their best to stay true to their own beliefs in an environment that hardly allows them to do so. How do you maintain your freedom in a society that takes that right away from you? Liesel attempts to find a way. She becomes a thief, of books specifically. She “acquires” these novels from all over, from a graveside to the Mayor’s own library.

Liesel is a really good protagonist. She reminded me a lot of Sara Crewe from the film (and novel) A Little Princess, which is one of my personal favorites, therefore probably explains my attachment. Both girls use the power of stories to help bring hope to the upsetting situations they find themselves in. Liesel is a wonderful combination of youthful wonder and innate wisdom. She is a child doing her best to grow-up and find herself in horrific times. Liesel is inspiration for many young girls in her courage and her ability to care about other human beings.

Parent/Teacher Advisory: It should be noted that although this is a YA novel in America, in Australia, where the author is from, this was a novel intended for adults. Considering who the narrator is and the time period, it should be obvious that there are many deaths in the novel. It is not necessarily a novel for the faint of heart, but the story is so powerful that it is worth hearing. The violence is entirely necessary to explain the direness of the situation. That said, the novel is very sad. The tragic storyline and the length of the novel (it’s over 500 pages long—but it goes by REALLY fast) are something to consider before recommending to younger readers.

Overall Recommendation: The Book Thief is not only one of the best YA books I have read recently, it is also one of the best novels I have read this year…period. It is so good I cannot find the right words to explain it. This is ironic because that is what the novel is all about: the power of words. Language and words were tools used to bring about hate and destruction in Nazi Germany; however, they are also the devices that help Liesel rebel and bring hope and a small amount of freedom to herself and those closest to her. It is a powerful examination about the impact of books and the importance of reading and that is a message that it I hope girls take away from The Book Thief. It is an excellent lesson for everyone to learn.

I Am the Messenger—But what is the message?

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak is a fun, yet poignant novel about a young man finding his purpose. Our protagonist is a nineteen year-old cab driver named Ed Kennedy. When we first meet Ed, his life is not going very well. He is stuck in a dead end job, he has fractured relationships with his family, and he has good friends, but they are sort of trapped going through the motions in the same way that Ed is. Then one day a mysterious card arrives on Ed’s door, an ace of diamonds and his life changes forever.

The reader follows Ed as he “protects the diamonds”, “survives the clubs”, “digs deep through the spades” and “feels the hearts”. Ed learns some powerful life lessons and his story and those involved on his journey are heart-warming. I don’t want to say much else about the plot because it all hinges on the mystery of who is sending Ed the cards (or does it?...hmm).

Girls will have fun traversing the clues Ed is given and trying to solve his mystery alongside him. I also found the character of Audrey very interesting. Audrey is one of Ed’s best friends and the object of Ed’s affection. Unfortunately, she does not return his affections (or so she tells him). Audrey is interesting. She could have been another girl-on-a –pedestal character, but Zusak does a good job of shaping her character. She is flawed and has a bit of a wild/flighty tendency, but Ed drops hints that she had trouble in her past and her own comments suggest that she is a broken soul that wants to mend, but just isn’t quite ready to yet. The way she pushes Ed away because she cares about him too much is an emotion that I think a lot of girls are familiar with.

Parent/Teacher Advisory: There are some briefs discussions about sex, but nothing super explicit. It is most just Ed pinning for Audrey (teen boy drama). Also, there are a couple of scenes of violence. Ed’s mission requires him to do some things that would normally be considered too violent, but I think the novel does a good job of showing the consequences of violence to counter-act its usage in the novel.

Overall Recommendation: I Am the Messenger is a lovely story. Ed is a witty and insight narrator and it is fun to follow him on his journey. The clues are great. It is like solving a new puzzle with every new playing card. Some of the messages might be a little cheesy and the hearts section might be a little obvious, but sometimes you need a story like that. You need a story that makes you believe in the small things in life, the small moments where you can make a difference. Ed learns this lesson and many more. I’m sure girls will benefit from Ed’s tale and hopefully find some inspiration for their own lives.

My Most Excellent Year: A Novel of Love, Mary Poppins, and Fenway Park: Like a Spoonful of Sugar

My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger is like a spoonful of sugar. It is enticing, sweet, and it can help the medicine go down (or even just make a bad day a little better) in the most delightful way. It is a charming tale of three 11th grade students who are given the assignment to write about their best year. For our three narrators/protagonists, that was their ninth grade year.

This is the story of TC, Augie, and Alejandra, three very different, but equally endearing characters. The reader learns about their most excellent year through diary entries, class assignments, instant messages to each other and other friends, e-mail, and letters (some to famous women of the past—those were my favorites!). It is a unique and modern way to go about telling the drama of these teens’ lives.

It is a cute story about friendship and its importance in teen’s lives. Readers will each have their favorite characters because there is something to cling to in each of them. TC is a bit of a wise guy, but his interactions with a young deaf boy show a much deeper side and if that does not impress, his baseball knowledge will. Augie is lovely; he is a great friend to TC and Alejandra and has exquisite taste in Hollywood starlets (The cools kind of starlets from old Hollywood films---Natalie Wood! Lauren Bacall! Yay! ---not the flimsy Paris Hilton kind). Alejandra was the toughest for me to like a first. She seems almost too perfect (too smart, too sassy, too pretty and too talented at singing and dancing …). However, she grew on me and by the end I really liked how much she had grown as a character. Plus: 1.) She writes to Jacqueline Kennedy (fantastic choice) and then switches to Mary Poppins (a part of the book that I loved) 2.) She is the daughter of a diplomat and has a cool friend and correspondent in her former secret service agent Clint (I want a friend like Clint; you will too) 3.) She is a girl that has an opinion and she actually states it out-loud (most of the time the reader just gets to read the thoughts of their cool female narrators, but Alejandra speaks her mind. It’s kind of awesome!).

This book is not the most serious of the YA novels I have read so far, but it has a really good message. The multiple perspectives and different types of narration re-enforce the novels key theme of communication. As people, when we communicate with each other and learn to understand our differences, then we can build a community. What a great message that is! This may be a more utopian type of world than what exists today. ***Spoilers***In this book, being gay is very accepted, parents are involved in their children’s lives, and if you really need to, you can meet Julie Andrews (people said this is way too unrealistic and maybe it is, but you never know…Julie Andrews is a classy lady, maybe she would take the time to write to a kid that looked up to Mary Poppins, that needed Mary Poppins in their life). Maybe it is ok to sometimes read about a world that is like our own, but a little bit better. Maybe the lessons that we learn from taking another perspective, like in the previous post for We Were Here, will be something we’ve gotten used to and we’ve moved past that someday. Isn’t it valuable to have some books that we read send a message that someday we’ll be able to move beyond those super serious conflicts? I think it is.

Parent/ Teacher Advisory: There are issues of love, identity, sexuality, and death discussed, but for the most part it is one of the tamest YA novels I have read. I will say though that it amused me how the adults in the novel did not seem to have much authority and some people may find that a little troubling; but, I would argue that these parents are at least very involved and accepting of the children and the choices their kids make, which is a very good thing, in my opinion.

Overall recommendation: I loved the pop-culture references throughout the novel; they were so great (and they were mostly historical, so the book won’t be dated in a few years)! The writing style takes a little while to get used to because of how often the narration switches and all the various ways in which information is coming to the reader, but once you get used to it, you can admire the effort it most have taken to put all of that together into a cohesive story. My Most Excellent Year is a little unrealistic, everything fits together much too neatly. However, I don’t think this devalues the work; the emotional arcs of the characters and their wit and humor are still easy to relate to, even if the plot is not. Basically, like I said before, the novel is like a spoonful of sugar. It is really good sometimes, but you cannot have it all the time or it will make you sick. This is a very sweet novel (I enjoyed it!), but in some ways, it does not have the highest literary nutritional value. That does not take away from its importance in the realm of YA novels. It offers an uplifting experience that is not always present in other novels. So read it for fun on a day when you need help escaping your own problems and it will help in its own way, like swallowing some medicine with a spoonful of sugar.

We Were Here- You Just Have to Stop and See Us Every Once and Awhile

It is always important to think about another person’s perspective. It is a skill that is helpful for life and you can begin learning it through literature. We Were Here by Matt de la Peña is from the perspective of a young, half-Hispanic boy, Miguel, who has been placed in a group home for one year as punishment for a crime (a crime that is kept as secret from the reader until the end of the novel).

We Were Here is a combination of road trip book mixed with a story of a young man coming to terms with his own guilt. There are some fun characters like Miguel’s group-home friends Mong and Rondell and his surfer-dude counselor, Jaden. I personally found Mong’s female cousin to be an amusing and fun character. I would also like to mention that I think Miguel’s mother is a very interesting character. Though she is not really in the story that much, she has a huge presence in Miguel’s life. Her character brings up issues about the importance of parenting and the way children crave their parents’ love, especially when they make mistakes. (I thought I should definitely mention her importance in the novel. I think it is very interesting that so far, the YA novels that I have reviewed with protagonists that are a minority, their mother have a deep impact in their lives. I’m not sure what that means yet; it is just an intriguing observation.)

Another part of We Were Here that I really enjoyed was the way that Miguel develops a passion for reading at the group home. He offers great insight into classic novels like The Color Purple, Of Mice and Men, and The Catcher in the Rye. Miguel’s reading offers a strong message for readers. Like Miguel, readers can find things to relate to in a variety of different types of novels, regardless of their own background. I also was just happy to see a main character with a love of reading!

Miguel is a wonderfully complex character, which makes him a great narrator for this story. The reader gets to follow Miguel on a journey of self-realization and, in turn, the reader gets to learn about their own prejudices. We Were Here is sometimes a hard story to read. The characters come from harsh backgrounds and it is upsetting to think of the lack of control these teens have had about the environment they come from. But a good lesson for girls to learn is that sometimes the best stories are not the easiest ones to tell. The best stories challenge you to expand your horizons. Matt de la Peña's novel is the story of children you see, but pay little attention too. They are the real children left behind, or at least left out of society’s mind. This book makes you care about these youths story. It makes you pay attention to those who are normally forgotten. Have you ever felt forgotten, or even lonely? Wouldn’t you want someone to care about your story?

There was a lot of controversy surrounding this book when we read it in my YA Literature class. Some people thought it was a hard book to relate to because Miguel’s story was so extremely different from their everyday lives. On the other hand, there were other members of our class that were so happy to finally read a novel that spoke to them. Our discussion of this book was one of the most passionate we have had all semester, which to me means that this book is certainly addressing topics and concerns that are not available in other YA selections and that makes it worth giving a chance.

Parent/Teacher Advisory: There is a lot of profanity in the novel and some violence and references to sexual behavior. The elements, though, add to the authenticity of the novel’s setting. However, some may find these elements to be unsuitable for younger readers.

Overall recommendation: We Were Here is a good novel; and, it is great that its main character is a minority. There should be many more novels, especially YA novels with minority protagonists. This is not to say that this novel alienates any readers or that one cannot relate to the characters in the novel. In fact, I would say the opposite. The way Miguel learns to not judge Mong and Rondell after he reads their files is a great example for all readers to understand there is so much more to people than first impressions. You get to learn so much alongside these characters that the sometimes difficult issues of the novel: race, juvenile delinquency, forgiveness, social schisms, poverty, while very important, end up being complimentary to, not overshadowing of the novel’s emotional reliability. These characters’ doubts and fears, and struggles to find who they will become, are universal. It is a different viewpoint than most girls will find in YA literature and that uniqueness itself warrants a consideration.

Another Halloween Treat- Four and Twenty Blackbirds

Halloween Special #2: Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest is the story of Eden Moore. Eden is a typical young girl who longs to know the true story of her family’s past in order to understand her own identity…except there is one catch; Eden can hear ghosts. She can see them too, but it is three particular spirits, the ghosts of three sisters, whose words guide Eden on her mission to discover her family’s history. Readers will enjoy Priest's complex and interesting characters (and even if you don’t like their personalities all the time, you’ll love their names. Malachi…Miabella…Awesome! Southern Gothic novels are great if you are looking for good character names. It is almost a guarantee of the genre) Eden is a wonderful protagonist (one of my newest favorites) She is strong and capable lady. You will be glad she is your guide through this story of witchcraft and betrayal. An eerie modern Southern Gothic tale, Four and Twenty Blackbirds is a fun, creepy read. It’s a perfect spooky delight.

Note: Eden Moore’s story continues in Wings to the Kingdom and Not Flesh Nor Feathers; although I have not read either of these yet, so I cannot fully recommend them. After Four and Twenty Blackbirds, though, I intend to check them out!

Halloween Treat- We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Halloween Special #1: We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a 1962 novel by Shirley Jackson. It is a fabulous Southern Gothic novel that is perfect for Halloween, or any other time you are in the mood for a good suspense story. Though not exactly a YA novel, it is a good story for that audience. I do not want to give too much away because one of the novel’s greatest assets is its secrecy. I will say that the novel is narrated by Mary Katherine "Merricat" Blackwood of the notorious Blackwood family. She, her sister Constance, and her Uncle Julian are the remaining descendents of the Blackwoods, a family that has become a town legend due to its tragic demise and the odd behavior of the family members that have been left behind. ***Spoilers: The Blackwood clan was poisoned by arsenic. The reasons behind this and the reasons why these last three Blackwoods remain is part of the great mystery of the novel***. Merricat is an audacious and highly unreliable narrator, but she and her sister Constance are great complicated female characters. Of course they are quirky and a little weird, but their oddities just make the reader have more affection for them. They have to overcome a lot and their loyalty and dependence on each other is good message about female relationships. But if that does not intrigue you, the story itself should. It is a decevingly simple narrative with a good morality lesson hidden within. The way the people of the town treat the Blackwoods is maybe even darker and more frightening than the Blackwoods past. It is a great spooky tale. I highly recommend it!

Note: If you like We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Jackson is also the author of the creepy short-story, The Lottery and another novel of hers, The Haunting of Hill House, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Both of these are eerie and great as well.

Graceling- A Different and More Dangerous Type of Fantasy Love

Graceling by Kristin Cashore is the story of Katsa, a young girl born with a particular Grace. A grace is a certain skill that an individual has that they excel at more than most people. Gracelings are marked with two different color eyes; Katsa has one blue eye and one green eye. The drama in Katsa’s story is that her grace is the ability to kill (quite a deadly grace). Because of her special skill, Katsa is sent on missions by The Council, a highly authoritative group. Katsa does not really enjoy this work, but she accepts the position she is in with her unique ability. On one particular mission, though, Katsa meets another graceling named Po, who changes her life forever.

Katsa and Po have quite a love story. They go on crazy adventures and learn more about their graces, each other, and themselves. It seems to me to be pretty much a typical fantasy story (though I do not have a huge amount of experience with this genre) mixed with a coming-of-age tale. I thought it was interesting that Cashore decided to use a less-modern dialect for the dialogue, but it fits with the fantasy world and gives the book sort of a timeless quality. Also Katsa and Po’s love story is less conventional than I was worried it was going to be. Once you find out what Po’s grace is, it leads to discussions about gender roles in relationships and even some morality questions. ***Spoilers*** I also like the dynamics of their relationship. For example, in the beginning Katsa needs Po to help her break free from her work for the King and then, in the end, Po ends up needs Katsa to help him with his new physical ailment. I really love though that Po does not try to change who Katsa is. He does not force her to marry him in the end. Po accepts who Katsa is and try to bring out the best in her. I think it would not be a bad thing for there to be more male characters like Po to set that example because that is the type of guy that a girl should be interested in, one that does not put a girl on a pedestal so much as they value her for who she truly is.

This story, though, is much more than a love story. It is the story of a young girl finding herself. Katsa is a very cool female narrator. She is not my favorite (she did grow on me though---give her a chance), but she is different and that is very important. It is good that there can be different types of female characters. Katsa has become a little hardened, understandably by her lifestyle of killing. She is a good person, but she can come off as aloof or selfish. I actually think it was important to include the relationship with Po because it allows the reader to see a much deeper side of her. It explains why she seems so distant. Katsa is complicated. It is hard to understand, or even like, her at first, but it is her complexity that really makes her a heroine, more than any skill she possesses.

Parent/Teacher Advisory: There are descriptions of violence; Katsa does kill people since her grace is killing. There are also a few scenes of sexual intimacy that, while neither graphic nor gratuitous, are definitely something for parents to be aware. Those who are worried about sexual content should preview the book first. It is not the main focus of the novel, but it is there. Also, Katsa has very strong views against marriage. There is not anything necessarily wrong what that, but I could see how some people having a problem with that since it is not a societal norm. It is something to be aware of while reading.

Overall Recommendation: I have to admit, this is not one of my favorite YA novels so far. Although, I did like it more after taking some time away from it and reflecting upon it. This is not really my best genre, but it is important to explore areas outside of your comfort zone and for the fantasy genre, Graceling is very accessible and is a good place to start. It touches upon some great themes like when is it ok to rebel? What does it really mean to love someone? Why do people accept societal conventions and rules? Katsa has a skill that could be used in very harmful ways. It is important to note as well that her enemy is a King that can manipulate peoples’ minds. So what is she really fighting? Is it this manipulative message that girls have to act in accordance with how society says they are supposed to? If these questions intrigue you, maybe this book will too! I really do see its value for girls who are interested in the fantasy genre. Katsa is a good heroine and her story is a good one to think about. She has to make some tough decisions and everyone can relate to making hard choices. It is only when Katsa finds an inner strength to match her outer skill that she succeeds and that is an important message for women of all ages to hear.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks: Do You Want to Be Part of the Club?

I loved The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks! Frankie is awesome; what a great, witty narrator and good example for girls! Do I have some problems with her? Will you? Does she make mistakes? Will she drive you crazy at times? YES—to all. But she is a stunning narrator with a pretty cool story.

At first, I was worried I would not like this book. Frankie, our protagonist, returns to her prestigious boarding school for her sophomore year of high school and gets a new senior boyfriend. Easily this could have been a book this blog would readily avoid. “Oh great, I thought. Now he’ll become the center of her universe and blah, blah, blah….I’ve heard this story too many times before…I don’t care if the new boyfriend Matt has fun quirks like knowing a lot of words.” I hate stories about girls who glorify a boy in their life and make them their universe (it’s quite unhealthy girls!). But Frankie LB surprised me; it worked what could have been a cliché love/teen angst story into a clever tale about gender differences and exclusive societies (By the way, secret societies in themselves are fascinating. I think it’s because they are a tangible example of what people intrinsically feel—the need to belong). Anyway, I was very impressed! E. Lockhart did enough to make me understand why Frankie was so worried about staying with Matt and instead of rolling my eyes with disgust that she cared so much about his acceptance (which I normally would do), I actually commiserated with Frankie and her want to stand-out, yet fit in, at the same time (It is a tough feat, let me tell you).

Although the setting is high school, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is about life. It's about overcoming obstacles no matter what class you are in. It's about realizing there are some differences between social classes, whether we like it or not. It’s about fitting in, while still being independent. It’s about taking chances, without being completely reckless. It’s about breaking down barriers, instead of waiting for someone else to do it for you. Frankie is a role model, not just for young girls, but for women of all ages.

Is she perfect? No. She makes A LOT of mistakes (most teenagers do though…). She is judgmental. She is sometimes selfish. And there are times where you as a reader will want to shake her and say “Grow up! The world is not just about you!” But isn’t that so real? Frankie is such a real girl, wanting to be proud of her womanhood, but still desiring to keep up with the boys. She wants to be liked, but doesn’t feel she needs to be taken care of. She wants to be self-reliant, but have a support system. It’s so true to life (at least in the emotional aspect). These are emotions so many women grapple with.

Parent/Teacher Advisory: Frankie and her friends are fans of pranks (aka they like to cause a little trouble). Adults tend to not like this kind of behavior (and sometimes with good reason), but it is noteworthy that there are consequences to Frankie’s rebellious actions. The book also includes teen drinking and sexual behavior. It’s pretty tame and must less suggestive than Gossip Girl, but the behaviors are still present.

Overall recommendation: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is a fun book. It deals with a lot of emotional questions and that is wonderful, but the best part about it still is that it is a good story. The characters are funny and memorable (There is actually an alpha-male they call Alpha—hilarious!). The plot moves quickly. You will totally love/hate Frankie all the way through (a sign of a really good/deep character). I highly recommend it. If the girl power message doesn’t entice you, then the pranks, the humor, and the secret societies should. I can see some people not loving the ending, but if you think about it long enough, it was the best ending the author could have chosen (Others would have been more dissatisfying. Trust me; I went through several). Give it a try ladies, you won’t be disappointed!

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation Volume I- The Pox Party---What His Story Teaches Us About History

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation Volume I- The Pox Party is a hard book to review because its plot rests on a secret plan. As a novel, it is a little difficult for a reader to become engrossed in, in my opinion. It is a little dense (particularly for a YA novel). The language used is a little jarring because it attempts to reflect the time period the novel is set in (over 200 years ago) and the characters are trying to be secretive, so they are hard to connect with. I was also not a fan of all the letters in the middle of the book to forward the narrative (clever, but I was not into it). However, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing is an important book for the YA literary canon in its expansiveness and ambition, and it can also be particularly important for a female audience in terms of displaying history from a minority’s perspective.

There are two main things to know about the plot of The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing (possibly minor spoilers). One is that the protagonist Octavian is involved in an experiment. The other is that the time period setting of the novel pre-dates the American Revolutionary War (meaning for Octavian, the revolution is sort of an experiment in itself; no one knows whether or not it will work). Both experiments start off with good intentions, but things can go wrong in both instances.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing allows the reader to examine several important questions. What does it mean to be free? When is it important to rebel? Should you experiment on human beings? How does a person define themselves (race, creed, nationality, family background, the way other people view them)? And how much does the way you are treated by the outside world affect how you view yourself/ affect who you are?

Parent/Teacher Advisory: The language of this book is challenging, so it can be difficult for younger readers (and even older readers like me). ***Some Spoilers***There is also a dramatic death, a few questionable experiments, and some pretty intense physical and emotional abuse depicted. These things are not overly graphic, but they are there and are things to be aware of before reading.

Overall recommendation: So, how can a story about a young African American boy pre-revolutionary war with one distinct female character (his mother) be relevant for girls? Well, what this story does is make the reader question historical facts and become involved with the personal side of history. History, in a way, is literature; it is a story told by the most successful, the most powerful about their past. What girls need to realize is that a lot of their gender’s history is not told on a regular basis. History books often focus extensively on male accomplishments, but there were always women around making an impact on the world. Historical fiction allows us as readers to re-examine history in a different way and books like The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing can help girls realize and want to explore their gender’s role in historical events. So for that, and for the questions this novel grapples with, it is worth a try. It is far from my favorite current YA novel, but it’s well-written, and takes a unique perspective, which is something I would definitely encourage and I think is important for all literature (YA in particular).

The Hunger Games: Do you have an appetite to enter a new world?

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the first story on this blog to feature a female protagonist, but it was well worth the wait. The Hunger Games is a smart, brutal, and challenging book that would satisfy many age groups, but is particularly pertinent for young adults (especially girls). The novel is written with first person narration from the point of view of Katniss Everdeen, our heroine. Katniss is from a place called District 12. In this futuristic setting, North America (now called Panem) has been divided into 12 districts (or is it 13? Hmm…) and a central governing location called the Capital. The Capital is constantly in fear of a rebellious uprising from its districts, so to maintain control they hold an annual competition called The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games consists of one male and one female contestant from each district participating in a gladiator-like competition broadcast on national television. The scary part is that there can only be one survivor. Now there are many rules and political tricks involved in the selection process for this game that I won’t go into much detail about, but I will say that economically challenged teens are prime targets for selection for these games. For this particular year of the games, Katniss becomes the female representative for District 12. She performs the rebellious act of volunteering herself to go in her younger sister’s place. Thus, we the readers begin our journey with Katniss through the Hunger Games.

Now, I was beginning to be concerned that most cross-over appeal books from the YA genre had only male protagonists, but Katniss from The Hunger Games was worth the wait for a female protagonist (though I still wish there were more!). Katniss is a survivor, in the best sense of the term. Being a child from a single-parent household, she has already had to take care of herself and others for most of her life and had more than her fair share of struggle. She is strong, smart, and at times even cunning, but also maintains a care-taker type role that connects her to her humanity. She is a fascinating amalgamation of street smart savvy and youthful naivety about the world outside of her district.

The Hunger Games has a totally awesome (very flawed, yet relatable) narrator in Katniss. The girl is going to make some mistakes. She is going to do some things that make the reader frustrated. That is what makes her more realistic and refreshing particularly since she could have easily been a stereotypical, put-on-a-pedestal female protagonist. Aside from the cool narrator, The Hunger Games is an exciting book in many other facets. It’s plot moves very quickly and the descriptions, particularly during the opening ceremonies and the game itself make this dystopian world very easy to imagine. It has very fun characters like Katniss’s advisor Haymitch and very loveable ones as well, such as her co-competitors Rue and Peeta. ***Possible Spoilers***There is a bit of a love story/triangle, but it is very complicated and it shows how relationships are affected by much more than just feelings. The novel also brings up many discussions about class, the role/power of the government, the manipulation of media and image on an audience [the scenes with Katniss and her fashion design team who construct the “audience version of Katniss” creep me out almost as much as the idea of a reality show in which people actual fight to the death. Both are very disturbing concepts to think about], political control, and morality in terms of survival tactics. Though it may not be as literary as some people would like, the ability to embed those kinds of debates and issues into a fast-paced narrative is a talent within itself and should be worthy of literary merit and praise.

Parent/Teacher Advisory: The Hunger Games invokes strong discussions about politics, the government, and morality. In some ways, it is a brutal book. It is not overly graphic, but I would compare to the film Jaws in that even when you don’t see the shark, the frightening effect is there. You may not see all the killings in the games, but they happen. Over 20 people are murdered (either by the players of the game or the gamekeepers---people from the government who control the game) and murder is still chilling regardless of whether it is witnessed or not. The violence in this book may be alarming for some younger readers. I would argue, however, that this should not discourage people from reading or even teaching this book. You would just need to be sure to address the violence and its effects.

Overall recommendation: The Hunger Games is a great book from young adults (especially girls with its strong female protagonist!). The writing is simple and though the story is not completely original (The Hunger Games invokes Horatio Alger rags-to-riches through hard work myths and is similar to several other dystopian stories like Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”), it takes a common narrative and adds modern vision to it. It brings up discussions in the areas of gender, social class and politics that are very prevalent in our world today and it is well worth a reader’s time not only to read the novel, but to ponder the issues it raises afterword. Its sequel Catching Fire is equally as engrossing and adopts even more difficult questions into its narrative (hopefully a review of this will come up later). I loved The Hunger Games! I was not ready to leave that world and I hope you will not be either.

An Abundance of Katherines

An Abundance of Katherines is the second novel from author John Green. It is a capable follow up to Looking for Alaska. Though I did not find it as engaging as Green’s previous novel, I would still recommend it as a good YA novel. Readers who chose to read both will be impressed with Green’s stylistic changes to fit with each novel and will appreciate that some great moments of humor exist in both novels.

An Abundances of Katherines tells the story of Colin Singleton, a teenage child-prodigy with several distinctive habits. One is a penchant for remembering lots of information; another is the ability to anagram practically any sentence spoken to him; the most defining though is insistency in only dating girls named Katherine. Not Kathryn, Catherine, Katie or Kate, Colin will only date KATHERINES; and, he does not seem to have an issue finding them, considering he’s dated 19! (Oh and he’s been dumped by all of them—but I guess you have to admire that he keeps trying?) Putting aside the fact that meeting nineteen Katherines before you even become an adult is highly implausible (let alone having relationships with them), this fun plot quirk provides quite the metaphor for dating the same type of girl, or even just staying in a comfortable pattern in any situation.

Some Spoilers Included: After being dumped by the nineteenth Katherine, Colin and his buddy Hassan embark on a road trip to try and take his mind off the break-up. They end up in Tennessee (interesting choice…) and meet a new friend named Lindsey (who can be a friend because she has no shot; she’s not a Katherine). Hassan and Colin decide to hang out for awhile in Lindsey’s hometown and find many ways to amuse themselves, such as Hassan finding love (perhaps?) and Colin attempting to construct a mathematical formula for relationships. Hassan is a funny side-kick and Colin is a pretty amusing, but slightly whiny, narrator, but it is Lindsey who saves the story---What is great about both John Green novels that I have read is that they have female characters that you would not typically find in YA and you find yourself relating to them and really liking their uniqueness even though they don’t have that identifiable girl-next door quality.--- At first appearing to be an enigmatic, free-spirited, confident girl, slowly the layers of her personality are peeled back to reveal a real deep teenage girl with a realistic and heartbreaking amount of self-doubt and self-awareness. Luckily, for Colin, and for readers, Lindsey is the type of girl that probably won’t follow any formulas.

Parent/Teacher Advisory: There is some language that I could see people taking issue with, but overall it’s much tamer than Looking for Alaska in terms of difficult content.

Overall recommendation: An Abundance of Katherines is a cute story that uses a unique concept to tell the story of a boy learning that you cannot find a formula for love, or life for that matter. Is it as dark or challenging as Looking for Alaska? Not really; as prescient as Little Brother? Not quite; is it a fun story that flips gender roles and has the girl rescuing the boy from a life crisis? Is it a good YA novel about teenage love? And does it accomplish its goal of telling that story? Yes! An Abundance of Katherines is kind of like a really good romantic comedy film. Will it when an Oscar? Probably not…But for that moment, it has the viewer/reader’s attention it will make them laugh and give them some hope and that, in its own way, makes it a piece of art worth your time.

Looking for Alaska

Looking for Alaska by John Green tells the story of a year in the life of sixteen year old Miles Halter at an Alabama boarding school. The novel follows Miles through a roller-coaster year of learning, lusting, and loss. Bored with his life in Florida, Miles convinces his parents to send away to Culver Creek Boarding School. While there, his roommate, “The Colonel”, introduces him to world of pranks, rules of loyalty and, most importantly, an enigmatic girl named Alaska. While Miles is a capable narrator and has a few fun quirks, like a special skill for remembering people’s last words and The Colonel is a hilariously witty and intriguing character with fabulous proletariat qualities, it is Alaska who dominates the focus of the characters, the storyline, and reader’s fascinations.

Alaska is a wonderfully troublesome character. She at times spouts out defenses about respecting females, while at the same time flaunts her sexual promiscuity. She imposes herself heavily into the lives and worries of her friends, but keeps others a safe distance from her own personal emotions. She is self-destructive, yet insightful; very at good at controlling (the people/situations around her and as well as her own reputation), but clearly in need of help; a larger than life character, but in another sense, the epitome of any self-aware teenage girl. Alaska is an abundance of dichotomies and, though she is at times polarizing, she is always interesting and is one of the most complicated female teenage characters that I have ever encountered.

I had some issues at first at becoming immersed in this novel. I was dwelling on the fact that I was viewing the novel in somewhat of a feminist lens and was annoyed that the reader had to be constantly reminded that Alaska was so sexual and that she was always put on a pedestal by all the boys. While I still feel this is a valid critique, I realize now that the representation of Alaska opens up many discussions about gender representation. I also started to see Alaska’s sexuality as another one of her mechanisms of control. So I see that characterization as less of a detriment now.

Parent/Teacher Advisory ***Some Spoilers***: This novel deals with teenage drinking, smoking, and sexuality in a very frank matter. It also contains what some may consider very foul language. However, the drinking/smoking is shown in a way that is realistic, yet it is not glorifying, which I think is an important distinction. Also, the language is far tamer than what you hear in many songs on I-Tunes Top Twenty. The only other concern is the sexual content, which I will admit gave me a little hesitation because at first, quite frankly, I didn’t see its necessity (particularly the scene that occurs between Miles and Lara); yet, after more consideration I can now argue that scene’s value too. The scenes of physical interaction are awkward and, for lack of a better word, shallow; but, they are important in that they provide a stark contrast for the scenes of emotional connectedness and understanding. So, in actuality, they send out a good message against vapid surface-level interactions and argue for much deeper relationships. Also, the novel deals with the death of a teenage student. It may be upsetting for some readers. Still, the author does such a good job of describing the emotions of the students left behind after the tragedy that readers should not be discouraged by the lack of a happily-ever-after ending.

Overall recommendation: Looking for Alaska is a hard book to summarize. I dislike even having to put one because it is a novel that can be read from so many vantage points that it seems almost detrimental to the work to try and explain what it is about. Does one focus on the gender relations in the novel and a boy finding his first love? Maybe one should discuss the way female sexuality is portrayed and how it reflects the confusing and often contradictory messages teenage girls are presented with? Or should the attention go towards the commentaries on social class through the “weekend warriors” and the separation that wealth (or more importantly lack of struggle for money) causes between some of the students at the boarding school? Or maybe it should relate to Alaska’s metaphor for escaping the metaphor of escaping the labyrinth of suffering and teenage life? You really cannot just pick one. This book is not only a great coming-of-age tale; it also deals with questions that continually haunt even adults: How will we ever get out of this labyrinth of suffering? How do you create a worldview that deals with loss and suffering in the world around us? How do you still have hope knowing that suffering is out there? There is much going on in this novel, but I hope I have done my best at providing a brief description to insight interest for personal exploration into Looking for Alaska.

Fallen Angels

Generally, war stories are targeted towards a male audience; however, this does not mean they cannot have merit for females as well. War is (unfortunately) a major part of the world we live in and it is important for all teenagers to have exposure to war narratives to help them understand why that is and to be aware of the people involved in fighting those wars.
Fallen Angels is a 1988 novel by Walter Dean Myers about the Vietnam War from the perspective of a young soldier. The narrator is Private Richard “Richie” Perry, a seventeen year old from Harlem. He is smart and ambitious, but short on options. He joins the army and faces some harrowing combat while at the same time endures coming to terms with his alcoholic mother and maintaining correspondence with his younger brother Kenny.
Richie’s story involves a unique cast of characters (My favorite were Private Harold "Peewee" Gates, Richie’s friend and fellow soldier from Chicago who uses his sarcasm and wit to fight the emotional scarring of battles). Richie and his fellow soldiers face many challenges. Their battles are not just with the Vietnamese, but are also for their own place within the military and for their inner desire to continue to survive throughout hardship.

Spoiler Alert/ Parent-Teacher Advisory Section: This novel contains a good deal of profanity and some extremely violent images and situations. It also contains a very frank portrayal of the military, particularly race relations within the military.

Overall recommendation: Fallen Angels does an exquisite job of portraying a harsh, yet realistic example of a soldier’s experience. Though it is a novel about the Vietnam War and was written in the 1980s, it is still relevant in the issues it addresses even today. The heroism of these characters is not tied to their military prowess, but rather to their humanity. This allows the reader, male or female to find the heroism within themselves.

Little Brother

I should probably start off by saying that I have a strong belief that novels that center on a male protagonist can still be applicable to women and vice-versa. Growing up is a universal stage that does not discriminate gender, race or ethnicity. So, do not be surprised if, like with this first book selection, that the main protagonist is not always female.
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow centers around Marcus a seventeen year old with impeccable computer skills and knack for getting into trouble. Set in San Francisco, Marcus’s tale begins with an innocent attempt to skip class to play videogames with his friends and evolves into an complicated adventure of technology, terrorist attacks, torture, and individual triumph (with some teen angst on the side).

Spoiler Section Alert: On the day that Marcus and his friends decide to skip school to play Harajuku Fun Madness (a fictional, but apparently awesome clue-finding game), there is a terrorist attack on the San Francisco Bay Bridge. Marcus and his buddies become suspects in an investigation into the attacks. From that point on our hero is tortured for information and his computer and other forms of technology hacked due to some Patriot-Act style law. He becomes part of an underground revolt against the government complete with protests and secret concert. He memorizes some great quotes about the Bill of Rights and finds a little time for some romance. Most importantly, Marcus learns the importance of his friends and family and determines what he truly believes in.

Parent/Teacher Advisory: This novel contains a sex scene, some torture scenes and some suggestive language. It is also heavily slanted in leftist politics (It is a political story; it takes a side). Some of this material would not be appropriate for pre-teens or even early teenagers, but all aspects are toned down enough that they are good for a high school level.

Overall recommendation: Little Brother is a fast and exciting read. It is made for teens, but can be enjoyed even by older audiences. It is a fascinating mixture of current political and technological debates fuzzed with historical background and an individual’s discovery of their own belief system. Young women can have quite a stake in politics and it’s important for them to consider the issues that are debated in the book (The best part is, you don’t have to agree with Marcus; his story is just a spring board for discussion). This is a particularly exciting novel for the tech-savvy (which I am not, but don’t worry, our buddy Marcus explains things in great detail) and for those interested in current affairs and the role of government plays in everyday lives. Little Brother is a poignant and fun read; you can’t ask for much more.

An Intro to Damsel-Free Reading

Welcome to the Young Women’s Damsel- Free Literary Circle: a guide to alternative YA literature for girls! The goal of this blog is to provide young adult females ages 13-18 with fun and interesting novels and other media. Much of the literature targeted towards this age range focuses on teen romance. The goal of this blog is to provide something a little different.
The idea for this blog came from my new found experience with young adult literature, as a college student. I am in a class called The Adolescent in American literature that examines literature which has adolescents as the main characters and their experiences growing into adulthood. In my foray into this sub-category of literature, I discovered that many of the books heavily marketed towards teens were largely based on all consuming teen love. I felt, as a recently former young adult, that I would have been insulted as a teenage girl to only have one such topic to read about. So it is my goal to find literature that goes beyond “damsel in distress” stories and recommend them.