Wanderlust Books

Review: Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce

2014-10-20T19:09:00.001-04:00

Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce
Series: Song of the Lioness, #4
First Published: 1988
Published: January 1, 2005
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 272

"I'm not sure I want to be a hero anymore."

Having achieved her dream of becoming the first female knight errant, Alanna of Trebond is not sure what to do next. Perhaps being a knight errant is not all that Alanna needs....But Alanna must push her uncertainty aside when a new challenge arises. She must recover the Dominion Jewel, a legendary gem with enormous power for good -- but only in the right hands. And she must work quickly. Tortall is in great danger, and Alanna's archenemy, Duke Roger, is back -- and more powerful than ever. In this final book of the Song of the Lioness quartet, Alanna discovers that she indeed has a future worthy of her mythic past -- both as a warrior and as a woman.

Because this book is the conclusion of a killer series, I want to give it 5 stars. At the same time, I enjoyed it's predecessors far more than I enjoyed this book.
That's not to say that this book is horrible; it's not. It's still full of the same amazing characters, and none of them let you down. No, as usual, it is the plot that suffers.

I for one, really dislike it when character's are brought back from the dead. I think it really causes their credibility to suffer. It also let's the reader know that the stakes are lowered. Joss Whedon understands this relationship perfectly. He knows if he doesn't kill off character's continuously put into bad situations, then his audience won't ever expect him to do anything real. On the other hand, he can't be caught reusing tropes because of the same issue. And that's one of my biggest issues with this book - the source of conflict is a reused trope, and it reads like that. The portion of the novel not devoted to that then feels like filler, especially during the first half of the novel.

But then the ending roles around. And despite all the imperfections, it's still perfect. Pierce has a talent for that. And to be clear, a perfect ending is not an ending that appears perfect. No, a perfect ending is real, raw. There's a reality to it that makes the happiness believable and the tragedy carthartic. And it was a great series. One of the best fantasy series out there, and if anyone is looking for something in that genre that they haven't seen before, I definitely recommend Pierce's first series.

Review: Treatise on Law: Summa Theologica, Questions 90-97 by Thomas Aquinas

2014-06-23T11:27:00.001-04:00

Treatise on Law: Summa Theoligiae by Thomas Aquinas
First Published: 1274
Published: September 1, 1996
Publisher: Gateway Editions
Pages: 116

St. Thomas's Summa theologiae is often compared to a medieval cathedral because of its sublime construction both as a work of logic and literary architecture.

Here is a mere tip of one of the spires, summarizing the great Saint's views on the nature and structure of law.

Believing that law achieves its results by imposing moral obligations rather than outright force, St. Thomas defines the Christian view of liberty.
And he asks - and answers - the deep questions: What are the roots of law? What are the limits within which men may exercise their power? Aquinas addresses issues that perplex Americans - and their courts - to this day.

This is my third time reading Aquinas. The first time was my senior year of high school, and it was terribly difficult. The discussion that followed in which the teacher explained Aquinas' format, and what he said was amazing. But actually reading the material and trying to infer what Aquinas was saying was an experience.

Jump ahead a year, and I read him again for a college class. This time, I find it bearable. I maybe understood a quarter of the small portion we read. Again, the points he make are brilliant, once I understand what they are.

Now, about four months later from when I last read him, I encounter him again in my summer course - this time for 116 pages, the longest excerpt I've read from the Summa Theolgiae. For the first time, I felt as if I actually followed, if somewhat brokenly, what Aquinas was saying. It's actually a nice feeling knowing that your reading level can always improve, no matter how long or how much you've read. My point is, if you're going to read Aquinas, first do so research on his dissertation style. Then, begin to read him in exerts. For the first few, find some people (or the Internet) to help explain what they are about. As you go along, I promise it get's easier, and it's well worth the time.

The content of this book was very interesting. I've been taught in classes about the definitions and workings of Natural and Divine Law, but I quickly realized how limited that knowledge was. After Aquinas explains the definition and nature of Law, the rest of the book is spent exploring, mainly, Eternal, Natural, and Human Law. And I like it. Aquinas in general is still too tedious for me to really enjoy his writings, but his mind was so brilliant that it's hard to pass him over for writing in a style sometimes difficult to read, and almost always difficult to understand - because the content is that good.

Aquinas spends the beginning explaining the definition of Law and its relation to reason. Here we quickly realize that Aquinas uses the same word in different senses. Whether this is a result of the translation or Aquinas is difficult to say. But it makes the reading sometimes difficult, and almost always confusing if one does not catch the subtle differences. In his discussion of reason and Law, it is the Divine Reason that is crucial to Law, which is very different from the human reason that allows us to understand and extrapolate on ideas. Another subtlety that makes the reading difficult is the change of one word in different definitions. In the first article of the first question, when describing how law may be in something, he says there are two possibilities : "as in that which measures and rules" and "as in that which is measured and ruled." It takes careful reading to catch the difference, and then multiple rereadings to understand it. So it is writing subtleties such as these that add difficulty to the text. Outside a classroom setting, I'd argue that a single reading would understand much less than a group, simply because a group is going to catch more intricacies and offer more explanations for what they mean. A single person could, understandably, miss only a few, and consequently misunderstand a few crucial points.

My favorite part of the text was the explanation of Divine, Eternal, Natural, and Human Law, especially how they all connect. This is also where the absence of God would have the biggest impact. Yes, Aquinas established the existence of a God in the beginning of the text, amongst other things. However, he does not entertain the idea of a non-believer ruling. The rules and laws he shows us are of a perfect, God believing, world. What he believed realistically, I will not venture to say. That would require more information than this text shows. However, realistically, his ideas of Divine, Eternal, Natural, and Human law do not hold up without a God. Divine Law disappears altogether, and eternal and natural law are left without an end, since they are no longer the product of Divine Reason. That they are still present, though, can be argued, and has been, from a non-theological standpoint. Human law, however, is left at the mercy of the ruler. Under a God-fearing man, human law is ended towards the divine. Without God in the equation, it becomes ended towards whatever the ruler desires, whether that be fear, love, efficiency, money, or any such thing. This results in a human law that is perhaps not virtuous or binding in conscience (as Aquinas claims will occur under a human law ended towards the divine).

Another point to discuss is the curious absence of human rights. Aquinas instead describes the life of a human within a community, and a community as subject to the will of God. This is the most perfect scenario. There is no discussion of freedom of speech, press, religion, petition, and assembly. However, I do not believe that in Aquinas' time people were rallying to the streets to protest the abuse of their rights - or that they even had a concept of rights. Aquinas does believe in the free will to love God, but at the same time, his image of God is almighty and awfully controlling. Or perhaps a better word is "ordered." Everything is ordered towards and by this God, and this is what directs and steers society in a correct government.

This section might not be made of the prowess found in his five proofs for God, but there is a beauty in its simplicity. He still argues and pushes the boundaries, but it is on matters that are apart of every society. Not many would argue against his explanations of Law and how it presents itself. That it is a variable subject is clear. But Aquinas' logic to build his laws is sound and difficult to dispute (in most cases). And that is a refreshing thing.

Review: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce

2014-06-22T16:23:00.001-04:00

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man by Tamora Pierce
Series: Song of the Lioness, #3
First Published: March 1, 1986
Published: April 19, 2011
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Pages: 272

Alanna fights on...

Newly knighted, Alanna of Trebond seeks adventure in the vast desert of Tortall. Captured by fierce desert dwellers, she is forced to prove herself in a duel to the death - either she will be killed or she will be inducted into the tribe. Although she triumphs, dire challenges lie ahead. As her mythic fate would have it, Alanna soon becomes the tribe's first female shaman - despite the desert dwellers' grave fear of the foreign woman warrior. Alanna must fight to change the ancient tribal customs of the desert tribes - for their sake and for the sake of all Tortall.

This might be my favorite book of the series. Or, at least, it's a hard toss up between this and it's predecessor.
I love how this series progresses with age. In the beginning, we see Alanna as a young girl. By the third book, she is in her late teens. It is a beautiful progression. Most strikingly, it really allows us to see Alanna change. Because a lot of Young Adult novels (or any novel in general, really) stick with a specific age range for the character, we are told of the past experience that make the current ones so stark. Of course, aging a character over a series is always dangerous because the reader might lose interest. But Pierce strikes such a perfect pace that this doesn't happen. And I think by the time the reader reaches this book, it really is clear how well Pierce has done this.

This sets the background for some great character developments. We see these character who we've come to know over the last two books, and who think they've come to know themselves, realizing that they still don't have everything figured out, and that their desires can change. It's a wonderful reflection on how time and experiences change people - or don't change people.

As usual, the villainy in this novel is a tad blatant and obvious. But these books were geared towards kids, and Pierce does knock up the sacrifices a notch.

Of course, one of my favorite things about this books is a spoiler, so I cannot say. However, to anyone who reads it, contact me and we can have a nice talk about it. It's also a highly subjective plot point, so there really is no use in me describing it...except that this book was highly appealing to me and my personality.

Review: A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

2014-06-05T13:30:00.000-04:00

A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller
Series: None
Published: January 23, 2014
Publisher: Viking
Page: 384

Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909,where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darling, who wants only to be an artist—a nearly impossible dream for a girl.
After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse—or may be the love of her life. As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?

I think, in order to help you understand what this book is about (because I most certainly had the wrong idea), it would help for me to explain the origination of the title.
The title is derived from a quote from Queen Victoria:

I am most anxious to enlist everyone who can speak or write to join in checking this mad, wicked folly of "Women's Rights," with all its attendant horrors... Were women to "unsex" themselves by claiming equality with men, they would become the most hateful, heathen, and disgusting of beings and would surely perish without male protection.

Now just let that sink in for a moment.

Honestly, I think the cover did a good job misleading me here. I thought this would be a more modern, not so realistic Edwardian novel. I was very wrong in that respect. The dialogue between characters is spot on, the atmosphere right, and historical context accurate. Perhaps the only thing that could be said in that department is that the romance is a touch too modern...except this is a book that is dealing with an artist in all her rights, and people are human. No matter how much the people who wrote history at the time tried to shush it up, desire and lust and romance was just as real back then as now. So, I dislike the cover because it makes this book look like some cliché period novel for teens, when it is not.

I read this for a light read. I haven't been able to sit down recently and just devour all my books, I haven't possessed that desire really at all this summer. So I did what I normally do. Stopped what I was currently reading, browsed the list of books I'd marked off as good to read thanks to world of mouth, blogs, etc., and picked A Mad, Wicked Folly after some consideration. I was looking for light, easy, and just fun. More often than not, this disappoints me (I think I'm finally figuring out I never want light, easy, or just fun when it comes with nothing to learn from). But clearly, this was not one of those times. I was surprised. Surprised because everything from the plot, characters, setting, and dialogue were not as I expected them to be.

Victoria was a pleasant surprise (and I can not everyone agreeing with me on that). She's an incredibly flawed character. But as anyone who's read my other views, you'll know that I like this because it leaves the opportunity for character growth (of course, the author actually has to take that path, and they don't always).

But Waller did! And it's beautiful because it's so real and raw, and I loved seeing someone who's clearly struggling come to the realization of why, and fixing it and learning, and all these beautiful things that I'm clearly having trouble expressing because it was beautiful.

If I have one issue with this book, it is how it handles the Suffrages. Waller is clearly well informed on the subject (she even has a fantastic list of sources and short compilation of information at the end that I recommend everyone read! It's so good!). That's not my issue. My issue (and this basically is my issue with anything in life) is the extremist nature of some of the suffragettes. One particular issue that comes up is (spoiler! highlight to see) the force feeding. Let me be clear on this. This is a deadly act of protest that causes personal injury. It is done in the name of getting the attention of people and newspapers. Does it work? Yes, and don't get me wrong, I'm very glad it did. In fact, I'm glad for everything these women achieved. I am not, however, always glad of their means of achieving. I'm a very big Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ghandi fan. To fight for rights through peace, not violence. The suffragettes were not. The author portrays this wonderfully. My problem is not that, I don't think Waller should have ignored that. My problem is that she endorses it. Now, I realize this is a personal opinion, wholeheartedly. So if you're someone who thinks vandalizing and destroying personal property, along with self subjection to bodily harm is the way to get things done, then go for it. But if you're not, I'm warning you of possibly being offended. I do not deny the bravery and determination of the women from that time, and again, Waller portrays this perfectly. I simply question the morality. Or not so simply since I believe this is a big issue. The fact is, though, the whole face of the word "feminism" is touch and go these days. So much scandal erupts over people who identify with it and people who don't. The latest example being Shailene Woodley. Basically (and I'm sorry for this tangent, but it's just relevant to my feelings about the book) very few people actually say that women deserve less than men. But why this negative connotation for the word that makes so many people reluctant to attach themselves to it? I think a large part of it is because the early suffragettes and their successors did not use morally sound actions all the time. What they achieved was so good. But a lot of the time, people read about what they did and feel something wrong about it, which is horrible because it really is a great cause. I find it so curious that Woodley uses the word "power" in that interview. I think she's very much correct in seeing this fight as a power struggle, and wanting to be removed from that. History has turned this battle into something related to power. But it shouldn't be, it should be about human dignity, of which everyone is deserving. And my end comment to this horribly long rant is that I disagreed with Waller's approach to celebrate people taking dignity from others for the sake of their own. Fighting fire with fire only creates a bigger fire.

Besides that one small matter with the suffragettes, this book was highly enjoyable. And I don't want anyone to walk away from here thinking that this is a politically stifling book - it's not, I just chose to focus my review on that one small aspect because it struck a chord with me. Everything was presented reasonably and logically, which did attract me, and makes me sympathetic towards to book in that particular issue. Notice I only docked one star, and that is because even if I highly disagreed with that one thing, it was small in the book, and out shined by its other remarkable aspects, for which I highly recommend people to pick up.

Review: In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce

2014-06-04T14:03:00.001-04:00

In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce
Series: The Song of the Lioness, #2
First Published: September 1, 1984
Published: January 1, 2005
Publisher: Simon Pulse

"I don't want to fall in love. I just want to be a warrior maiden."

Still disguised as a boy, Alanna becomes a squire to none other than the prince of the realm. Prince Jonathan is not only Alanna's liege lord, he is also her best friend -- and one of the few who knows the secret of her true identity. But when a mysterious sorcerer threatens the prince's life, it will take all of Alanna's skill, strength, and magical power to protect him -- even at the risk of revealing who she really is...

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's second adventure continues the saga of a girl who dares to follow her dreams -- and the magical destiny that awaits her.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I was worried about many things going in - weak sequel syndrome, rumors of a predictable and annoying villain...But my worries were unfounded, and this book is a worthy successor to Alanna: The First Adventure.
I really like some of the challenges Alanna faced in this book - both personally and physically. Some would say that her physical prowess (which shines in this book) is a flaw because she always succeeds in her innumerable tasks and challenges. I would disagree. The first book and this book show that she works for her strength. It's crazy to read about the amount of dedication Alanna puts into training, and not something that just anyone could do. She's determined and passionate, and it's pure hard work that gives her the ability of succeed in all her tasks.

As for the personal struggles...well, that first sentence of the summary says it all. Alanna begins the struggle of accepting that she is a woman, and with that come womanly things, and that's okay. She doesn't want the dresses and emotions that come with her gender because she thinks they're bad things. It is so interesting to watch this thought process and see if she's able to reconcile it with the warrior in her. The blended melody of the two is truly gracious.

And to address the criticisms of the villain - I wonder if anyone who dislikes him read the end of the book. It explains the nature of his blatant wrong-doing and the blindness of those around him. The explanation is in and of itself a plot device that maybe should not have been used. But it raises some interesting questions (from a writers standpoint). The plot device does not make the other character's weak for not recognizing evil. It doesn't do much to help the case of a character who is so completely two dimensional, but it's hard to find fault with the other characters for not recognizing it. It simply raises the question of whether it was a cop out for the writer to avoid a more complicated villain (which I think could reasonably be true).

Review: Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce

2014-06-02T15:25:00.002-04:00

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
Series: Song of the Lioness, #1
First Published: September 1, 1983
Published: January 1, 2005
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 274

"From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight."

And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Disguised as a girl, Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page.

But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's first adventure begins -- one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land.

Calling all fantasy lovers. Though chances are, if you're a fantasy lover, you know exactly who Tamora Pierce is. She is quite amazing and well known. What she's done for fantasy female writers...well, she rocks. And this book here is the first of her epic series that takes place in Tortall.
At the time of writing, I've read all the books in Pierce's Tortall universe, and the stories of Alanna are definitely my favorite. The characters, world, and plot are most strong in this series, the first book especially. In classic Twelfth Night style, one sibling takes the place of the other, the girl of the boy because the girl as aspirations not adequate for a female in current society, and the boy has aspirations different that society requires of him. And so, a story is born.

There is so much potential and watching a girl grow up with boys with boys thinking she's also a boy. And Pierce understands this and embraces all the potential awkward or amusing situations. I love reading about those moments of public bath, or when the girl starts to turn into a women, and simply how how the girl works to become a soldier amongst all these men. Plus, Pierce definitely tantalized in the romance department. Though not developed in this book, the seeds are definitely planted...

I think one of the greatest accomplishments that this book nails is the pacing. Everything happens just when it needs to, which makes for an incredibly enjoyable read - and when I say incredibly enjoyable...well, it's that feeling of happiness you get because you know what you have is good. I was reading this series constantly. In fact, I finished each book in about a day. And during that period, a number of people looked at the series I was reading and engaged me in conversation over the wonderfulness that is Tamora Pierce.

To any fantasy fans out there who have yet to read Pierce - go and enjoy. It's a great journey. To everyone else who just loves a good book. I say, have fun.

Review: Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan

2014-05-30T22:06:00.001-04:00

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan
Series: The Lynburn Legacy, #2
Published: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 367

It's time to choose sides....

On the surface, Sorry-in-the-Vale is a sleepy English town. But Kami Glass knows the truth. Sorry-in-the-Vale is full of magic. In the old days, the Lynburn family ruled with fear, terrifying the people into submission in order to kill for blood and power. Now the Lynburns are back, and Rob Lynburn is gathering sorcerers so that the town can return to the old ways.

But Rob and his followers aren’t the only sorcerers in town. A decision must be made: pay the blood sacrifice, or fight. For Kami, this means more than just choosing between good and evil. With her link to Jared Lynburn severed, she’s now free to love anyone she chooses. But who should that be?

A darkly humorous take on Gothic romance, Sarah Rees Brennan's Lynburn Legacy weaves together the tale of a heroine desperate to protect those she loves, two boys hoping to be saved, and the magical forces that will shape their destiny.

So I should say a few things. Firstly, and least importantly, I really miss the old cover scheme. Second, I do not remember for the life of me why I gave this book 3 stars back in October when I rated it on Goodreads.
I've failed you guys. It was bound to happen eventually - for some of you readers, maybe it's already happened and you just really hate me or something. But I'll try to give this a go.

I'm pretty sure the only character I wasn't pissed at sometime during this book was Rusty. Rusty is a genuine person, and it's so nice to see. I wish more people like him existed in real life, let alone literature.

So that means Kami and Jared managed to piss me off. And the plot. The Kami and Jared thing I can forgive because they are characters who develop and make mistakes to develop. But the plot. From what I remember, it was convoluted. And sometimes unnecessary. Which is annoying because the first book was sooooo good and this book did not live up to it. It makes me wonder if all the unique conventions and utilization of the modern Gothic that Brennan created in the first book were the main draw...and now it's not enough to sustain an entire book by itself. Sure, the first book had the usual from Brennan - good characters and a heart wrenching plot. But it was good because of the Gothic twist. Now? Well, the Gothic twist is no longer a new factor, and all we're left with is good characters and heart (I should change that to gut) wrenching plot. Which is also nothing new and a familiar formula I can expect from Brennan. And this time, the age showed, so to speak. Not that showing age is bad, it's just a bad metaphor, and clearly I'm not very good at this so let's move on, shall we?

I find myself wanting to see Brennan test herself. I want all authors to! And I do think the good authors are the ones who continually push themselves (and this could be said for most professions in life). But it's a risk because it doesn't always work out. On the other hand, at this rate Brennan is developing a formula, and it's not a good formula to overuse. I desperately want to see her to continue trying new things with these books because there is such potential. And I don't think she succeeded with the second book, and if I'm honest with myself, I don't see it happening with any of her books in the near future. Which is unfortunate, but I'll definitely continue at least this series and keep everyone posted on how it goes.

Phoenix and Ashes by Mercedes Lackey

2014-05-24T17:16:00.001-04:00

Phoenix and Ashes by Mercedes Lackey
Series: Elemental Masters, #4
Published: October 4, 2004
Publisher: DAW Books
Pages: 480

In this dark and atmospheric rendition of the Cinderella fairy tale, an intelligent young Englishwoman is made into a virtual slave by her evil stepmother. Her only hope of rescue comes in the shape of a scarred World War I pilot of noble blood, whose own powers over the elements are about to be needed more than ever.

"A dark tale full of the pain and devastation of war...and a couple of wounded protagonists worth routing for." —Locus

I'm glad to say this is still my favorite of the Elemental Masters books. The first time I read it (must've been five years ago), I remember immediately reading it again because I loved it so much.
I'm not sure what it is about this book that is so appealing, but I think a lot of it goes back to Lackey's skills at their best. She had a good idea, and the time to flesh it out, and the result is a good story.

Another big appeal is the fairytale retelling. This is Lackey's version of Cinderella, and she balances just the right amount of the story we know with her version. It means that you're constantly turning the pages to get to "that part" that you know and love, but at the same time, you have know idea how it's going to play out. And this is a technique easier said than done, but Lackey masters it with this book.

It's also the first story with a fire and air master, and I think that in and of itself lends the characters to very different (and in my opinion better) personalities. These characters are more likely to take action instead of thinking about taking action, and it's a lot of fun to read.

This is one of those books that I would really have liked more from at the end - the fantasy genre tends to leave you feeling like that, but the way Lackey has set herself up without these books, she can't really do that. It's unfortunate really, because I think a large reason I love fantasy is the multiple series in the same universe across generations. But it is what it is. And Lackey does have guest appearances from characters in other books (a certain female doctor got quite a bit of page time in this novel), which is always fun.

If you are partial to fairytale retellings, and fantasy, definitely at least pick this book up, if the other books in the series did not interest you. It stands out, and is such a fun read.

Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

2014-05-24T13:33:00.002-04:00

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Series: Fire and Thorns, #1
Published: September 1, 2011
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 423

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

I actually reviewed the second book in this series first. Mostly because I did not reread this first book for the second book (which I normally do), and this book came out well before I started this blog. So sorry for going out of order, but I did reread this book when the final book came out, so you do get a review!

This book is definitely on my favorite book lists. I can't even express how much I love it. I'd argue, and I've actually tested this, if you're normally not a fan of high fantasy, you will love this anyway. Despite, or maybe because, being set in a completely different universe, the story, characters, and tragedies are completely real.

Let's start with Elisa. She's one of the most realistic female character's I've read in years. To this day I find it hard to find anyone else to measure up to her. I think the reason for this is that she has some of the most character growth, and from a place I've never read before in literature. I really don't want to say too much because it's a pleasure to read this book blind, and I think that's the only way to do it. So just take my word for it, this book is worth it for her journey alone.

The other beautiful things about this book is the 1) universe and 2) plot. First, the universe. Carson makes it so believable because she dares to include things that are very much apart of our world, but generally are cut out of fantasy because they are things the authors don't agree with, or have knowledge about. Carson made the expert decision though to include it all, and I don't know how she did her research, but it was remarkably conducted. As for the plot, well, I've never raved about a plot before. So believe me when I say it is excellent and beautiful and thought provoking. I love that I love the plot. Normally it is the last thing on my list, because without good characters and world building, a good plot is irrelevant. But it's a remarkable thing to see them all working together in harmony with equal levels of excellence.

So if you're not already, go read this book. It's extremely underrated, but everyone I've ever convinced to read it has been blown away (this includes college professors, I'll have you know). It's an incredible journey, and well worth the time.

Review: The Gates of Sleep by Mercedes Lackey

2014-05-19T21:37:00.001-04:00

The Gates of Sleep by Mercedes Lackey

Series: Elemental Masters, #3

Published: January 1, 2002

Publisher: DAW Books

Pages: 389

For seventeen years, Marina Roeswood had lived in an old, rambling farmhouse in rural Cornwall in the care of close friends of her wealthy, aristocratic parents. As the ward of bohemian artists in Victorian England, she had grown to be a free thinker in an environment of fertile creativity and cultural sophistication. But the real core of her education was far outside societal norms. For she and her foster parents were Elemental Master of magic, and learning to control her growing powers was Marina's primary focus.

But though Marina's life seemed idyllic, her existence was riddled with mysteries. Why, for example, had she never seen her parents, or been to Oakhurst, her family's ancestral manor? And why hadn't her real parents, also Elemental Masters, trained her themselves? That there was a secret about all this she had known from the time she had begun to question the world around her. Yet try as she might, she could get no clues out of her guardians.

But sudden death and upheaval will change Marina's life as she know it. Will she be able face the danger that's been following her since birth?

Confession time - that last paragraph of the synopsis is my own. The actual last paragraph on the back of my book is way too spoilery.

I first read this book in my middle school years - and I distinctly remember thinking it wasn't nearly as good as The Serpent's Shadow. Upon rereading it, I was inclined to change my opinion. Until I reached the end of the book.
But, before I talk about the bad, I will talk about the good because I really did enjoy this book, and if it wasn't for that one oh-so-annoying factor at the end I'd be able to sing its praises daily.

Just like with all Lackey's fairy tale retellings in her Elemental Masters series, it's very different from the fairy tale we've become familiar with, which allows for a few unexpected surprises there and there, but the recognizable formula of The Sleeping Beauty is still present. Lackey especially excels with the how. It's so much fun to see how she crafts the story in her own way, and how all the pieces fall together.

Marina was a fun character. Like Doctor Maya, she is very pretentious and modern for her times (a supporter of suffragists and electricity alike), which is a little off-putting to read multiple times. But it's a style Lackey is good at, and so I recognize her ability to recycle it.

But Marina is different in another way from the typical strong female character that Lackey creates. She is terribly naive - and this actually works wonderfully. I personally found it interesting to read, and it's definitely a change! Perhaps the best part is that it allows the opportunity for growth - one which I'm still trying to puzzle out if it occurred. Lackey was weak here because she didn't use so many words (or Marina didn't use so many words) to acknowledge the naive mistake she made as change her actions...sort of.

And that's when the thing happened. How do I put this nicely....There's a horrible case of insta-love. Marina suddenly realizes that she is in love with a new acquaintance when she's close to death. An acquaintance, may I say, that she certainly had chemistry with, but love? The time span was remarkable short, with little, if none, sacrificial actions that people in love bond over. It's like they decided they were in love, and proceeded to act thus. And maybe there's nothing wrong with that, but part of me begs to ask the question of what happens when someone decides they're not in love?

It's all so very frustrating...but I also acknowledge that the world and characters Lackey has created are very much her own whimsical fantasy and so not always realistic. It's why I love the series so much. Because they are such great escape books that hardly result in harm. And when she writes a character that I do relate to...well, it's definitely worth it in the end.

Review: The Oresteia by Aeschylus

2014-05-19T20:51:00.000-04:00

The Oresteia by Aeschylus
Translated by: Hugh Lloyd-Jones
Published: August 1, 1993
Publisher: Public Domain
Pages: 288

The most famous series of ancient Greek plays, and the only surviving trilogy, is the Oresteia of Aeschylus, consisting of Agamemnon, Choephoroe, andEumenides. These three plays recount the murder of Agamemnon by his queen Clytemnestra on his return from Troy with the captive Trojan princess Cassandra; the murder in turn of Clytemnestra by their son Orestes; and Orestes' subsequent pursuit by the Avenging Furies (Eumenides) and eventual absolution.

Hugh Lloyd-Jones's informative notes elucidate the text, and introductions to each play set the trilogy against the background of Greek religion as a whole and Greek tragedy in particular, providing a balanced assessment of Aeschylus's dramatic art.

Greek plays are far superior to Greek philosophy.

Okay, maybe that's not true, Greek philosophy is pretty dang cool (if barely relatable) once you understand it. But the issue is it takes a lot to understand Greek philosophy, whereas the plays are straight forward and easy to read in comparison.
This particular set of plays is a great deal of fun to read, especially after Homer. Aeschylus raises quite a few questions that the Homeric Age took for granted - in this tragedy and others, you can feel the Greeks questioning the almighty power of the gods, free will, love, the role of women. Women especially are prominent in these works. My class had quite a number of arguments over Clytemnestra and whether she was actually a progressive or regressive character for female empowerment. The beauty of the works, of course, is that you can argue both. It's hard to say in the end what the message is, but I definitely consider nebulous themes a step up from the die-hard backward themes of Homer.

And forgive me, but that's all I have to say for this work. I know this is a short review for me, but sometimes there's nothing more to be said, and there's no point pretending to say more.

Review: The Complete Poems of Sappho

2014-05-18T22:28:00.000-04:00

The Complete Poems of Sappho by Sappho
Translator: Willis Barnstone
Series: None
Published: 2006
Publisher: Shambhala
Pages: 224

Sappho’s thrilling lyric verse has been unremittingly popular for more than 2,600 years—certainly a record for poetry of any kind—and love for her art only increases as time goes on. Though her extant work consists only of a collection of fragments and a handful of complete poems, her mystique endures to be discovered anew by each generation, and to inspire new efforts at bringing the spirit of her Greek words faithfully into English.

Our of all the Ancient Greek texts I read for my class, this was my favorite. It's astonishing to think that Sappho lived during the seventh century B.C. because her writings are so prevalent to modern day life.
If you love poetry, pick this book up. To give you an idea, I am especially found of all the Victorian poets, and while the themes of these works are very different, I love how Sappho strikes to the root of problems in her time. I think many people who read this will be very surprised. I know I was! I was completely astonished and literally laughing with glee as I began to put together what she was saying. Considering Sappho is the first female poet that we have records of, I was expecting something...timid. That is not what I got at all, and I honestly shouldn't be surprised when I consider that very few female poets are timid.

Besides the poems, I also throughly enjoyed additions in the back of the book that were other people writing about Sappho. Included here are Plato, Plutarch, Horace, and Aristotle, amongst many others. It's astonishing to read that many of these mean respected her, especially considering not only that she was a women, but the content of what she wrote. Many argue that she deserves a place right next to Homer, or on a separate pedestal since she is arguably the first recorded originator of lyric poetry. And I have to agree. These poems are something else, even if they are fragmentary - the editor did an excellent job arranging them. And while some might argue that the order they are arranged in only creates an illusion of narrative, I'm not sure it does. Many people would find the pattern otherwise, and the editor has simply made it easier to see. Either way, I highly encourage people to read it themselves to determine what they think on the matter.

Review: Richard III by William Shakespeare

2014-05-17T21:07:00.000-04:00

Richard III by William Shakespeare
Series: War of the Roses
Published: 1597
Publisher: Public Domain
Pages: 145

The dramatic concluding months of The Wars of the Roses provide the setting for Shakespeare’s incomparable saga of power and intrigue.

This timeless tragedy follows the bloody path of the "rudely stamped" Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who uses his murderous guile to achieve the throne of England.

Unfortunately, this was literally the largest/shortest synopsis I could find. Most books that publish Shakespeare plays simply list the benefits of their commentary and introductions on the back now, instead of actually describing the play (probably because it's Shakespeare).

Richard III is actually the conclusion of the War of the Roses histories. It follows Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a cripple who ruthlessly fights his way to the throne. This is after Edward IV took it from Henry VI. Arguably, it is the only overthrow of power from within a house, since all other change in successions had been between Lancaster, York, and Richard II.
As with all Shakespeare, it is best seen than read. Although, this one is harder to read than others, so I definitely recommend viewing a live performance. As of now, there are not any good movie or television adaptations, or the good ones took quite a few liberties with the text. But, in 2016, BBC will launch part two of its Hollow Crown miniseries (you might remember me raving about part one awhile back). And here's the kicker. Benedict Cumberbatch will play Richard III.

Excuse me, I'm just fangirling here

But really, the perfection of Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch staring in separate movies for this miniseries.

SO. A very good adaptation is on its way. Anticipate. Because, this is a good play, and if the team behind it pulls it off correctly...it could be just as great as Henry IV and V.

Here's the issue that they might encounter, though. Richard the III is one of the most interesting and fun characters to watch. But he's the only one. Henry IV has Falstaff, Hal, and Henry IV to make the dynamic interesting. Richard spends most of his time killing and manipulating everyone, while they just act on as pawns in his game. Now, it's not too big of a deal because, like I said, Richard is fantastic. In the creepy-I'll never trust you way. But if you get someone who know's what he's doing, then you're in for a real treat. I was lucky enough to see Michael Gotch perform the role Fall 2013. One of the best stage performances I've ever seen. He had me in awe the entire time because he did something so amazing with this character. Afterwards, this elderly couple we'd sat next to turned to us as everyone's applauding and proudly said, "That's my son." I must have congratulated them a dozen times cause, wow.

That said, Gotch was the only actor pulled from outside the University community for this play - and all the other character performances...well, they weren't good, and while I don't want to say they were bad...they weren't good. So, potentially, good actors and actresses could turn those other, lesser roles into something more. But it's a toss up because the conventional interpretation doesn't lend itself to much. My biggest critique of Richard III is that is seems underdeveloped (which is saying something for Shakespeare's second longest play). We never really understand why Richard III views everything so cynically, and the lack of a solid supporting cast doesn't make up for it. Potentially, the right performance could fix all of this. But so much hinges on the right variables coming together, and the ability of people to attend these performances. So in the end, I'd say look out for the BBC series, and maybe skim over the play before watching it. In typical Shakespeare fashion, it has some amazing lines. But to read it all through by yourself won't be very satisfying.

Review: Boundless by Cynthia Hand

2014-05-16T22:07:00.001-04:00

Boundless by Cynthia Hand
Series: Unearthly, #3
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published:January 22, 2013
Pages: 434

The past few years held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner ever could have anticipated. Yet through the dizzying high of falling in love for the first time and the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, one thing that remained constant was the knowledge that she was never meant to have a normal life. Now, as the battle against the Black Wings and their minions looms on the horizon, Clara is finally ready to fulfill her destiny. But it won't come without sacrifices and betrayal.

I received an ARC from the author in a giveaway (because Cynthia Hand is awesome and puts books lying around to good use). This in no way affects the content of my review.

To all who doubted the ability of this book to end in a satisfying way - be gone naysayers!

Wrapping up any series is always really hard for an author - they have to balance the integrity of the story with fan expectations. And to me, the best endings are the one's that always stay true to the story. I don't always agree with them, but I can't argue with them, if you get what I mean. This was one of those endings, and I just so happened to absolutely and utterly enjoy it. No, I'm not telling you what that means.

I think the first thing I should warn people about is that some people will read this book solely for discovering who ends up with whom. And these people will then go and say that the ending is all about that. It's not, I say! It's NOT!

The love story of these books is undeniably one of the most beautiful love stories I have ever read - I do not lie guys, it is epic. But because of the role of choice, fate, higher powers, free will, knowledge of the future, flaws, and all these things I believe in so strongly because they are real.

Ultimately, Hand made her use of the paranormal real. She took this concept of angels, and used them as a tool that relates very well to our modern world. Okay, I'll stop being vague. She doesn't give all the answers. The angels don't give all the answers. Clara is still left with a lot of ambiguity in the end, but it's resolved ambiguity. There. That's what I've been trying to say, and that's why loved this book so much.

Also, EVERYTHING YOU THOUGHT WAS WRONG MWHAHAHAHA. Aka, plot twist, that was beautiful, and ties into the beautiful overarching design I talked about above.

*cackles* sorry couldn't help myself

Don't get me wrong, some of this book is devastatingly sad. And to those of you who have been reading my reviews for awhile, yes, you suddenly understand why I loved this book so much because I love sad things (like Will Graham, you puppy, I want to take you home).

I loved how Jeffrey and Angela's plotlines are wrapped up. I'll just say, if you every thought these guys were leftovers...they are definitely not leftovers...

In fact, this was just damn good writing, and kudos to Hand for putting together one of the most solid stories I've seen in years. And if all this is not enough to convince you that I genuinely thought this a fantastic piece of literature, I present, my initial reaction.

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

2014-05-14T19:43:00.001-04:00

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
Series: Unearthly, #2
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published: December 26, 2012
Pages: 403

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

Cynthia Hand is a very special person. She's awesome, and she actually knows how to write. No guys, I mean she know how to write outside of YA and studies this stuff for years, so she's legit. And it shows in this book - the dreaded middle child that's actually as good as the first.

This is actually the second time I've read this book - I picked it up so I could read Boundless (the last book in the series), and this was my refresher before diving back into the world (this is why I honestly prefer to read all of a series at once, but it makes me feel hipster and all when I read awesome series as they come out. Dilemma). And let me tell you a secret. First time I read Hallowed, I thought, meh, not as good as Unearthly. Cause I loved Unearthly. If I had to make a list of my favorite book moments ever, Tucker and Clara falling in love would be on it, and somewhere towards the top. I absolutely positively loved how real their relationship was. Which is probably why I didn't like this book as much because, shocker, relationships go through road bumps (which is good, I know this, but gosh darn it, WHHYYSS), and this particular relationship has a big road bump - Heaven's seemingly romantic setup of Clara and Christian. And honestly, as I'm writing this I'm thinking, shit, this sounds like such a messed up YA story with all those bad twisted messages and LOVE TRIANGLE

That dreaded, stupid plot device of love triangles. Except when they're not a plot device and are actually real. And it's real in this book, believe me guys. If you normally rage at love triangle's, trust me that this isn't like those - there's so much more in play here. And for once, I feel like this is a triangle not about which guy do we, the readers, or even the author, like better - but it's about the pure relationship Clara has with both of them, and what she and they need. So it's beautiful.

But please realize, though this is what I began talking about in the review, the book itself is about more than a love story. The central conflict of this book is actually tragic (and a spoiler, so I won't get specific). At it's heart, this book explores relationships of all kinds at all levels. There's loss and gain, strife and harmony, and everything in between.

All the old character's are back - Angela, Jeffrey, Mr. Phibbs. And we get new characters! And so much angel things. Guys, I love the angel lore in these books. And if you're really frustrated with all the ambiguity of angels at the end of the book (cause that's still a thing from the first book), I promise that it's addressed in the third book. This story is epic, and the second book is merely what I would describe as the Iron Man 3 of the trilogy.

So go on and pick up this series if you haven't, and if you have and have been worried about the second book, don't be. It's so so so good (school has clearly exhausted all my good writing skills).

I'm Back!

2014-05-14T17:20:00.000-04:00

School has been crazy, but I'm finally done! School allows for barely any free time I've discovered, so if I want to read, it's been at the sacrifice of writing reviews (because I actually do spend time on these guys), but I'm going to attempt to do the miraculous and write all the reviews of what I've read (about 54 books). We'll see how it goes. Between this and watching Hannibal and Supernatural, it should be a very good summer.

Talk to you all soon!

Review: Red Rising by Pierce Brown

2014-01-27T08:30:00.003-05:00

Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Series: Red Rising Trilogy, #1
Publisher: Del Rey (Random House)
Expected Publication: January 28, 2013
Pages: 400

The war begins...

Darrow is a Helldiver, one of a thousand men and women who live in the vast caves beneath the surface of Mars. Generations of Helldivers have spent their lives toiling to mine the precious elements that will allow the planet to be terraformed. Just knowing that one day people will be able to walk the surface of the planet is enough to justify their sacrifice. The Earth is dying, and Darrow and his people are the only hope humanity has left.

Until the day Darrow learns that it is all a lie. Mars is habitable - and indeed has been inhabited for generations by a class of people calling themselves the Golds. The Golds regard Darrow and his fellows as slave labour, to be exploited and worked to death without a second thought.

With the help of a mysterious group of rebels, Darrow disguises himself as a Gold and infiltrates their command school, intent on taking down his oppressors from the inside.

But the command school is a battlefield. And Darrow isn't the only student with an agenda...

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review - thank you to Random House for sending me a copy of this book.

This is a very hard book to review. It is very good for a debut book, and very good for a dystopian. Many other reviews on this site will tell you all about the fantastic plot and gripping characters, and I agree with them. I have no doubt this book will go places. But I think it's going to be very controversial, more so than even The Hunger Games.

More controversial than kids killing kids, you say?! *gasp* Yes, it's true, and let me tell you why (in a non-spoiler way, of course).

In most dystopians, the bad guy can be pointed back to one or a few figures: Big Brother, President Snow, Captain Beatty, etc. In this book, the prejudice and power that plagues society is an illness found in not only the government, but many of the citizens, even a few, dare I say it, of the oppressed. Normally, I'd find this appealing and refreshing. Except, I would expect growth, some kind of recognition of the fact that what's going on is wrong kind of thing. And I did in most characters. But not all. Which normally is okay, but again, not in this case because I didn't find it in the most crucial character: the protagonist. Who is our narrator, Darrow.

I did not like Darrow - I don't think he was written to be a likable character. This dystopian society is very much influenced by Greek and Roman mythology, and a large part of that society is lack of accountability for one's actions because "the gods were responsible." Well, in this society, the government is responsible. So people find their choices are limited, caught in Catch-22's, can only chose between two evils. Therefore, they pass off accountability. I understand this. It is very hard for me to sympathize with it. I'm not trying to sound snobbish or naive when I say I'm a very moral person - it's a product of my upbringing and the books I love. Not to say I haven't read a lot of immoral books, I have. I just don't like them because they don't lead to a lasting happiness. And I hate it when a character does something wrong, and doesn't acknowledge that it's wrong. It's okay for character's to make mistakes, to do bad things, and then repent and learn. But that wasn't a theme here. In fact, it was noticeably lacking, and that's what largely put me off the book.

Perhaps it was an intentional choice, dystopia's being dystopia's and all. But it's still not one I agree with. That SPOILER *highlight to view* moment in the beginning during the passage when Darrow kills Julian left a bitter aftertaste for the rest of the book. I enjoyed parts. But I kept waiting for that moment of realization that yes, there was a choice, and I made the evil one, sacrificing the innocent for the future, and that was wrong. It never came. And I'm not much of a "the means justify the ends" kind of person. So, no perfect score for this book. I'm curious to see how it turns out, but will likely not reread or follow the others.

Review: Endless by Amanda Gray

2014-01-25T21:20:00.001-05:00

Endless by Amanda Gray

Series: I assume...?? But I won't be reading it.

Publisher: Month9Books

Published: October 8, 2013

Pages: 384

Jenny Kramer knows she isn’t normal. After all, not everybody can see the past lives of people around them. When she befriends Ben Daulton, resident new boy, the pair stumbles on an old music box with instructions for “mesmerization” and discover they may have more in common than they thought.

Like a past life.

Using the instructions in the music box, Ben and Jenny share a dream that transports them to Romanov Russia and leads them to believe they have been there together before. But they weren’t alone. Nikolai, the mysterious young man Jenny has been seeing in her own dreams was there, too. When Nikolai appears next door, Jenny is forced to acknowledge that he has traveled through time and space to find her. Doing so means he has defied the laws of time, and the Order, an ominous organization tasked with keeping people in the correct time, is determined to send him back. While Ben, Jenny and Nikolai race against the clock—and the Order—the trio discovers a link that joins them in life—and beyond death.

I received a kindle edition of NetGalley from Month9Books in exchange for an honest review.

This book was disappointing.

It's been awhile since I've read a book that's made me feel like this: let down, frustrated at the lack of storytelling, upset with the characters because they fell flat instead of upset with them because they jumped out and grabbed me in the wrong way. Upon finishing this book, I felt frustration that I had spent time reading it, but I can't even be bothered to maintain my frustration, so I am left feeling...nothing.

This book has a lot of potential - the premise intrigued me, many of the elements seeming to be things I normally enjoy: a modern book with a twist about the past, an epic plot, and possibly interesting characters. None of it came through.

First, there is the love story. While interesting in the beginning, just as I was beginning to settle into it, it was like someone clicked the fast-forward button, and boom. I suddenly see the makings of a love triangle, insta-love, and plot mechanisms to justify it all. I won't go into too much detail for fear of spoilers, but the love story left me bored because it was something I had seen done before, with no creative or original twist in plot, writing, or style to make me think twice about it.

Then there was the plot. Over the years, I've read many YA books, and I continue to do so because there are many amazing, well-written, deep books in the market. But there is also the formulaic book that most people assume litters the genre. Some people might call it mind-candy or fluff. It's been many years since I've stumbled across one of these books, and Endless falls into that category. It is predictable. So incredibly predicable. I came up empty reading this. I got to the ending and learned nothing new. Good literature will raise more questions than it answers. I'm not sure this book raised any.

If anything, it was nice to read this book to remember why I read books. But it's also a day of homework out the window, which just leaves me going

Review: The Odyssey by Homer

2014-01-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

The Odyssey by Homer

Translator: Robert Fitzgerald

Published: 800 B.C.

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Pages: 515

"Here there is no anxious straining after mighty effects, but rather a constant readiness for what the occasion demands, a kind of Odyssean adequacy to the task in hand." --SEAMUS HEANEY

Robert Fitzgerald's is the best and best-loved modern translation of The Odyssey, and the only one admired in its own right as a great poem in English. Fitzgerald's supple verse is ideally suited to the story of Odysseus' long journey back to his wife and home after the Trojan War. Homer's tale of love, adventure, food and drink, sensual pleasure, and mortal danger reaches the English-language reader in all its glory.

I found The Odyssey much more enjoyable than the first - mostly because I think Odysseus introduces a new theme in a bland setting (that only included honor and glory in The Iliad): family. And yet, the failings here are very similar to that of The Iliad.
Penelope works years and years to ward of suitors, and must face remarrying or giving up her home - whereas Odysseus is able to sleep with as many women as he wants on his travels. Not to mention that Odysseus can be a hot head, and that is what gets him into trouble. And then there's the complete lack of a resolving ending at the end of the book!

All in all, though, The Odyssey was a more enjoyable read. The students in my class joked that it was like "The Hangover" of The Iliad. This time around, we could see much more clearly the consequences of pride, which had been exalted in The Iliad), and the story itself had a plot: Odysseus trying to come home. The Iliad is men fighting at the will of the gods, and stopping at the will of the gods.

But as we continued to read other Greek works in my course, The Odyssey rarely came up again - but The Iliad was referenced plenty. I will say that I don't think you should read only one of the books - I think they should both be read together to fully appreciate the contrast. But The Odyssey will be the easier read for most.

Review: The Iliad by Homer

2014-01-12T16:42:00.003-05:00

The Iliad by Homer
Translator: Robert Fitzgerald
Series: None
Published: 800 B.C.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages: 632

Anger be now your song, immortal one,Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous, that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter lossand crowded brave souls into the undergloom, leaving so many dead men-carrionfor dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.

Since it was first published more than twenty-five years ago, Robert Fitzgerald's prizewinning translation of Homer's battle epic has become a classic in its own right: a standard against which all other versions of The Iliad are compared. Fitzgerald's work is accessible, ironic, faithful, written in a swift vernacular blank verse that "makes Homer live as never before" (Library Journal).

Though I gave this a low rating, I am very glad to have read it. Not just because it's "one of those books," but because of the insight it gives into Greek culture. Plainly put, Homer is the only one who will give you the earliest and purest understanding of Greek life. He lays down the law of how people should live their lives. Writers after him choose to either agree or disagree (and disagreeing is the interesting part). So while I can confidently say that I now understand early Greek thought, I can also say that I very much disagree with almost all of it.
So I don't know how many of you have seen the movie Troy with Brad Pitt and Eric Bana.

But it's a pretty cool movie.

I'm sorry but can we just look at those arms.

Anyways, this movie was the only experience I had with the book before reading it. I knew it was a very loose adaption, but I still think it is a very fun movie. Essentially, the movie adapts the book from the perspective that the gods cannot physically intervene or be physically seen (and trust me, this is a huge difference). Honestly, I'm not sure if anyone can get away with an accurate adaption of the book nowadays because it is so out of our time. And I'm not saying that because it's old. Plenty of old books we can relate to today, which is why we still read them. But current Greek fascination in books and movie, specifically in the YA sector (I'm looking at you, Rick Riordan) has leant a false perception of the Greek culture at this time. Here's how it really was:

They didn't have free will
They didn't even really want it at this time
Everything is the gods fault
Akhilleus was an arrogant arse
Glory and Honor and whosyadaddy were the only things that mattered
Don't even get me started on the women

Our culture is fascinated by the Greeks, and has put them on a platform almost level with us - in terms of all the other societies of the time, they were the most sophisticated. But facts are, the Greeks were around for a long time, and while they did accomplish much in the way of architecture and philosophy during that time, they were always trapped by their belief system. Even their government, the great Athenian Democracy, was not all it's cracked up to be (more on that in a later review). Homer's book only serves to show us how barbaric they really were, and it's that contrast that makes the subsequent Greek literature so interesting.

Reading this was incredibly frustrating. The entire time, no one controls their own fate, so I continually asked myself, what's the point? That's the main reason I docked stars because I just couldn't reconcile my beliefs to those of the book. But it is undoubtedly a good book that I encourage many to try reading - preferably in a group setting where you can talk to others about what's going on (because believe me, you will need to rant to some people about it).

Hello World!

2014-01-12T15:53:00.002-05:00

What's up, everyone?!

Yeah, it's been awhile. Don't get me wrong, I've been reading - I just have a pile of books to review - but the actual sitting down to write a review hasn't happened. College life, I tell you. I'm just happy I was able to continue reading some of my books, alongside everything I do for classes. Even on break, I spend every waking moment soaking in family, tv, or books, and since I go back in a few days, I'm finally resolving to sit down and write out these reviews from, basically, the summer until winter. And since I did most of my reading this year then...well, at least anyone who still reads this blog is in for a treat! Like seriously, I bet everyone is gone now. Wanderlust Books? More like WonderWhen...

I do have a pile of books lying around that I don't need, so maybe when I come back for spring break, I'll finally get around to hosting a HUGE giveaway. If anyone out there still reads this...nag me to do this and it will happen. Otherwise I might just keep putting it off.

So I'm off to write! Happy New Years - maybe this year I'll actually have a steady flow of posts.

Review: Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

2013-08-26T16:35:00.000-04:00

Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Series: None
Published: 1891
Publisher: Public Domain
Pages: 518

"How could I be expected to know? I was a child when I left this house four months ago. Why didn't you tell me there was danger in men-folk? Why didn't you warn me?"
When Tess Durbeyfield is driven by family poverty to claim kinship with the wealthy D'Urbervilles and seek a portion of their family fortune, meeting her 'cousin' Alec proves to be her downfall. A very different man, Angel Clare, seems to offer her love and salvation, but Tess must choose whether to reveal her past or remain silent in the hope of a peaceful future. With its sensitive depiction of the wronged Tess and with its powerful criticism of social convention, Tess of the D'Urbervilles is on of the most moving and poetic of Hardy's novels.

This is a very difficult book to write about. There are plenty of things to talk about. Tess's representation of Nature, the guilt of the innocent, the chaos of Society imposed on Nature. But I could hardly say why (or why not) one should read it.

I'll start off with the plot. Tess is tangible innocence when the story begins. And then, through no fault of her own (I would argue), her innocence is corrupted, and she's outcasted from respectable society. At it's heart, this is a Moral story - the moral's man imposes vs. Natural Law. This conflict first comes up when Tess is ousted from society. Again when she meets Angel Clare. And finally at the end in conclusion with the story.

I should say, I expected something similar Jane Eyre when I started reading this book. Indeed, I thought so all the way to the end. That's when I found out that was not at all to be the case. I was so dense in my conviction that I knew where the story was heading that I completely missed all the foreshadowing...until I looked back and went, "Oh."

And then this proceeded to occur because honestly, it does not do to have oneself hit out of the blue by that ending!

Words of advice. If you read this, look for the foreshadowing (it's not hard to see), and don't be a dunce like me. Heed it. That way you won't be broken by the ending.

The hardest part for me to come to terms with, though, is not the ending, but the characters. They are all, each and everyone of them, so incredibly flawed. But they always will to do good, and because of that, I like them. Even Alec.

To me, he's the most interesting character. And maybe I'm not supposed to think that. I'm inclined to think that he was completely guilty because it makes Tess less culpable. But at the same time, I acknowledge that this is likely not the truth. There are moments of foreshadowing, and certain turns of speech that lead me to believe Tess's lost of innocence wasn't completely out of her control. Ignorance may be at fault for that, and if so, it's interesting to think what Hardy's trying to say about it.

Even so, by believing that both Alec and Tess are guilty, suddenly, the perspective on his character changes. His guilt seems genuine, his desire to help
rooted in love. I can wonder if he truly does love Tess, and see's her more than as an object to be possessed.

I might even like Alec more than Angel. He, at least, doesn't pretend to be something he's not. The double standard that Angel holds (He was my first Mordred <3) Tess to infuriates me. He realizes his mistake, but too late. Does that make it okay? Very difficult question. Alec at least made offers of reparation, hell, he put everything into making it up to Tess. I also think there's an argument to made that he only wanted to possess her. But his story turned sour, too, which makes me think that he did have good intentions. Because everyone good ends up in a really bad position. Here's a quote from the book that says what I've been trying to say much better:

The beauty or ugliness of a character lay not only in its achievements, but in its aims and impulses; its true history lay, not among things done, but among things willed.

The characters that will to do good either end tragically, or their actions are convoluted through Society. It's what the entire novel is about, and it makes one seriously reconsider life.

So. If you think yourself up to it, I'd say go ahead and read this book. I probably wouldn't have if I'd known exactly what I was getting myself into. As it was, the premise somehow caught my fancy, and I decided to read it one day. And I'm glad I wasn't scared away because it truly is a good book, one of the most interesting and thought provoking books I've read in awhile.

Review: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

2013-08-19T13:44:00.000-04:00

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Series: None
Published: 1885
Publisher: Public Domain
Pages: 544

Elizabeth Gaskell's compassionate, richly dramatic novel features on of the most original and fully-rounded female characters in Victorian fiction, Margaret Hale. It shows how, forced to move from the country to an industrial northern town, she develops a passionate sense of social justice, and a turbulent relationship with the mill-owner John Thornton.

North and South depicts a young woman discovering herself, in a nuanced portrayal of what divides people, and what brings them together.

Take a moment to read that description. Note Margaret's character. She is so peculiarly unique that I can see some people not liking her. But this story is so incredibly epic that I can't help but fall in love with each and every character.

So, a little background. I came to the book through the TV miniseries first. I then read the book in two days. Some day I'll go back and take my time with it, but I was so captivated that there was no way I was putting it down.

North and South is a social commentary. It was actually reviewed and edited by Dickens, and friend of Gaskell, who then published it in his magazine. Gaskell was very popular in her time. She did a fantastic job of displaying life of the time from all classes. The book starts off in the South, and there's a very scenic, realistic country life painted before us - more than simply the image, but also the characters and their life. When we move North, suddenly the conflicts are different, the arguments are varied, and justice is an ever prevailing question. Margaret struggles to come to terms with all of this, and most prominently, entrepreneur John Thornton.

(insert the 30 minutes I ~~wasted~~ took to look through Richard Armitage pictures)

So, before people start thinking it, no, this is not a Pride and Prejudice love story. Thornton is not at Mr. Darcy's level in society. It's actually rather hard to discern his level because he's self-made. And Margaret, while only from a simple country family, was raised in London society. They are both equal because they are unequal. But realization is a process.

I common trait of Gaskell's novels is well rounded characters. Sometimes I think people to take that to mean characters that are likable, but that's not it at all. There are plenty of flat characters I love (Mrs. Bennet, I'm looking at you),

and there are round characters I dislike. However, the difference between the two is this: if I dislike a round character, I am more likely to forgive them. If I dislike a flat character, NO SYMPATHY.

Round characters aren't black and white. They are a rainbow.

I approve of rainbows.

The writing in this is extremely well done. Very poetic, very moving, and very humorous all at once. My favorite line is,

Time and space were not, though all other things seemed real. Every event was measured by the emotions of the mind, not by its actual existence, for existence it had none.

That gets me every time.

Yet, if all of this is true, then why don't more people know about her? Austen was similarly a very well written author that has survived the test of time - why not Gaskell? Well I can't say for sure, here's my theory.

The conflicts of Austen's time were more internal than external. The social class system was ridiculous, but in Austen's books, this is always presented as an obstacle to maneuver, and never as a point of conflict in society itself (hence the satirical/critical nature of the books). Whether the system of social climbing was a wrong one was never much up for argument between the people of that time. Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility come close to this, but the topic never leaves people of intimate acquaintance. That is to say, Elinor never confronts her brother about his turning them out of the house with hardly a penny - it is seen as his right (if a bit unfair), and so improper to dispute.

Whereas in the time of Gaskell's novels, and in North & South, while the characters still have plenty of internal conflicts to come to terms with, there is also the matter that the world of politics gives everyone the right to question the way things are done. A character is no longer judged by just [him][her]self and those of his/her society, but by the world, and furthermore, the world has the right to question them about their actions. To me, it makes a much more interesting tale, but it also brings in a heavier economics side, as heartfelt talked about, that might be unwelcome to many. It's a complication that some would rather do without. Honestly, I was surprised by the amount of economic principle touched upon in this book, but so happy to see it! It's a fascinating subject, albeit, not to everyone.

In conclusion, I now have two other Gaskell books on my desk that need to be read soon because this book was perfection.

Review: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

2013-08-16T14:56:00.000-04:00

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
Series: Corman Strike, #1
Published: April 30, 2013
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Pages: 455

A brilliant debut mystery in a classic vein: Detective Cormoran Strike investigates a supermodel's suicide.
After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.

You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this.

Introducing Cormoran Strike, this is the acclaimed first crime novel by J.K. Rowling, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

Confessions: I picked this up after realizing J.K. Rowling wrote it, and this was my first modern day mystery.

I am a huge fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories, but I haven't actually ever read what people would label as a "mystery" by any author still living. It's not because I try to avoid it or have anything against mysteries (again, adore Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's writings!). I just simply have never been told to read them. I pick up books by reading reviews, following blogs, hype, or occasionally for promotion. Mystery books just have never fallen into those piles. There have been books with elements of mystery, where it is a central part of the plot (the surprise vs. suspense techniques). But this was my first "whodunit" modern novel.

Let me make it clear, I am not knocking off stars because I was upset there were no wizards or dark lords. The world of Harry Potter was beautiful, but it is something in and of itself. What I was looking for were the writing techniques Rowling utilizes so well, and what helped Harry Potter to be such a success. The character building, foreshadowing, story building, plot devices, and clear development of the story. Unfortunately, it fell short on many levels. And it was sad.

I did my research. This book received high reviews from critics. Upon closer look, all these reviews celebrate Robert Galbraith's debut. Expectations are everything, as any economist (or smart human being) could tell you. To read this book with the idea in mind that it is the first book to be published by an amateur author is very different than reading it knowing it was written by the Queen. I admit, if I was reviewing this book as a debut, I would be much more impressed and probably give this book a higher rating. Since it's a series, I would continue to follow it, but expect steadily improving quality as the author becomes more accustomed to writing. But with Rowling, we already saw go through this process with Harry Potter. It might be a little much to expect increasing quality in the coming books.

I very much wanted to like this book. But I took care to make sure I started the book with a blank slate. I took care of college stuff, caught of on reviews, and generally did everything I had been procrastinating on the entire summer. The first night I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. I am one of the people who enjoyed Rowling's writing style, and loved the eloquence of it. I hadn't realized how much I missed her descriptions until I found myself reading that first paragraph:

The buzz in the street was like the humming of flies. Photographers stood massed behind barriers patrolled by police, their long-snouted cameras poised, their breath rising like steam. Snow fell steadily on to hats and shoulders; gloved fingers wiped lenses clear. From time to time there came outbreaks of desultory clicking, as the watchers filled in the waiting time by snapping the white canvas tent in the middle of the road the entrance to the tall red-brick apartment block behind it, and the balcony on the top floor from which the body had fallen.

Very few authors have the talent to set up a scene and make it come alive like this with only one short paragraph. This continues for the first few chapters and I thought that this would be a phenomenal book.

But then something changed. Or rather, didn't change. Because Rowling did such a fantastic job portraying Cormoran in the first few chapters, I lost interest in him for the rest of the book. Because the crime was so well described and set up in the beginning it fell short before the climax. Because all the drama with the relationships between some characters burst quickly, I was rather disinterested in picking up the pieces. Shortly said, I lost interest. I kept reading, and at a very good pace, but I knew as each page turned that my opinion of the books was degrading. I was excited every time we got to meet a new character because Robin and Cormoran quickly grew bland. And I was disappointed each time we did meet a new character because they quickly turned out not to be very exciting. They could have been. But I think the reason I am ultimately disappointed in everything is due to how the mystery turned out.

Like any classic mystery, this one is solved ere the end. And upon it's conclusion...well, I pulled a Morgana.

To me, it was shamefully far-fetched. Not the "whodunit" part, but rather how it came to be solved. The entire time I was reading, I suspected almost everyone. I may not be an expert mystery reader, but I did not expect Rowling to go for the most unlikely suspect because, well, it would be too obvious. And there's also another, slight (not really) detail that was essential to the whole plot originating that was explained but not very plausible.

There was one other issue I had, that, if fixed, might have recaptured my attention with Cormoran and Robin. They both had partners that were never introduced. Now, it's one thing for these people to have partners that don't have a lot of bearing on their lives (a contradiction if you ask me, but hey, it happens). But both these partners were a source of conflict for these characters, and we were never introduced. Maybe that's intentional and means something special and complex. But I just found it annoying.

The events of this book very much take place on the surface. We're deliberately withheld information for the sake of the mystery. The depths of this book come from the moral and human condition questions. And unfortunately, it was not enough. I found it lacking, though well written. Maybe my expectations were too high. But I think they had a right to be high, and fact is, if this was written by anyone else who I knew to be a good author, I would have the same expectations. So in the end, I'm just left feeling like this -

Review: The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey

2013-08-12T12:27:00.000-04:00

The Serpent's Shadow by Mercedes Lackey
Series: The Elemental Masters, #2
Published: March 1, 2001
Publisher: DAW
Pages: 394

Maya Witherspoon had lived most of the first twenty-five years of her life in her native India. As the daughter of a prominent British physician and a Brahmin woman of the highest caste, she had known only luxury. Trained by her father in the medical arts since she was old enough to read, she graduated from the University of Delhi as a Doctor of Medicine by the age of twenty-two.
But the science of medicine was not Maya's only heritage. For her mother was a sorceress - a former priestess of the mystical magics fueled by the powerful and fearsome pantheon of Indian gods.

Though Maya felt the stirring of magic in her blood, her mother had repeatedly refused to train her. "I cannot," she had said, her eyes dark with distress, whenever Maya asked. "Yours is the magic of your father's blood, not mine...." Surya had never had the chance to explain this enigmatic statement to her daughter before a mysterious illness claimed her life. Yet it was Maya's father's death shortly thereafter which confirmed her darkest suspicions. For her father was killed by the bite of a krait, a tiny venomous snake. In the last hours of her mother's life, in the seeming delirium of her final fever, Surya had repeatedly warned Maya to beware "the serpent's shadow." With the sudden loss of her father, Maya knew she must flee the land of her birth or face the same fate as her parents.

This was actually my first Mercedes Lackey novel. I also think that it might have been my first brush with modern fantasy, though I definitely had read stories with fantastical elements and styles (I'm thinking of The Little White Horse).
I recently reread it because the series is good, but as more books come out, I find myself losing track of whom is whom within the universe. Each novel features a main set of characters, surrounded my other secondary characters. The secondary characters tend to cross paths with many of the main characters of the novels, but I still struggle to remember all their names, so...

Maya Witherspoon and Peter Scott are the stars of this novel. Both come from very different backgrounds, but they hold similar values. They are humble and wise. Very wise.

My favorite part about these books is the setting (Edwardian England), and the fantasy (Elemental Masters). If you don't already love Edwardian England, there's not much I can say to convince you on that point except that Lackey brings it to life...on her on terms. If you've every read a true fantasy, then you know that descriptions are very particular, and and Lackey's throws a modern, yet mystical light onto the city. As for the magic, I think it's brilliant. I love the colors and shields associated with each elements, and the elemental creatures! I love reading fantasy's because I think they evoke these child-like desires for a secret, luminescent power. And there's nothing wrong with that. In the words of C.S. Lewis,

Some day you'll be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.

We are never too old for magic. Or at least, not this kind of magic. Many stories nowadays use werewolves, vampires, angels, mermaids, zombies, fairies, and even aliens. Those, and even today's "wizard" are very different from the fantasy element of this book. The series treats magic not as a separate being that exists separately in the form of some creature, and so, a paranormal book, but in the world around the characters. Magic is not in the setting because the characters need it, but because it's apart of their world, and they are simply wielders that have learned to use it. And that's what I adore about this series.

As for the story, it is not my favorite. It has some merit for being the first book to introduce the concepts of the world (The Fire Rose is often disregarded for some reason, and I believe out of print). Maya is almost too over ambitious for my tastes, and too liberal for the setting. While I know that Victorian's weren't as up and tight as they're stereotyped, well...there was a place where the stereotype came from. The rule of Society were strict and unfair, and many rebelled. But many went with the flow too, and I felt this book was lacking in that vein. I would've loved for a clearer picture of that a liberal like Maya, her friend Amelia, and both Peter's were fighting against.

The villain in this story, also, was too... villainous for my tastes. I'm not a fan of the, "Look at me, I'm evil!" characters. I like for them to have multiple sides and facets of evil, and even some shades of goodness. Because that's what real human beings are like. But hey, it's a fantasy novel, and I've learned to accept the fantasy elements.

In the end, though, this series will always have a very fond place in my heart simply for being a piece of my childhood.