Don't Mind Me

Follow my blog with Bloglovin I have to claim my blog on Bloglovin' again because I changed the URL. It also means I don't have any followers anymore and I don't know how to change that. But hey, come follow me if you're interested!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I've Read So Far in 2015

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's topic is the Top Ten Books I've Read So Far in 2015.

(These are in the order I read them, rather than an official ranking.)

1. 1984 by George Orwell. Okay, I technically only finished the last part of this in 2015, but it's definitely one of my favorites. This is probably one of the most fleshed-out and realistic dystopian worlds I've read (they don't bother brainwashing the lower class with no power, for instance), it had quite a few interesting things to say, and I'm a sucker for endings like that.

2. Unwind by Neal Shusterman. This was quite well-written (particularly on an emotional level) and it reminded me of some books I loved when I was younger, so I adored it. Quite interesting as well.

3. I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak: This was just absolutely lovely and feel-good, I loved it. The ending also got meta and raised some interesting questions about stories and doing the right thing.

4. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury: This isn't my favorite Bradbury, but it had some very interesting images conjured with his language and touching moments.

5. Reality Boy by A.S. King: I wasn't expecting to like this as much as some of her other books I had already read, but I ended up really enjoying it. I loved some of the questions it asked and the way it slowly revealed the truth of what had been going on.

6. Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury: Reading this collection of essays all at once did get a little bit repetitive (and some, as taken from introductions, are more about him than writing), but it did not fail to inspire me to write about what I loved and what interested me.


7. Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead: Stead's When You Reach Me has been a favorite of mine since I was in middle school, at which point I also read her debut novel but wasn't as interested in it. However, Liar & Spy, though not as complex in plot as When You Reach Me, still hit me hard with its emotional truths and what the main character was going through. This is the kind of middle grade I'd love to write someday, even if it's a more quieter story than the titles that are the most popular with the age group.

8. "The Man Who Forgot Ray Bradbury" by Neil Gaiman: Okay, I'm cheating a little with this one. I liked Trigger Warning as a whole, but this was the story I bought it for and the one I enjoyed the most. It's a lovely tribute to Bradbury, even more poignant after his death, and it was filled with little references to his stories.

9. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: This one took me a little while to get into because I was not entirely sure where things were going, but wow, how all of the characters were connected! Aside from how it was crafted, there was plenty of suspense and just general drama. It isn't really a character-focused story, but I can definitely understand why it was so popular at the time.

10. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (from an idea by Siobhan Dowd): I'm still crying internally over this, I think. It had some very important things to say about grief and guilt, whether the world and black and white, and if stories with happy endings and optimism are always the best. Also, the illustrations and format of the book were beautiful.

Short Thoughts: A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls, written by Patrick Ness and based on the last story idea Siobhan Dowd had before she died, is a children's/middle grade novel with magic realism about a boy dealing with the cruelties of the word. So basically, my specialty.

The actual book--especially the hardcover edition--is a work of art, with gorgeous and haunting illustrations by Jim Kay. And despite its friendly format, I soon found that this was not a book I wanted to read aloud to children, even older ones. Not only would I be sobbing, but it's just so painful and sad that I wouldn't wish it upon them.

And yet, that would be betraying everything this book tries to do. This is a book about Conor and his mother's cancer treatments, and how that makes the adults and classmates (including bullies) in his life tiptoe around him and not always tell him the truth. His family is more optimistic than they should be, something he knows. And he just traps everything inside. Meanwhile, he interacts with a monster that only he can see and who tells him stories where the characters aren't simply good and evil. The monster teaches the contradiction of human feelings, how guilt and anger have a place, and that resolutions aren’t always happy.

A Monster Calls might be a tearjerker, but it doesn't rely on cheap tricks to achieve that. Rather, the real tears come from the realization that it's all absolutely true.

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King

So...I revamped my blog a little bit and after some serious debating, I think I'm going to continue with it, possibly more than ever. That said, education and real life and my mental state always comes first. Over June when I was on limited wifi so I didn't post anything, I wrote one abandoned post that lacked the enthusiasm I wanted and this one. As with everything I'm nervous about posting this, as it features skeptical me with some strong opinions, but I'm going to work on that not-being-nervous-about-publishing thing.

This one was tricky, and I would have to agree with the many others I've seen who were a little disappointed with this. (A.S. King is still one of my favorite authors, though.) It just didn't quite work for me. Here be rambles.

I'm definitely okay with "weird." Glory and her friend drinking a petrified bat? Sure. Getting transmissions from the future? Sure. But something about Glory's journey felt unfinished, and honestly, it's hard for me to tell you what it is. She learns more about her mother, who committed suicide when she was very young, and find some closure as to how she should view that, I think. I say "I think" because there's so much else going on. She also learns about the history between her parents and her best friend's mother. And she also sees a future that may or may not become true. But more on that later. (But honestly, I'm struggling to come up with much that actually happens, besides learning some things. She graduates and hangs out with her "best friend" and goes to the mall where she meets a couple of people who turn out to be important in this future she's seeing. That's about it..)

Aside from whatever I can't put my finger on that makes Glory's story seem unfinished and undefined, she also is...kind of frustrating. I usually do not dislike or judge fictional characters, especially female characters, unless they're inconsistent and make no sense. I'm not sure Glory is completely consistent, but I'm not going to be that picky. But honestly, I actually felt like Glory didn't change too much. (I'll tackle one viewpoint she definitely didn't change later.) She was at peace and felt in control, I suppose, but again something more powerful was missing. And as for what makes her frustrating, well, she's quite judgmental, especially toward other girls.

So this future, then. According to King, it's meant to be some sort of parody. Good, because it's really unbelievable and that distracted me for a while, as I'm naturally skeptical of everything (which is why I have such a hard time choosing a side on any issue that is remotely political; I think the answers are somewhere in the middle). It consists of this chaotic Second Civil War that begins with the passage of a Fair Pay Act, requiring wage equality for women. Apparently this makes a lot of people angry, and some states find a "loophole" which is...outlawing all women from working. Now, putting aside things like we've had a basic law like this since 1963 (with several amendments since) and nothing terrible happened then, and it's not exactly that easy to eliminate the pay gap (because it also usually reflects career choice and a more institutionalized form of sexism regarding negotiations and applications that's really difficult to stamp out, I think, especially while still maintaining consideration of character and individuality...but this is all theory, of course)...this doesn't really make much sense. It would require a majority of extreme misogynists in the legislature and either first repealing or grossly violating the Fourteenth Amendment and other discrimination laws. (Also, where the heck was the Supreme Court throughout all of this?) And it especially doesn't make sense from an economic standpoint: these employers are getting rid of female workers who they apparently used to pay less only to replace them with men who they'll be paying the same rate they would have paid women. Why would they be upset? Meanwhile, whole industries and businesses will tumble because there will be a shortage of workers.

And with an America that is becoming more socially liberal and less religious (where I'm guessing this whole "victory of for the family" thing is coming from), I'm not buying it. There's a clear correlation of each generation becoming more and more accepting and when we have grandchildren there will be even less of these extreme people elected (we are a representative democracy, after all). Sure, there are other issues like sexual assault and reproductive issues, but fair wages? That's where it all goes to hell? And what about the LGBT community, which faces a sect of people who don't believe their identities really exist or are undeserving of equal rights? Wouldn't they be the ones more likely to face a bleak future?

Ahem.What I think is actually going on with this element is that she originally feels that she has no future because her mother didn't and she doesn't have much reason to do anything, but when she sees what could happen she wants to make a change, so she sees how she will eventually become a hero. (Although I think when she first begins to realize she has a future it's when she meets her apparent future husband, which seems a little at odds with everything she stands for?) And I guess she's seeing this apparently feminist future because she's a feminist herself and believes women are all led astray by consumerism and magazines. (Which, okay. There have actually been several feminist reviewers who felt that this book was too ranty or on-the-nose, and it does feel a little forceful with regards to a few things inserted here or there, but I was more upset about what I'm going to discuss in the next paragraph.)

Sex. Glory has a problem with it that was never really resolved. Don't get me wrong, sex education is important, and that appears to be where the storyline goes at first, with Ellie knowing little and being taken advantage of and getting public lice. But then Glory, who is annoyed that she has to be the one to get the treatment because Ellie can't, repeatedly calls her a slut. In fact, Glory rarely sees value in any other female. Her classmates didn't hate her as much as she thought, but that's about it. She goes to the mall and is disgusted by young women with babies and their boyfriends with tattoos, women with "platinum blonde" hair, women who flirt. She generalizes them all (totally living up to that "the radical notion that women are people" bumper sticker) and believes they're all just brainwashed products of the consumerist patriarchy and she's the only one who's smart enough to not be (though we don't exactly know what she does to avoid these things, I mean, she doesn't make her own clothes or anything). It is understandably frustrating. And she never changes this, either, because a page from the end she reminds us that she "didn't flirt" when she calls her future husband. (Seriously, flirting is not submission. I mean, I guess it can be "trying to please your man," but it can also be taking charge, especially if the guy hasn't taken interest in you yet which is the case through most of these incidents.)

Like a lot of things I know I didn't like or don't agree with, I feel fairly conflicted about Glory O'Brien's History of the Future. It was a fast read, but I didn't particularly enjoy it and it didn't make me think nearly as much as King's other books, nor did I feel involved in the characters and the storyline.

In fact...it looks like there wasn't much at all I enjoyed, except that it was a quick read to tide me over until I Crawl Through It. Sigh.

May 2015 Wrap-Up

So, things are going to be a little bit different from now on, because I need to figure out what my priorities are and focus on them. I'm only going to be writing reviews for books where there is something personal and/or something larger to discuss, or it's one of my most anticipated reads for this year and I'll probably be excited and want to talk about it as much as possible. This is because I need time for other things.

That said, I'm hoping to finally finish writing about Broadchurch because I had things to say about both seasons when I watched them two months ago, and I'm also planning to blog more about writing eventually. (Also, I'm watching Fringe at a ridiculous pace and so I don't think I'll be doing very in-depth writings about it yet since I've already blown through two seasons, but there may be short metas here and there.)

As for now, I'm going to try to do monthly wrap-ups. In the fall these may become scarce, but hey, it's better than getting behind.

1. Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead: If you aren't aware, Stead's When You Reach Me has been one of my favorite books for a while, and in preparation for her new book coming out this year, I decided to read the one novel from her I haven't read. It's not the same puzzle mystery where everything clicks into place as When You Reach Me, but it packed much more of an impact than I originally anticipated. Plus, it even dealt with some bullying issues. Basically, Stead is my favorite middle grade author and I think she had the ability to connect to kids of that age.
2. Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman: This was a pretty fun collection, though some I was not in the mood for and may benefit from rereads. Still, there were quite a few I enjoyed--especially the Ray Bradbury tribute.
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Um, I didn't actually love this. I think I may have enjoyed the reading experience more if I was more familiar with the story beforehand, but as it was written there were just so many characters to keep track of and I can't say any of it really interested me. I hope I enjoy some of her later novels though. I did like the more satiric elements.
4. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys: I liked the historical context of this and it was certainly important and well-written; I don't have too much to criticize. But frankly it lacked something more personal for me to connect to, and I wasn't really gripped by it. It did feel uneventful and predictable, which made me less emotionally involved by the time I got to the end.
5. Pride and Prejudice Graphic Novel (from Marvel): There was no point in this being a graphic novel. It is only dialogue, and I'm still ambivalent on the story itself.

For June I am hoping to read Eon (which I've started but haven't gotten into yet), its sequel Eona (unless I don't get to it in the month after these),  Glory O'Brien's History of the Future, and A Tale of Two Cities.

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Life has been pretty crazy so I took a brief hiatus, but I should be back strong in the summer months! We shall see.

If you aren't aware, Solitaire is the debut novel of Alice Oseman, who was just 19 when it was published and 17 when it was written. This was quite a big thing on Tumblr (where she has a presence) last year when the  novel was published in the UK, and naturally it had be interested and inspired. It was published here in the U.S. at the end of March, so I picked up a copy from my library as soon as I could. (By the way, from what I can tell, the U.S. edition doesn't seem to be very altered from the original except in grammar and spelling--it still has very British terms that are not all explained, for example.)

I suppose the best way to begin talking about Solitaire is with our protagonist, Tori Spring. Tori's a pessimist and she's aware of it. She's also an introvert who spends a lot of time blogging (meaning Tumblr) and interacting with anonymous people online. This causes her to be very angry and judgmental toward her schoolmates. It's painful to read, but I think it's a realistic mindset for an introvert who does not get to know who people truly can be inside. She also isn't afraid to dislike things that many other people love (including books), which I know will deter some people, but honestly 1) why do YA heroines have to be so plain so that everyone can relate/like them? 2) these are not necessarily the views of the author and 3) aren't you friends with people who dislike things that you love? Also, after the first third of the book or so, I found Tori much more bearable to read as she got to know some of her classmates a bit better.

Well, primarily, Michael Holden, a strange boy she meets who intrigues and frustrates her. It might sound like a cliche, but in actuality, he's there to open up her mind to the fact that other people can also be interesting. She learns of his amazing speed-skating hobby, of his struggles in school, and of his anger management issues. The two of them grow a bond where sexual attraction is not mentioned once, and I think that's pretty important to show for a change. Relationships are complex. (As I have been saying on this blog when half-hearted romances pop up in books.)

The other character that really stands out is Charlie, Tori's younger brother, who is gay, formerly attempted suicide, and still struggles with mental health. He and his relationship with his sister were probably my favorite things about the book. Then there's Tori's former best friend, Lucas, who comes into her life again; and Becky, Tori's current best friend whom she hasn't gotten along with too well lately and disagrees with at certain parts of the story. These two didn't have as much focus in the story, and although Becky gets some redemption at the end, overall there was a weird lack of developed female characters for a story set in an all-girls school.

And then there's the titular Solitaire, which is a blog-based organization set on staging pranks on the school. These pranks eventually turn dangerous. The thing is, it's quite unrealistic from multiple angles: how the domain solitaire.co.uk existed, how the whole school was hacked and various other things orchestrated, how the school administration doesn't seem too concerned. I believe I saw Alice Oseman say somewhere on the interwebs that this plot came out of her desire for something interesting to happen at school. And, well, the novel doesn't do too much to hide the fact that it's all happening so there is some sort of plot in there while the rest of it can focus on the characters. I think that's something that is understandable as a new writer; I myself have wondered how authors write contemporary without some big scheme of a plot. Nevertheless, it succeeds in its goal of putting the characters in situations that will allow them to develop or reveal what's in their minds and I didn't find it too distracting.

Solitaire's heart is really in mental illness, which manifests (and has manifested) in different forms in Tori, Charlie, and Michael. There is a strong theme of school and schoolwork being unfit for individual people and causing a lot of general unhappiness. This is something that sadly, no matter how much I love learning, I can relate to right now and it's a shame, but it's something we should be talking about. There was also some self-hatred that rang sadly familiar at times. Some darker scenes may have been cut out, but I think the overall effect of Tori believing her life just is this way and the eventual voluntary flirtations with death is believable and done with care.

Despite my reservations about Solitaire, I am really excited to see how Alice Oseman grows as a writer. What she has said so far about her second book (and how she is willing to acknowledge that there are many things she would change about Solitaire at this point in time) has really intrigued me and seems up my alley. I'm really glad she has a voice in fiction and plenty of things to say.

Short Thoughts: Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett

I delayed my "What I've Been Reading" posts to alleviate pressure, and then ended up reading too many to include in one big post. So I've got another idea that should increase my engagement with the non-YA I read as well as my blogging frequency: writing up some quick thoughts on the other books I read. The reason why I review YA is because it's just easier to me; I started reading it to explore it because I was not too familiar with the genre as it is today, and so I approached it with a more critical and objective lens than some of the other things I read. A lot of my critique also came from the angle of relating it to my own experiences.

Anyway, so I just finished Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett. As many of you probably knew, Pratchett passed away in March. I had been familiar with him and had the Discworld series on my radar, but I had not really explored the various titles or read any of them before he died. When that happened, several titles went on sale on Kindle, and the one that most interested me out of the cheapest picks was Reaper Man: essentially, about Death having an existential crisis.

Reaper Man (1991) is actually the eleventh novel written that takes place in the Discworld universe, and the second featuring Death after Mort. While I've been told that the series can be read in any order, I did sort of feel that it may have been better if I had more foundation as to the various beings in Discworld. But it was still enjoyable. (Also, at least according to this--which additionally does a good job of explaining the strange structure--this novel includes a few recurring characters from other books. Or something like that.)

Another unique thing about the series is that it doesn't have any chapter breaks. For me, honestly, it sort of slowed down my reading because I was stopping it more frequently because a scene had ended and I wasn't sure when the next one would end. It's also written in third person omniscient, which lately I've found that I've struggled a bit with if I believe there is one main character that is more important than the others, because then I don't pay as much attention to the other parts of the story that probably end up being just as important. This happened with Reaper Man at times; the wizard Windle Poons (who does not die as he's supposed to because Death quits) is just as much a main character as Death, and while I did find myself focusing for the most part on his section of the story, I didn't enjoy it as much as Death's. Perhaps that was because I just found Death funnier. But alas, this is definitely a reading habit of mine I can work on.

Regardless, Reaper Man was pretty funny. I marked plenty of sentences that amused me, and I found that most of them fell into the category of social commentary, such as "Bill Door made the mistake millions of people had tried before with small children and slightly similar situations. He resorted to reason." Other things are just worded in a subtle but amusing fashion, Douglas Adams-style. Death himself was overall quite sarcastic or at least humorous in his lack of understanding, which was highlighted by his dialogue being written LIKE THIS WITH NO QUOTATION MARKS. And yet underneath all of the humor it had its poignant moments about aging and dying.

Overall, I enjoyed my first foray into Discworld and I look forward to checking out some of the other novels, perhaps starting with all of Death's arc!