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books

I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

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When the first ring appears around his ankle, John gets a little scared. When the second appears, he’s full-out worried. But when the third appears, his life is at stake.

John is a member of the Garde — one who develops legacies — from the planet Lorien. He and eight other Garde from the planet Lorien are the only ones to survive the takeover of their home planet from the rival Mogadorians. The Mogadorians have destroyed their own planet and chose to take over Lorien for their own gain and wipe the native citizens out.

John and the fellow eight survivors have come to Earth, a planet much like theirs, and they have spread themselves out in order to not be found together. The Mogadorians are going to find them on Earth, but the more dispersed they are, perhaps it’ll take longer — especially since they have to be killed in order. And despite their being spread out, they will know when others have been killed by the rings that will appear on their ankles.

I Am Number Four picks up as John discovers the third ring on his ankle. He and his guardian Henri, a fellow Lorien who will not develop legacies (and thus referred to as a Cepan), must abandon their lives on the Florida coast and move somewhere completely new. It’ll be Paradise, Ohio, this time, where John will develop relationships with his fellow classmates in ways he never has before. John is finally old enough now to find a girlfriend and to understand how important relationships with people his own age are. However, Henri will warn him repeatedly that this might not be a good idea, since their lives in Paradise are certainly impermanent.

Pittacus Lore is the pseudonym of a pair of writers, James Frey (of A Million Little Pieces fame) and Jobie Hughes. This title was highly buzzed at this year’s BEA, and interestingly, it was a late add to the Harper fall catalog. Perhaps that has to do with the fact this was already in film production, with the movie slated to his theaters in early 2011.

I Am Number Four was worth the 440 page roller coaster. This was an incredibly fast paced, action-filled novel that sucked me in immediately and kept me engaged right through to the end. I found John and Henri’s planet’s history interesting and it was just enough not to bore me with details. I did not get confused about what was happening, nor did I feel like I didn’t get enough history to understand why they had to do the things they did. It was a perfect balance of their past with their present situation to keep me going.

I found that John was a completely relatable character, despite being an alien. He had real feelings, and I thought he had real feelings toward his classmates (even Mark, his immediate arch nemesis-turned-good-friend). There’s enough thrust here to make what happens at the end — which I promise is hugely action-paced and kept me reading well past the time I should have stopped — even more immediate.

The one big issue I had was that Sarah, the only female who makes more than a quick cameo, is a flat and voiceless character. She’s got no interests of her own beyond John, and I feel she was a little too quick and flighty in accepting the truths he tells her. I wish she was a but more of a challenge to him in the way a real girl of her social status would be. And to answer the question my husband posed to me while reading, yes, aliens and humans can have relationships, and children they produce are super geniuses (think Ghandi, Thomas Jefferson, etc.). Pittacus Lore thought through this pretty thoroughly.

I Am Number Four will make an excellent movie, and it’s one I will definitely see. When I finished this volume, I immediately went to find out when the second book will be released (Spring 2011) since I will continue into this series. This appeals to both genders, and I think it will have special appeal to teen male readers who haven’t had anything spectacular thrown at them in series form for a bit now (Alex Rider and Redwall are still hot in my library, but they’re not especially new, whereas girls keep getting vampire romances and other series aimed at them). Likewise, there are some greater themes in this book, too, including the importance of keeping one’s home planet safe and “green” — the Mogadorians ruined their planet while the Lorien kept theirs alive through love and thoughtful use of and recycling of good and products. Since both species can share Earth, I think the message is pretty clear we can decide our own planet’s destiny.

And don’t worry: there are plenty of secrets and magical powers to be revealed throughout. John is in for quite the surprise on more than one occasion. Bonus points on this novel for having virtually no language issues (there is one instance, but that is where one chracter tells another it is not okay to be profane) and the romance that develops between John and Sarah is totally clean. There is some violence, but it’s nothing beyond what you’d see on daytime television. We don’t even cross into prime time violence here.

You can check out this website for more insight into the book, the movie, and into aliens. I learned Wisconsin is one of the top ten places for UFO sightings…something I might have to spend a little more time investigating, as well.

* Review copy won at BEA.

Orange is the new black

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This post got me thinking about cover colors. There has been an explosion (haha) of orange covers lately. Have you noticed? Check out their list, which I can add quite a few more to:

I love orange. It stands out so well. But maybe this one’s jumped the shark. I think next summer, one of my bingo squares for the teen readers will be read a book with an orange cover. Seems like there’s plenty from which to choose!

What’s your take on this trend?

Rose Sees Red by Cecil Castellucci

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How would you spend your last night in New York City if you knew you’d be heading back to Russia in a matter of hours? What about if you’d been living in a compound in New York City for two years and never got to chance to see anything in your adopted town? Moreover, what if you were constantly afraid to leave because you might be caught by the CIA or the KGB during the Cold War era when sentiments between Russians and Americans weren’t exactly the best?

That’s precisely the place where Yrena is when we meet her in this story as she sits on her porch stoop. But let’s back up a little bit first. For many years, Daisy was her best friend and they did everything together. Daisy was a bully friend — the kind who forced Rose to adapt her mindsets and beliefs in order to maintain their “friendship.” When Rose would stray, it would be fear that caused her to snap back into following Daisy’s beliefs. But when Daisy finds out that Rose has lied about quitting dance and will not be joining her at the Science Academy for high school, but instead she’ll be going to the Performing Arts high school for dance, that’s when their friendship is done and over. There are no second chances for lying, and Daisy is not going to let Rose forget this. Any chance she gets to snub Rose she will take.

Needless to say, Rose feels low. She feels she has no friends, nor does she have the capability to make them. She’s alone, save for her brother, who is head-over-heels for the weird and beautiful girl next door whom they walk by each day on their way to school. She never goes anywhere besides her front porch. The same porch that is constantly seeing the feet of CIA and KGB agents walk by it.

That is, until one night she raps on Rose’s window and invites herself in. Although put off by this boldness, Rose invites her in and then invites her for ice cream. And when ice cream isn’t enough, Rose chooses to be bold and attend a party many of her classmates were attending (and had actually invited her to) at the Metropolitan Museum with Yrena. But once Yrena attends, she states that she does not want to go home, and when Rose finds out it’s because she’ll have to be going back to Russia, well, the night will go on and on and on.

Rose Sees Red moved quickly for me. I was immediately sucked in, and I quickly found myself sympathizing with Rose. She reminded me of so many teenagers who feel the need to fit in with their friends, sacrificing their own passions in order to fit in. I was rooting for her wholeheartedly, though, when she mentioned she didn’t actually stop dancing but instead, she did it in secret. Her audition for the Performing Arts school struck me, as I feel Castellucci hit on emotions in those scenes that will affect many readers — we’ve all been there when we just can’t muster up our best when we have the ability to, but the moment the spotlight’s off, we can be spot on. Fortunately, it works out for Rose.

Yrena intrigued me from the beginning, and despite really liking this title, I didn’t feel I got enough of her. I wanted to see her kiss Rose’s brother (whom she mentions throws wild parties in Rose’s basement regularly — and Rose informs her is actually him and his friends playing Dungeons & Dragons). I wanted to see her do more and I wanted to know more about her dancing; she, unlike Rose, wants to quit dancing, but she is not allowed to do so. I wanted more of Yrena’s family, since they were interesting off-page characters.

But you know, it made me like Rose. It made me realize I couldn’t know them well. I only had the one night, as well, and all I knew was that the war outside America was just as much a war inside her borders: Americans and Russians had tense relationships, to the point of regular investigations from both the CIA and KGB right in New York City. I didn’t know this happened right in this country, and the fact Castellucci was able to make me intrigued about this period in American history should say something about the story she’s developed (did anyone else go through American history classes in high school and college only ever making it to the World War II? Clearly nothing’s happened since, right?). Adding to that sentiment, I think it’s great she tackles a time period that hasn’t been written about much, and I think that the emotions she gives Rose and Yrena, as well as the rest of the high schoolers in the book, play into similar feelings we have now as war rages on in the Middle East.

This is a short book at about 195 pages, and it is a relatively quick read. It’s one powerful night, and as we all know, those fly by. We want more. We yearn to capture as much experience as we can. But we can’t. And I think anything else in Rose Sees Red would be too much.

Now onto a couple issues: first, it is not mentioned until far too into the book that it takes place in 1982 New York City. Young readers will not pick up on this time period, as it comes off as fairly contemporary. The CIA, KGB, and references to Russians living next door will likely go over their heads in terms of plotting a setting, since the courses they take in school often do not get this far in American history. I wish Castellucci had been a little more upfront about it. This isn’t a familiar setting for most readers.

Likewise, I’ll let Abby’s review do the talking of the other minor issue I had, which was that this felt at times like an after school special. But, selling this book correctly will give it appeal to the right audiences. This is a title I’d talk to high schoolers without a doubt, but rather than selling it in terms of history or in terms of the “one-last-night,” I’d sell it as a story of friendship. Rose feels lonely and has lost her best friend, but she comes to discover through her adventures that she is a completely likable person and that the people she goes to school with are dying to get to know who she is. She is talented and passionate, but it took some self-investigation and the following of her own dream of dancing to realize this. I think *that* is the message that will resonate with readers. The rest is gravy.

Rose Sees Red will be available in August. This is one I plan on hand selling and book talking to readers, as well as putting onto handouts (we have one for books with particular girl appeal that includes a spot on friendship). I think it’s going to find a nice readership, and I believe the completely appealing cover art will help it fall into hands, as well. Castellucci’s name recognition, of course, will help as well.

*Review copy received from the publisher.

Fat Vampire, by Adam Rex

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In Fat Vampire, our protagonist Doug is a nerdy, overweight teenager,who is made into a vampire and has to cope with the changes in his life that the transformation brings.  There’s a lot of vampire lit out there, and I tend to stay away, since I’ve gotten more than a little tired of it.  Then I found myself on a plane flying home from BEA with a backpack full to bursting of books, and Fat Vampire was the one on the top.  So I picked it up.
And surprisingly enough, it was really good – at first.  So many marketing campaigns tout the newest paranormal teen novel as a fresh take on the trend, but for the vast majority, it’s nothing new.  Fat Vampire, though, was actually pretty fresh.  In the world Rex has created, becoming a vampire doesn’t automatically make you a hottie.  Instead, Doug is going to be stuck as an overweight, acne-riddled teen – forever. Cue the normal amount of teen angst times a hundred, but done in a very funny away.
The beginning of Fat Vampire is hilarious.  Doug, being a generally good guy, doesn’t believe in attacking live people for their blood.  So instead, he gets it from somewhere else – a blood drive van at a ComicCon he attended, for instance.  And animals at the zoo.  He’s told his best friend about his condition, and the two of them wreak hilarity throughout the first portions of the book attempting to deal with Doug’s vampirism.  There’s also plenty of moments that make any nerd-inclined reader (such as myself) grin.
And then, a good ways into the story, many, many things happen in rapid succession:  Doug is spotted by a security camera drinking an animal’s blood, and a vampire-hunting show picks it up, seeing it as their first chance to catch a real vampire.  An exchange student named Sejal arrives in town from India with a whole host of her own problems, and she eventually runs into Doug.  Doug is invited into a local vampire mentoring program and is introduced to a shady vampire character who is meant to initiate him into the vampire life.  Doug begins hearing rumors from other vampires (including the one that made him) that killing your maker will turn you human again.
All of these elements (tv show, mentoring program, weird new vampire mythology, the exchange student) are just too much for one book. None of it gels together into a cohesive whole or really goes anywhere. It meanders on to a bizarre ending that left me scratching my head.  I think Rex was trying for something new with the way the story ends, but like the rest of the book, it didn’t work for me.
That was my first objection with the story.  The second is that Doug undergoes an abrupt transformation into mega-jerk (and that is an understatement – he’s pretty abusive) about halfway through the book, and we’re not really given a reason why.  It’s understandable that he may grow power-hungry, but it’s not done subtly, and it’s not really expected given his previous characterization.  This made Doug so unlikable I almost didn’t finish. I’m not a reader who can enjoy a book with such a thoroughly unlikeable protagonist.
I do think Fat Vampire, which will be published on the 27th, has some good things going for it.  For one thing, I like the cover and think it matches the story perfectly.  Beyond that superficiality, Rex has a really engaging style and great dialogue.  I flew through the book in a couple of days.  It’s also clear that he can be very, very funny.  I think the book needed a little more work for it to succeed.  It might be good for more forgiving readers who, like me, have grown tired of the vampire trend but still remember what they enjoyed about it in the first place.  While I can’t really say that I thought the book was good, I found enough things to like about Rex’s writing style that I picked up The True Meaning of Smekday, his previous novel that has received positive reviews.  I have high hopes for it.
ARC provided by the publisher.

AudioSynced: Golden Grove by Francine Prose

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Francine Prose is probably one of the better-known authors of contemporary times, and she’s published both for adults and young adults. Goldengrove is the first title of hers I’ve read, and throughout the time of listening to it, I was reminded over and over of Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere.

Nico adores her older sister Margaret: she’s a wise girl, slightly quirky, and full of style and sass. Her boyfriend Aaron is intriguing, despite their father’s assessment that he “has a screw loose.”

But when Margaret goes for a leisurely boat ride and drowns, everything Nico knows about herself, her family, and Aaron falls away as she searches for meaning in her life and in Margaret’s.

Goldengrove is a story about loss and the search for oneself — Nico, like Lennie in Nelson’s title — must figure out how to handle immense loss at a very young age. And not only is she struggling with loss, she also struggles with the crush and desire she has to be with Aaron. Together, perhaps they can forge the loneliness and loss and find comfort in one another.

But it might just be the case that Nico’s father’s description of Aaron is truer than she ever could believe.

Prose’s novel is dark and haunting, as readers are dropped into Nico’s grief. We have no barrier but rather experience her pain alongside of her. When she avoids old films that would have satisfied Margaret’s need for entertainment or when she spends intimate time with Aaron discussing loss and life, we are inside her. It is raw and powerful.

Were I to read this book, though, I don’t think I would have finished it, but thanks to the magnificent audiobook read by Mamie Gummer, I kept going. Perhaps there is something more palpable for me when loss is narrated or captured in a human voice, but the audiobook drew me in in a way that I could not be drawn into Nelson’s title. I could not connect and feel I wouldn’t connect on the written word, but something about the human element — felt between the spaces of the words read — captured me.

That said, the 7-disc audio published by Harper Collins did not move quickly for me, nor did I find myself eager to dive into each disc as I finished the one prior. Goldengrove requires deliberate listening and absorption, and despite the fact I could have plowed through this in less than a week, it took me nearly two to complete the audio. After a disc, I needed time to think through what happened and how it impacted the characters and me. Near the end of disc 6, there is a major plot twist, and it took me nearly four days to want to continue. But never once did I think I needed to quit; I just needed the space to think.

Gummer’s performance is entirely believable, though she comes off sounding a bit older and wiser than your typical girl Nico’s age (she is 11 or 12 in the story). Given Nico has been thrust into adulthood prematurely, though, the wise and tempered way she speaks feels right. We have a single voiced narration, too, which I appreciated greatly; I have mixed feelings about women voicing men and vice versa, and I think in this story, that tactic could have cheated the story. The production and editing on this title work well, though there were a few times that it was clear recording sessions had changed. I thought the silence in the background spoke volumes and made this production just click.

Goldengrove is a contemporary, realistic fiction title published for an adult audience, but it has significant crossover appeal, particularly for fans of Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere. Fans of Jodi Picolt looking for something with a little more heft will likely find quite a bit to like here, as well. It is much more literary, drawing in allusions to Gerard Manley Hopkins’s “Spring & Fall.” This isn’t a story for the faint of heart, and some of the images and the poetry sprinkled throughout will remain with you.