So, you know how I said I have very specific books that I choose to read in the previous post? (Okay, you won't have if you're reading this from most recent post to oldest post, but you'll see when you get to An Abundance of Katherines) Well, though I tend to be a thoroughly devoted reader of all things fantasy and historical fiction, as a kid I loved, loved, loved Sharon Creech (who writes, primarily, realistic fiction). Of course, I still love Sharon Creech, but my obsessive reading of her works fell off as I got older (around age fifteen or so). So, realizing I had an extreme lack of middle level books in my repertoire, I decided to pick up one of the few Sharon Creech books I have not read (mostly because it was published right around the time I had stopped reading her books).
Ruby Holler is about the "trouble twins", Dallas (boy) and Florida (girl), who have been bounced around from foster house to foster house, facing everything from neglect to flat out cruelty (there are a lot of allusions towards physical and emotional abuse), always landing back at the Boxton Creek Home where they had been abandoned thirteen years before. Their new foster parents, an older couple, Tiller and Sairy, whose children have grown and left home, have decided to take them in, but just for the summer, in hopes of giving the kids an adventure of a lifetime. However, things don't turn out quite as anyone had planned, and isn't that the point?
This story is so wonderful and sweet and made me bawl like a little baby at the end (I'm actually trying not to cry now as I think about it). As usual with Sharon Creech, there is a series of interesting and gripping plots and subplots all mixed together to highlight the beauty and importance of home and family, whatever shape or place it may be. I particularly liked the ending--it was so wonderfully frustrating and vague, yet perfect, so you can't get mad at Sharon Creech for writing it like that, but you can't prevent your mind from running over with ideas as to how the story ended. So good.
Comparable Reads: I think if this book sounds interesting, any of the other books Creech has written that sort of fit this profile (the country, adolescents, adventures), you'll likely find those books interesting, too. So, you have, of course Walk to Moons, and then Chasing Redbird, Bloomability, and The Wanderer.
Who this book is for: I think the typical audience for Creech's novels are young teens or "tweens" (I hate that word, but I guess it applies here). The book is so wholesome, but without being too goody-goody or obnoxious. It's a nice break from the overly dramatic, angsty stuff that sort of fills the airwaves and some of the books in teen culture. And while angst is great (I'm being serious) and is definitely applicable to the life of a adolescent, sometimes it's nice to have a break. Also, as an adult, it's nice to take a break from adult troubles and be a kid again an see things from the eyes of a kid again.
Showing posts with label Realistic Fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Realistic Fiction. Show all posts
Sunday, December 12, 2010
An Abundance of Katherines
When I'm looking for a book to read I have two major faults. One, I tend to stick with on or two particular genres (historical fiction, fantasy/sci-fi--even better if I can find a book that covers both!). Two, I have a big problem with rereading the same book over and over. I can't stand to watch the same movie or T.V. shows more than once or twice (there are a few exceptions), but I can read the same freaking book a hundred times (just ask my copies of Lord of the Rings and His Dark Materials Trilogy). Anyway, during this semester, when I've been asked to sort of reach beyond what I usually read and tackle some YA lit I might have otherwise ignored, I figured John Green would be a good place to start.
I was familiar with who John Green was as a person rather than as an author, having been introduced to the Nerdfighters this semester (Google this now if you do not know about Nerdfighters--awesomeness), and I've liked what he has to say. And while he's definitely not a sci-fi/fantasy OR historical fiction kind of writer, I figured if I like him, I might like what he has to say.
So, An Abundance of Katherines is all about a guy named Colin who gets dumped, for the nineteenth time, by the nineteenth girl he's dated name Katherine. Interesting premise, right? Colin is also something of a child progidy (not a genius, there's a difference apparently) and in search of finding a way to make his mark on the world. Anyway, in hopes of working himself out of his latest dumping, he and his friend go a road trip that lands them in a sort of back-woods town in the South, where the two friends find themselves entrenched with a rich factory owner and her daughter, Lindsey, who, unlike Colin, is looking to make as little of a difference as possible, wanting to keep her small home town the same cozy place it's always been. Anyhow, hijinx ensue along with a lot of self-discovery, generally funny-ness, and much use of the word "fug" (the book provides an explanation).
Well, I ended up liking this book quite a lot. I didn't find it quite as griping as I had hoped, but it was certainly more than readable and was a nice alternative to my usual literary fare. I thought the characters were engaging (and this, if you haven't caught on yet, is important to me), their emotions real, and there was so much good use of language and wit, which is sometimes lacking in novels directed at teens. John Green talks to teenagers through a voice that isn't trying too hard to sound teenish, but it's not wicked adult like, either. Actually, if you watch any of his vlog brothers videos on YouTube, the narration in "Katherines" sounds very similar.
Here is my one complaint. The road trip. Colin's parents just let him go. He basically says, "Mom, Dad, I'm leaving. Don't know when I'll be back, but don't worry, I'm make sure it's in time for college." His friend, Hassan, who seems to come from protective and fairly religious parents, also has a very easy time getting permission. And the family that the two friends stay with--totally fine with just taking two complete strangers in! It just seemed too convenient for me. My parents were pretty relaxed after I graduated from high school, but they weren't THAT relaxed. It didn't feel believable, and if I'm going to read "realistic" fiction, then I kind of want there to be a higher level of plausibility.
Comparable Reads: I can't really think of anything I've read (at least not anything I can remember well enough) to compare this, too. I mean, the road trip factor and the teenager angsty stuff is similar to any book you might find directed at teens, but the writing, in my opinion, is so different, that I can't think of anything to do a worthy comparison to.
Who this book is for: While the audience is teen readers, I would argue adults (particularly those in their twenties) could really get into this. Like I said, the characters are engaging, and they're also not stereotyped teens. They're like real people with real issues, and I sometimes feel like writers try very hard to write a teenager rather than an actual person.
I was familiar with who John Green was as a person rather than as an author, having been introduced to the Nerdfighters this semester (Google this now if you do not know about Nerdfighters--awesomeness), and I've liked what he has to say. And while he's definitely not a sci-fi/fantasy OR historical fiction kind of writer, I figured if I like him, I might like what he has to say.
So, An Abundance of Katherines is all about a guy named Colin who gets dumped, for the nineteenth time, by the nineteenth girl he's dated name Katherine. Interesting premise, right? Colin is also something of a child progidy (not a genius, there's a difference apparently) and in search of finding a way to make his mark on the world. Anyway, in hopes of working himself out of his latest dumping, he and his friend go a road trip that lands them in a sort of back-woods town in the South, where the two friends find themselves entrenched with a rich factory owner and her daughter, Lindsey, who, unlike Colin, is looking to make as little of a difference as possible, wanting to keep her small home town the same cozy place it's always been. Anyhow, hijinx ensue along with a lot of self-discovery, generally funny-ness, and much use of the word "fug" (the book provides an explanation).
Well, I ended up liking this book quite a lot. I didn't find it quite as griping as I had hoped, but it was certainly more than readable and was a nice alternative to my usual literary fare. I thought the characters were engaging (and this, if you haven't caught on yet, is important to me), their emotions real, and there was so much good use of language and wit, which is sometimes lacking in novels directed at teens. John Green talks to teenagers through a voice that isn't trying too hard to sound teenish, but it's not wicked adult like, either. Actually, if you watch any of his vlog brothers videos on YouTube, the narration in "Katherines" sounds very similar.
Here is my one complaint. The road trip. Colin's parents just let him go. He basically says, "Mom, Dad, I'm leaving. Don't know when I'll be back, but don't worry, I'm make sure it's in time for college." His friend, Hassan, who seems to come from protective and fairly religious parents, also has a very easy time getting permission. And the family that the two friends stay with--totally fine with just taking two complete strangers in! It just seemed too convenient for me. My parents were pretty relaxed after I graduated from high school, but they weren't THAT relaxed. It didn't feel believable, and if I'm going to read "realistic" fiction, then I kind of want there to be a higher level of plausibility.
Comparable Reads: I can't really think of anything I've read (at least not anything I can remember well enough) to compare this, too. I mean, the road trip factor and the teenager angsty stuff is similar to any book you might find directed at teens, but the writing, in my opinion, is so different, that I can't think of anything to do a worthy comparison to.
Who this book is for: While the audience is teen readers, I would argue adults (particularly those in their twenties) could really get into this. Like I said, the characters are engaging, and they're also not stereotyped teens. They're like real people with real issues, and I sometimes feel like writers try very hard to write a teenager rather than an actual person.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Punkzilla
Title: Punkzilla
Author: Adam Rapp
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Price: $16.99
ISBN: 978-0763630317
I'm going to get tired of making this comparison when I talk about this book, but it's the best way I can describe it--think of Holden Caulfield. Now think of him if he were living on his own in Washington state, getting hand jobs from vaguely handicapped young women. Like Holden, Punkzilla (a.k.a. Jamie), is living in a world where he is estranged from his family, though closely tied to an older brother. Though, rather unlike Holden, Punkzilla is markedly less jaded by the world and more interested in people and willing to trust in them and believe in their goodness, particularly since he is dependent on the goodness of people as he travels from Washington state all the way to Tennessee, to visit his gay and ill older brother.
For myself, I love this sort of story. I like weird kids (possibly because I am one), and while some of the content made me feel uncomfortable (like the bizarre sexual encounters, or the sudden claimings and subsequent tossing aways Punkzilla experiences with various adults), I largely enjoyed the read. The story moves quickly as it's filled with action and laugh-out-loud bits and it's written in letter form. I really loved the fact that the story is made up of letters, because, unlike, say, a journal, you not only get the inner workings of Punkzilla, but you also get a sense of his relationship with his brother, plus you also read letters from Punkzilla's friends and parents, which help fill in gaps you might not otherwise have filled.
While this is certainly one of those coming of age stories akin to, as mentioned, Catcher and the Rye, it also deals rather subtley with adults and their relationships with children (their own and others). Adults are largely NOT present in this book, and those that are disappear rather quickly and can't be counted on. There is a very big sense of abandonment (and not just of Punkzilla). And though the book can be a quick read, it's powerful, because makes you think about how society nurtures (or doesn't nurture) its children and what we, as adults and parents, could possibly do better or how one generation is clearly not quite sure in how to deal with another.
Comparable Reads: Okay, so we've covered "Catcher", but I also think Rule of the Bone is another similar sort of YA novel (troubled kid takes a trip down to Jamaica to find his father), as well as the book I'm currently reading now, Going Bovine. All four books deal with smart, wise-ass boys who are on a journey, and, to some degree, tell us something about the world and why it's made them as strangely messed up as they are. All are really interesting and pretty funny (especially Going Bovine).
Who This Book is For: I think a safe range is thirteen through sixteen (though older kids obviously could enjoy this, but they might find Punkzilla a little immature). I would be very, every hesitant to hand this book off to a twelve year old, only because I so want twelve year olds to be TWELVE, and this book deals with a lot of crazy stuff that are teenage issues. And while there are lots of twelve year old and younger kids who are acquainted with the issues that Punkzilla deals with, I really don't see the point of throwing more of this stuff at them.
Author: Adam Rapp
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Price: $16.99
ISBN: 978-0763630317
I'm going to get tired of making this comparison when I talk about this book, but it's the best way I can describe it--think of Holden Caulfield. Now think of him if he were living on his own in Washington state, getting hand jobs from vaguely handicapped young women. Like Holden, Punkzilla (a.k.a. Jamie), is living in a world where he is estranged from his family, though closely tied to an older brother. Though, rather unlike Holden, Punkzilla is markedly less jaded by the world and more interested in people and willing to trust in them and believe in their goodness, particularly since he is dependent on the goodness of people as he travels from Washington state all the way to Tennessee, to visit his gay and ill older brother.
For myself, I love this sort of story. I like weird kids (possibly because I am one), and while some of the content made me feel uncomfortable (like the bizarre sexual encounters, or the sudden claimings and subsequent tossing aways Punkzilla experiences with various adults), I largely enjoyed the read. The story moves quickly as it's filled with action and laugh-out-loud bits and it's written in letter form. I really loved the fact that the story is made up of letters, because, unlike, say, a journal, you not only get the inner workings of Punkzilla, but you also get a sense of his relationship with his brother, plus you also read letters from Punkzilla's friends and parents, which help fill in gaps you might not otherwise have filled.
While this is certainly one of those coming of age stories akin to, as mentioned, Catcher and the Rye, it also deals rather subtley with adults and their relationships with children (their own and others). Adults are largely NOT present in this book, and those that are disappear rather quickly and can't be counted on. There is a very big sense of abandonment (and not just of Punkzilla). And though the book can be a quick read, it's powerful, because makes you think about how society nurtures (or doesn't nurture) its children and what we, as adults and parents, could possibly do better or how one generation is clearly not quite sure in how to deal with another.
Comparable Reads: Okay, so we've covered "Catcher", but I also think Rule of the Bone is another similar sort of YA novel (troubled kid takes a trip down to Jamaica to find his father), as well as the book I'm currently reading now, Going Bovine. All four books deal with smart, wise-ass boys who are on a journey, and, to some degree, tell us something about the world and why it's made them as strangely messed up as they are. All are really interesting and pretty funny (especially Going Bovine).
Who This Book is For: I think a safe range is thirteen through sixteen (though older kids obviously could enjoy this, but they might find Punkzilla a little immature). I would be very, every hesitant to hand this book off to a twelve year old, only because I so want twelve year olds to be TWELVE, and this book deals with a lot of crazy stuff that are teenage issues. And while there are lots of twelve year old and younger kids who are acquainted with the issues that Punkzilla deals with, I really don't see the point of throwing more of this stuff at them.
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