17 June - 18 June 2007

Alex Sanchez's Rainbow Boys


This YA title offers such an interesting and unique perspective to the adolescent experience of sexuality, in particular, boys who are searching for answers to whether or not they are really gay, or questioning. Sanchez delves into the lives of three boys whose lives are intricately intertwined. Nelson is a flagrantly flamboyant character who knows and shows that he is gay; Kyle is a shy and rather introverted boy who knows he's gay, but doesn't want anyone else to know; Jason is a jock with a girlfriend who may be questioning, but isn't sure about his sexuality. Each of these characters represents a stereotype along the spectrum of sexuality (in the book, Kyle references Kisinger's (?) spectrum from 1 to 6, from completely heterosexual to completely homosexual). This is an in-depth look at three boys trying to find out who they are, and how they fit into the world.


However, Sanchez's book, while amazing in its detail, reads almost like a soap opera with stereotypical, archetypal stars who read their lines and then leave for the day. By using stereotypes, the characters take on the roles that society has dictated for them; the flamboyantly gay character is reminiscent of Jack from Will and Grace: he is theatrical and goofy and picked on by all of the kids at school. Rather than giving these characters more of a spine and soul, Sanchez plays with the stereotypes rather than reinventing them. One positive thing, however, is that Sanchez offers, at the end, changed characters who have truly learned from their experiences and are different in many ways. This, I think, is a great way to show that the characters were more than just a type of person playing a role.


I'll give this one *** because it offers a look into a part of society that is rarely if ever shown in a positive light.

14 June - 16 June 2007

Jane Yolen's Briar Rose (1992)

A fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty, intertwined with the quest for the truth about Gemma's past leads Becca, her granddaughter, on a tour from a box of documents to Oswego to Poland. This book sweeps back and forth from the telling of the fairy tale otherwise known as Briar Rose to the present day where Becca attempts to piece together her Gemma's mysterious past. Who was she? What was her name? How did she come to America? Where was she from, and why does she insist that she is Briar Rose?

I found the telling of this story intriguing and fascinatingly woven with intrigue, suspense, and the pain of a harrowing past that is steeped in fairy tale lore. The form of the novel was nicely separated, and the tale of Becca's is symbolic of Gemma's own story. The history of the places Becca visits in Poland are indeed unforgettable, considering it is based in fact rather than in fiction. It is agonizing to remember that the sheer numbers are accurate...

All in all, though a bit rushed at the end, I'll give it a solid *** and 1/2 stars. I think the Grimm's version is calling to me now...

3 June - 14 June 2007

Markus Zusak's The Book Thief (2006)

Wow. Zusak's book is incredibly modern, experimental, and moving. The words seem to flow through every emotion and represent a whole spectrum of colors.
Narrated by death, who is a very active character throughout the entirety of the story, the reader learns of Liesel, a book thief. Set in the 1930's/1940's, this book chronicles the lives of those close to Liesel, and those who are instrumental in her life.
Liesel's passion is for words, and for books, and she is able to use words to catapult herself above her pain and misery, to find a nesting place for her sanity, so that the awful, horrific events she experiences cannot afflict her more than just in her nightmares. Death, an amazing character and witness to Liesel's actions, tells her story with wit and a brutal foreboding, since "he" has been incremental to her adventures.
While the size of this novel may be daunting, the stories (because there are many interwoven throughout) are priceless, and leave the reader speechless. Also, the drawings of Max are amazing, considering the symbolism of how and when he draws them. Look carefully!
I think I'm going to have to give this book at least **** and 1/2 stars. It was thought-provoking, challenging of the typical genre of YA, and wrapped up nicely, but not happily-ever-after nicely.

I also learned German from this book. Probably not the German used in proper, civilized conversations, but German nonetheless. ;)

1 June - 2 June 2007

Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca (1938)

This is such an incredible book; it's like a lost treasure that has recently resurfaced to great fame. A captivating "romance" / suspense novel, du Maurier introduces the narrator, the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter, in a delicious frame story. Incidentally, the new wife of wealthy, magnanimous Max de Winter, is not named, excepting for her relation to her husband. This unlikely couple, a wealthy mid-forties man, whose wife has died ten months prior, and a twenty-year-old girl who is a paid companion, attempt to survive the haunting Rebecca, the first wife of Max. Set in Manderley, complete with a creepy, gaunt housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, and a large mansion with a view, this novel sweeps the spectrum of emotions, back and forth, until the secrets are spilled and the confusion is unraveled. The ending, which I won't disclose, is startling and unexpected, and made me flip back to the beginning to see if the clues were there...and they were!

While romance novels are not something I indulge in, this one was absolutely charming. Perhaps the year it was written, 1938, has something to do with its charisma and unpretentious nature. The author effortlessly weaves romance with suspense and makes the reader guess at every turn. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with an eye for the craft of writing; du Maurier really has a skill in creating believable characters whose fears and misgivings become incredibly realistic. For some reason, the ending reminded me of a mix of Faulkner and Morrison, which is a great ironic mix.

With great descriptions and amazing characters, I give this book ****. Check it out.

31 May - 1 June 2007

Scott Westerfeld's The Last Days (2006)

This long-awaited sequel to Peeps (2005), a modern vampire tale that has unique twists on the folklore and legends of old, picks up on New York City, acquiring new voices to add to the alternating narrative. Moz and four others fall into a new band, while constantly intrigued by the captivating lyrics of their new singer, Min. The sickness, however, is rampant in the city, and has spread to many of the larger civilized areas of the world. How does this band combine with the fear of the sickeness that is driving people insane?

While Westerfeld's prose, language, and plot twists are spectacular, this sequel does not reach the same heights that Peeps was able to capture. Perhaps because of the newness and ingenuity of the first novel, introducing a new approach to the age-old tales of vampires, Peeps was fast-paced, intriguing, and hard to put down. The characters were able to take the reader along for the ride, twisting and turning with the plot as the turns got darker and deeper into the secrets of the parasite-positives. However, The Last Days seems to take a larger look at social relationships, between the peeps and those who know about what is really going on in the world. Rather than continue the Night Watch's crusade from the perspective of Cal and Lace, from the first installment, this book picks up new characters, and almost forgets about the dynamic personalities from Peeps. Alright, so I can deal with change, and sometimes it's great to see a different circle of friends interacting and playing off of one another, but...these characters, Moz and Pearl and everyone, are more concerned about getting a record contract than anything. The whole rats-peeps-cats phenomenon seems to sneak up on them, even though (spoiler) Moz and Min are positive. Truth be told, this sequel was almost a let down. When a book starts off as good as Peeps did, with a nice little hook at the end to let you know there's another installment on its way, I was pretty psyched. The Last Days, though, wasn't as electrically-charged, and stunning as the first.

Overall, it was a good read, but not up to par with Peeps. I give it ***.

Back in the Game

Now that school's over for some time, I'm back to devote some time to my life online. For now, I'm going to stick with organizing a site that can accomodate my reading interests and passions.

Here, I will expound upon what I'm reading, what I think about it, and provide a running dialogue with a website I will compose for the benefit of my students that is similar to the Fantasy Lands wiki, but it will be a more comprehensive resource.