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Showing posts with label Into The Old World Reading Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Into The Old World Reading Challenge. Show all posts

Monday, January 30, 2012

Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1) by Patrick Ness

Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: January 1, 2008
Pages: 479
Source: Bought
Rating: 6 STARS


Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

In short: The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness was an outstanding novel with inspiring, heart-breaking prose and an utterly fascinating premise.
So, I'm giving this book 6 Stars. I know that's kind of cheating my rating system, but I need some way to indicate how much I LOVED this book more than anything else I have reviewed on this blog without resorting to rerating every other book one star lower. I'm going to say this, and I don't say it lightly: The Knife of Never Letting Go is one of the best books I've ever read, second only to Harry Potter. Those that know me - and have eyes and know what my blog is all about - know how truly significant that statement is.

Noise, as depicted in the Chaos Walking Trilogy
The Knife of Never Letting Go is so difficult to describe without revealing too much about the plot. But I'll give it a shot: Todd lives on a strange new planet in which men's thoughts can be heard by everyone - an effect known as "Noise". He lives in a town that is populated only by men after the events of a war with the native alien species, called Spackle. One month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd must escape his town when it is made apparent that the men who run everything are after him for a terrible reason. So, what genre is this? Sci fi, dystopian, fantasy? I think it's somehow all three. This aspect is what makes The Knife of Never Letting Go so utterly bizarre - and yet so utterly awesome, as well.

Patrick Ness' writing is just achingly beautiful. Written in a sort of flow of consciousness of Todd's thoughts with limited grammar and phonetic spellings, it is meant to reflect the ever constant Noise that men on the planet have. I was nervous a bit about the style of writing at first, thinking I would find it hard to get into and it would feel awkward. But the reverse of that couldn't be more true: the flow of consciousness of thoughts made the writing flow quickly and smoothly. I also felt that it had the effect of making me feel very deeply for everything Todd goes through. The Knife of Never Letting Go was an extremely emotional read for me because of this. There was one scene in particular in which I had to stop reading and I did not continue, nor read anything else, for a few days until I had calmed down.

This review wouldn't be complete without mentioning one more thing: Manchee, Todd's talking dog. You heard right: animals on this planet also have Noise, so they can, in essence, talk. I can't adequately express the deep love I felt for Manchee. He is a legit dog who says things a dog would actually say - none of that ridiculous sarcastic talking dog stereotype that seems so prevalent in our culture to be had here. Think Dug from Up.

Overall, The Knife of Never Letting Go was the best, most interesting, and most heart-breaking book I read in 2011. I'm not sure I did a good enough job in this review describing how truly incredible this book was - I find it's hardest with the books that you are most affected by. But I hope that doesn't deter you from reading it. Also, don't be afraid of the page count! I found the plot to be very fast paced. I highly recommend adding The Knife of Never Letting Go to your TBR pile.

Other Reviews:
365 Days of Reading
Tahleen's Mixed-Up Files
Tina's Book Reviews

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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Review: The Girl who Played with Fire (Millennium #2) by Stieg Larsson

Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2006
Pages: 724
Source: Borrowed (Thanks Auntie!)
Rating: 3.5 Stars


Mikael Blomkvist, crusading journalist and publisher of the magazine Millennium, has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government. 
But he has no idea just how explosive the story will be until, on the eve of publication, the two investigating reporters are murdered. And even more shocking for Blomkvist: the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander—the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker who came to his aid in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and who now becomes the focus and fierce heart of The Girl Who Played with Fire. 
As Blomkvist, alone in his belief in Salander’s innocence, plunges into an investigation of the slayings, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she is the prey, and which compels her to revisit her dark past in an effort to settle with it once and for all.

In short: The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson maintains the same general layout as its predecessor but as a bonus, Salander's backstory is detailed extensively.
Uh, can I just say ditto? I have pretty much the exact same comments to make on this second installment that I had in my The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo review. Again, this book was an intelligent murder mystery cloaked in a bevy of unimportant details that were completely unnecessary to the plot. Why is it necessary that the reader knows about every single item that Salander buys from IKEA to furnish her new apartment? I just don't understand why things like this weren't edited out. It takes the entire first half of the book to set up the plot and action in the second half.

At least I wasn't as horrified by the plot this time around, now that I know what to expect and have become a bit more accustomed to the terrible and graphic abuse and violence that takes place. The Girl who Played with Fire still had the same disgusting, women-abusing type of bad guy as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but I found that I could be - if still a bit horrified - very satisfied to see those sadistic pigs, perverts, and rapists get their comeuppance.

I am also extremely satisfied with the answers we got regarding the backstory of the one-of-a-kind Lisbeth Salander. I stated in my The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo review that she was the only character I developed any investment in and she was the main reason I wanted to continue with the trilogy. In fact, now that I've gotten a good understanding of her (well, as much as anyone can really understand Salander [in other words, not really]), I almost don't feel the need to continue on with The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

Still, The Girl who Played with Fire ended with a bit of a cliffhanger that most definitely makes me want to read on to find out whether all the characters made it through that intense final sequence. But it can wait for a while. I'm suffering from some serious YA withdrawal and I need to get me my fix.

*Read as part of the Into the Old World Reading Challenge
*Read as part of the Book Series Completion Challenge

Friday, June 17, 2011

Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium #1) by Stieg Larsson

Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2005
Pages: 841
Source: Borrowed (Thanks Auntie!)
Rating: 3.5 Stars


Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch--and there's always a catch--is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo.

In short: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson presents a damn good mystery and a fascinating enigma in the character of Lisbeth Salander, but could do with a fair amount of editing.
The original title of this book in Sweden is Men Who Hate Women, which, I think, sums up pretty well its truly horrific plot. After months of reading only YA, it was a nasty shock to read about the events that take place in this very adult book. Still, I very much enjoyed the well laid out mystery. With all the pieces of the puzzle in place, the revelation at the end was really well done.

The biggest problem I had with this book was its length. At 841 pages (albeit the mass market paperback version), there was a ton of extraneous and pointless information that could have been left out. I really don't need to read about all the intricacies of hacking and economics. With editing, easily hundreds of pages that were non-essential to the plot, mystery, and characters could have been removed. The two main characters, Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander, did not even meet until half way through.

Out of all the characters, Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo, was really the only one who stood out for me. Maybe it was just because she was so peculiar that all the other characters paled in comparison. Salander is probably the most fascinating character I've read in years. An utter enigma. She is incredibly intelligent and introverted and violent. Why does she behave the way she does? What is her revulsion to turning to the police for help?

Though I suspect the other books in the Millenium Trilogy will also be just as long-winded, I would like to learn more about Salander and so I will continue on with the series. I also look forward to watching the movies, both Swedish and American alike. The American version trailer was just released and it looks very edgy and cool:


*Read as part of the Into the Old World Reading Challenge
*Read as part of the Book Series Completion Challenge,
*The Letter G in the A-Z Reading Challenge

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Review: Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely #2) by Melissa Marr

Publisher: HarperTeen
Published: May 1, 2008
Pages: 325
Source: Library
Rating: 4 Stars - I Loved It!
Description: Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance between the Faerie Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly-vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.
17-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.
The tattoo does bring changes—not the kind that Leslie had dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faerie world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils.

In short: Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr is darker and edgier than Wicked Lovely but just as engaging. I still hate Keenan.

After reading Wicked Lovely, I was really looking forward to reading more about Aislinn and Seth's story so I was a bit bummed that they were only secondary characters in Ink Exchange. Instead, Ink Exchange focuses on three different characters who were minor in Wicked Lovely. The story rifts off of a two second scene in Wicked Lovely where Aislinn runs into her friend Leslie and a dark faery in a tattoo parlour.

Leslie comes from a broken home. Her mother abandoned her. Her father is an alcoholic. Her brother is a drug addict who abuses her. And one time, her brother let his drug dealer rape her. Definitely much darker than Wicked Lovely. Like an episode of Degrassi on crack.

Still, I found I could admire Leslie's strength to overcome what has happened to her in the past. There was something very powerful about her decision to get a tattoo, reclaiming her body as her own after the rape, making herself whole again. It's this quality that in her that makes her an ideal candidate for an ink exchange with the Dark King which would bind them together and allow the Dark King to feed on mortal emotions through her.

Thankfully, Keenan, the Summer King, was in this one a lot less than in Wicked Lovely. Unfortunately, he's still a dick. He purposely puts Leslie in danger and he manipulates his friend and Leslie's love interest, Niall, to get what he wants. I'm wondering if I'll ever come to like him.

We get to learn more about faery mythology in Ink Exchange, specifically the Dark Court. Still, I wish we got a little more background information during some of the scenes. Some scenes were a bit confusing and I had to read them twice to figure out what was going on.

Overall, Ink Exchange wasn't as fun as Wicked Lovely with its serious subject matter, but I still found myself taken into the story of Leslie as she struggles to reclaim herself. This book was largely about the importance of making your choices your own and the ending of Leslie's story was very satisfying in this respect.

Previously, My Review for Wicked Lovely

Other Reviews:
i swim for oceans
Musings of a Reader Happy
Novels On The Run


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*Read as part of the YA Series Challenge
*Qualifies for the Into the Old World Reading Challenge

*The Letter I in the A-Z Reading Challenge

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Review: Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely #1) by Melissa Marr

Publisher: HarperTeen
Published: June 12, 2007
Pages: 328
Source: Library
Rating: 4 Stars - I Loved It!
DescriptionAll teenagers have problems, but few of them can match those of Aislinn, who has the power to see faeries. Quite understandably, she wishes that she could share her friends' obliviousness and tries hard to avoid these invisible intruders. But one faery in particular refuses to leave her alone. Keenan the Summer King is convinced beyond all reasoning that Aislinn is the queen he has been seeking for nine centuries. What's a 21st-century girl to do when she's stalked by a suitor nobody else can see?


In short: I loved Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr but hated Keenan, the Summer King.

Well, this was a fun read. This was the first faery book I'd ever read so I didn't really know what to expect. In Wicked Lovely, the Winter Queen has bound the Summer King's powers, freezing the earth steadily for nine centuries. The only way for the Summer King can overcome the Winter Queen's powers is to find his Summer Queen. Okay, so not realistic at all. But still an interesting concept.

It's been awhile since I've read a book told in third person. I've almost forgotten how much I love being able to switch character perspectives when reading and with Wicked Lovely, you get to view the story through the eyes of three different characters. And what you see are utterly fascinating and bizarre creatures. Each faery had its own unique description and look, and all of them were mighty odd. Metallic hair, blue lips, lion's manes, vines for veins. Very creative.

I liked Aislinn; she was a strong protagonist. Not perfect, but not totally helpless. Her best friend and love interest Seth was totally loveable and just as a best friend should be: very supportive of Aislinn even when she tells him her crazy secret that faeries are stalking her.

Aislinn's other potential love interest is of course Keenan, the Summer King. I hope I'm not alone in saying that I completely loathed Keenan. I do not see the appeal. Everything about him seemed fake. His feelings toward Aislinn seemed fake and in return, Aislinn's feelings toward him were only a product of faery magic. Keenan only needed someone to become his Queen so that he could gain back his powers.

I wasn't fond of the ending. It seemed way too rushed and abrupt. But at least there was no cliffhanger! And I would have liked the faery mythology to be more fleshed out, but in this case I assume we'll learn more over the course of the next few books in the series. I have tons that needs to be answered.

Overall, Wicked Lovely was an entertaining read. I was able to overlook certain flaws because I was enjoying myself reading it. Next up to read is Ink Exchange, which from what I understand, isn't really a sequel so much as like a book #1.5 between Wicked Lovely and Fragile Eternity with a new set of characters.


Other Reviews:
Unputdownable Books
Musings of a Reader Happy
Novels of the Run


Stalk the Author (not for serious):
Website
Blog
Goodreads
Twitter
Fansite


And to the person who checked this library book out before me and tore out 15 pages near the end of the book: Screw you. Seriously, who does that? So inconsiderate. No respect whatsoever.


*Read as part of the YA Series Challenge
*Qualifies for the Into the Old World Reading Challenge
*The Letter W in the A-Z Reading Challenge

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Into The Old World Reading Challenge

Into The Old World Reading Challenge

I've signed up to take part in the Into The Old World Reading Challenge hosted by Splash of Our Worlds and My Love Affair With Books! The books chosen for this 2011 Challenge just have to be ones that were published before 2009. In my mind, I'm going to refer to this challenge as the "I Can't Believe I Haven't Read This Yet, I Mean, Seriously" Challenge. Because, for real: Why haven't I? Where've I been? Living under a very dense rock, apparently. The following are the books that I hope to read next year. I could have included TONS more books from my TBR list that I've been meaning to read for years, but I'll start with these ones for right now.

 
 

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)
Looking For Alaska by John Green (2005)
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1955)
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1962)
The Giver by Lois Lowry (1993)
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (2003)
The Catcher In The Rye by J. D. Salinger (1951)
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (2005)