Sea witch - Sarah Henning

"Everyone knows what happens in the end. A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss. But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends. One feared, one royal, and one already dead.

Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.

A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.

But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain."

Okay, first of all can we just look at the cover for a moment. Isn't it beautiful? Ahhh sigh. 

Well anyway. I just need to say one thing: this book is probably not what you are expecting. It's really a question of how much patience you have, and how easily you can sit through maritime chapters without falling asleep. It's a very slowly-paced book, especially during the first two thirds of the story. Any exciting witchy The Little Mermaid goodness you might be expecting happens in the later chapters, and even then it's pretty subdued.

Though, in many ways, Sea Witch is much smarter than I expected for a YA The Little Mermaid retelling. The story is set in 19th Century Denmark, Andersen's country of birth, and is woven with hundreds of years of Danish history. The Danes, especially under King Christian IV, put many "witches" to death in the 16th and 17th centuries. Henning combines this real fear of witches on land with the story of the sea witch we all know from the Andersen tale (and the Disney remake). I really loved this historical grounding and I found myself googling quite a lot of extra info, especially about the Lithasblot Festival. 

Most of the novel has a small-town atmosphere, the main characters of Evelyn, the witch, and Nik, the prince, were sweet but very typical YA. There wasn't any originality to their characters but they where by no means bad. Much of the story is focused on Evelyn's struggle with her low birth and her friendship with the prince Nik. However this didn't really hit the emotional mark as it was all told, never shown. Not once are the people really shown to be mean to Evelyn so I am left feeling that she is really overthinking it. 

My main disappointment was the plot. I am all for a slow burn book if exectuted well with an original plot but...I was really looking forward to an original story but the story largely unfold the same way as the original tale: a mermaid saves a prince, then goes on to land to try to win his heart in four days. If she fails, she'll be turned to sea form. Evelyn narrates the novel, with third-person chapters recounting the past. The mermaid Annamette bears a striking resemblance to Evelyn's best friend who drowned four years ago and she naturally wants to persevere Annamette's life. However Annemette being evil was pretty obvious and didn't serve as much of a plot twist, certainly not enough to save the lack lustre plot. 

One of the main reasons I loved reading these origin stories for villains is to watch their slow decline onto madness. What events make them, usually innocent and kind, become cruel and sadistic? But that is never explored. Evelyn becomes the Sea Witch but isn't shown to be evil or cruel, just a little disillusioned. Which makes a pretty boring villain origin story. 

Overall an promising take that falls a little short of the mark. However a good typical YA, definitely not going to waste your time if you read it. 

Age Rating 11+. 

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

"This exemplary novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story is of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his new love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession," it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.

The Great Gatsby is one of the great classics of twentieth-century literature."

Touted as THE American classic, I think it certainly paints a wonderful picture 1920's America. 

The thing I like most about The Great Gatsby is the absolutely stunning writing and language, the subtleties and the suggestions, the things that are not directly said but are said nevertheless. It’s a true feat of writing and at times it reminded me of a stage piece. The dialogue does not give the answers, but it is the character’s actions and movements (so fantastically narrated) that give the game away: it reveals their internal worlds.

As such this is a book that can easily be skimmed over. The plot is basic and relatively unengaging and consequently I think an inattentive reader has a lot to miss here. It’s all about illusions and false appearances just like real life. The way people perceive us is not how we truly are and sometimes individuals actively work towards creating a desired appearance for the outside world. It’s easily done with enough time, effort and money. What Gatsby creates for the outside is a dream, an ideal life that looks perfect.

However, scratch the surface and it is so very, very clear that not everything is perfect. His supposed “happiness” is hollow and dictated by the whims of society. It is fickle, egotistical and driven by status and all the silly little symbols that go with it. He shows all the signs of the of a severe lack of self confidence. His success is what society demands success to be; thus, no success at all. And even that hollow success is ripped from him in the end. Money doesn't conquer all, it merely increase the spectacle you can fail with. 

Personally Gatsby is awful. I am not against people having ambition but abandoning your parents because they aren't in the social class you want to be in is horrible! He manipulates Nick into doing what he wants and I wouldn't be surprised if he already knew Nick's connection to Daisy when he meets him. Gatsby cannot see what is right in front of him, that he has already made it, he is so wealthy and successful. But because he is always reaching for more he cuts people off. He has no friends or close relationships, no one knows him. His love for Daisy isn't real love, he loves what she represents, the money and power. She is a badge that he has made it and is finally a part of the upper echelons of society. 

Daisy is so weak and pathetic. I do kind of sympathise with her though. Life had a plan for her and she must obey. Marry from the same social strata and party your entire life. She is so bored and disillusioned. As she says with so much money there is nothing to strive for. At such a young age she has already done everything, what is she to fill her life with? Though she really, really should have come to the funeral, but did she actually know he had died?

Through Gatsby’s veneration of Daisy, we not only imagine what so many Americans and people in general, desire (success), but also we see the goal and glittering fixation of all humanity: beauty. And like many Americans in the throes of Capitalism, Gatsby believes that money can buy beauty as well as love. Fitzgerald articulates this disillusionment with haunting force, particularly voiced through Nick’s obsessive repulsion with the extravagant society his social status has allowed him. 

Age Rating 14+. A few adult themes. Domestic abuse, murder and fabulously over the top hedonism. 

The Art of Being Normal - Lisa Williamson

"Two boys. Two secrets.

David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he’s gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth – David wants to be a girl.

On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal – to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in year eleven is definitely not part of that plan.

When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…"

As I am neither transgender nor know anybody that is trans I thought it would be interesting to read a book highlighting their issues and struggles. I am deeply interested in the experience of everyone and wanted to get to the nitty gritty emotional heart. However, this isn't what this book is at all. 

There is really very little, actually no, indication or exploration as to David/ Kate's inner struggle. We come into the story when they have already discovered their trans and wish to transition. This means that the emotional heart of the story is gone and I am left reading a common high school YA Drama with a very slight difference. I might sound like I am exaggerating but it has the whole group of misfit friends, main character bullied, mysterious new kid, freaks come together and find a home, happy ending at the end of year winter ball. I mean please really!!! So bloody American and it is set in Britain. 

I had serious difficulties connecting with the characters, especially with David. She is 15 years old if I am not mistaken, but she acts like a 12-year-old. In most situations, David and her friends seemed way too young and immature. Their behaviour was not according to their age. Their lack of depth and complexity added to my inability to connect with these characters and made them seem even more childish. David is also way too pushy. If she were real I probably would have hit her for being so obnoxiously curious. There is something called privacy and difficult topics. I get that she is supposed to get Leo to loosen up and slowly stop hiding behind his walls. But the level of pushiness (that a word?) that David shows is maddening.

I also have some real issues with the way transsexuality was represented at times. First of all, for 98% of the novel, David, who is, in fact, a trans girl is addressed with male pronouns. Even by Leo in his internal monologue after he finds out she's a trans girl and only refers to her as 'she' when she's wearing feminine clothing. Even in private he calls her a he. That's something that really irked me. From another trangender person, it showed a lack of understanding that was just unexplainable. And secondly, Leo's gender is used as a plot twist, which is not what someone's sexual orientation or gender identity should ever be used for. And no, this was not a spoiler, for the exact reason that I just mentioned.

So after reading I have absolutely no better understanding of the emotional termoil or mental confusion that comes from trying to figure out your trans. I got a light hearted teen flick that bored me. 

Age Rating 14+. Leo has an awful family and also describes an extreme bullying event from his past school. Quite a bit of swearing.

Feed - M.T Anderson

"Identity crises, consumerism, and star-crossed teenage love in a futuristic society where people connect to the Internet via feeds implanted in their brains.

For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon - a chance to party during spring break and play with some stupid low-grav at the Ricochet Lounge. But that was before the crazy hacker caused all their feeds to malfunction, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. And it was before Titus met Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who has decided to fight the feed and its omnipresent ability to categorize human thoughts and desires."

I think this book's main function is to make you uncomfortable. To present you with your own reality, the one you are trying to avoid, with an unswerving amount of brutality. 

And, boy, did it make me uncomfortable. It's everything obnoxious about our media-frenzied, frantic-paced, impulse-driven, uneducated-praising society exemplified to the max. In Anderson's worryingly plausible world people are hardwired into corporate feeds that advertise to them according to what they're thinking, feeling, saying, looking at, etc. They chat with each other, watch shows, check the internet, invade each other's privacy, all within their bodies. Schools have quit teaching them facts because all that's accessible at the push of a button-no simpler than that, with nothing more than a thought. All their interactions are interrupted by this internal conversation/shopping/distraction. Through a combination of advertising and ignorance these shallow people don't care that the feeds are destroying them, causing lesions and their skin to litrally fall off, after they've already destroyed the world where they continue to live in vertically stacked suburbs with fake air and fake sun and fake food. They all (adults included) speak in that valley-girl like/dude hollowness, only their words are mega and unit and still plenty of like and f words. 

The writing did take awhile to get used to. The excessive use of slang and the word like, already my worst enemy, was an interesting stylistic choice. I was worried that it would frustrate me, and bring me out of the story but it surprisingly didn't. It really added to the sense of the world and the character. 

I really disliked the main character, Titus. While reading it, I was often disappointed with his choices, but I think he was the perfect embodiment of this shallow world. He doesn't want to deal with the reality of his girlfriend's slow death. It disturbs his perfect life, it distracts him for his shopping. He is so unbelievably self involved that he doesn't think that maybe she needs him there. I loved that Anderson offers no judgment or solution, just shows us this world with all its many flaws and lets it creep under your skin and make you uncomfortable with where the world is headed. 

I do have one gripe. I do wish that Anderson went a little deeper into the world and the horrors of it. But again maybe that was a choice, to show the horror that is so blatently on the surface on the society. 


Age rating 15 +. Some explicit content. A few minor foreplay scenes, mal which is the dystopian version of drugs and some f bombs. 

Frozen Charlotte - Alex Bell

"We're waiting for you to come and play. Dunvegan School for Girls has been closed for many years. Converted into a family home, the teachers and students are long gone. But they left something behind...Sophie arrives at the old schoolhouse to spend the summer with her cousins. Brooding Cameron with his scarred hand, strange Lilias with a fear of bones and Piper, who seems just a bit too good to be true. And then there's her other cousin. The girl with a room full of antique dolls. The girl that shouldn't be there. The girl that died."

This book isn't going to win any awards. It is not a masterpiece of literature with anything new or original in the plot or characters. It was, however, a fun and enjoyable quick read. 

To my surprise, I wasn’t scared by this book. It’s shelved under the ‘horror’ genre, which is a genre that I absolutely do not read. Ever. Even if you beg me to. But this didn’t scare me in the teensiest bit. This book is from the RED EYE group of books, made up of a group of standalones by different authors with similar tones. I really enjoy this group as it is kind of scary and shocking but not full horror. I was, however, captivated by the story and, of course, thoroughly creeped out by the dead dolls.

The story is well-told. Alex Bell keeps things interesting by adding constant action and twists at unexpected places. Plus I can’t complain about the writing.

There really was no need for an unrequited/ maybe requited love tragedy, however. The story would also have worked even without the imminent romance. It’s really not a main focus, so there’s that, but it could certainly have staid completely dead, too. Pun oh so intended.

A terribly clichéd book, as we’ve all probably seen dozens of movies with possessed dolls or read books about them, so there isn’t a great amount of originality from the author’s part, but I can assure you that it’s very much readable. 

Creepy siblings, weird voices, haunted houses, closed off locals, windy and isolated setting, psychotic children. Oh it really has it all. 

Age 13+. Pretty creepy but, I mean, most 13 year olds won't be scarred by it. But if you know you are sensitive, like me, self evaluate. 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - F. Scott Fitzgerald

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," a witty and fantastical satire about aging, is one of his most memorable stories.

In 1860 Benjamin Button is born an old man and mysteriously begins aging backward. At the beginning of his life he is withered and worn, but as he continues to grow younger he embraces life -- he goes to war, runs a business, falls in love, has children, goes to college and prep school, and, as his mind begins to devolve, he attends kindergarten and eventually returns to the care of his nurse.

This strange and haunting story embodies the sharp social insight that has made Fitzgerald one of the great voices in the history of American literature."

I read this short story in two hours. It was wonderfully engaging and just the right length that it didn't get boring. It is a wonderfully interesting premise but without enough meat for an entire novel. 

I found this short story quite sad, honestly. The fading of memories and vitality into child-like oblivion reminded me too well of old age and the forgotten nostalgias of vibrant youth. Although I'm young, I find the prospect of aging-associated diseases disheartening. The relaying of an entire life into such a short book had me contemplating those difficult questions we all are familiar with. This book was actually really fun to read, though. The dry, satirical, highbrow humor balances out the depressing aspects which had me laughing throughout.

I wasn’t particularly emotionally taken with the story, nor did I find any specifically enlightening insights on age or aging in it, other than a bit of existential dread as said above. It could be read as a spotlight on how older people, with a whole lifetime of knowledge, are treated like no more than silly babies. The prose however, on the moments it quits the more outspoken satirical register, flows delicately and lyrically, movingly mellowing nearing the ending while Benjamin reaches the innocent sweetness of infancy, soothing like a lullaby. 

Age Rating 12+. Nothing untoward whatsoever. 

The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials #2) - Philip Pullman

Shehadasked:Whatishe?Afriendoranenemy?

Thealethiometeranswered:Heisamurderer.

Whenshesawtheanswer,sherelaxedatonce.

Lyrafindsherselfinashimmering,hauntedotherworld–Cittàgazze,wheresoul-eatingSpectresstalkthestreetsandwingbeatsofdistantangelssoundagainstthesky.

Butsheisnotwithoutallies:twelve-year-oldWillParry,fleeingforhislifeaftertakinganother's,hasalsostumbledintothisstrangenewrealm.

Onaperilousjourneyfromworldtoworld,LyraandWilluncoveradeadlysecret:anobjectofextraordinaryanddevastatingpower.

Andwitheverystep,theymoveclosertoanevengreaterthreat–andtheshatteringtruthoftheirowndestiny.Shehadasked:Whatishe?Afriendoranenemy?

Thealethiometeranswered:Heisamurderer.

Whenshesawtheanswer,sherelaxedatonce.

Lyrafindsherselfinashimmering,hauntedotherworld–Cittàgazze,wheresoul-eatingSpectresstalkthestreetsandwingbeatsofdistantangelssoundagainstthesky.

Butsheisnotwithoutallies:twelve-year-oldWillParry,fleeingforhislifeaftertakinganother's,hasalsostumbledintothisstrangenewrealm.

Onaperilousjourneyfromworldtoworld,LyraandWilluncoveradeadlysecret:anobjectofextraordinaryanddevastatingpower.

Andwitheverystep,theymoveclosertoanevengreaterthreat–andtheshatteringtruthoftheirowndestiny.She had asked: What is he? A friend or an enemy?

The alethiometer answered: He is a murderer.

When she saw the answer, she relaxed at once.

Lyra finds herself in a shimmering, haunted otherworld – Cittàgazze, where soul-eating Spectres stalk the streets and wingbeats of distant angels sound against the sky.

But she is not without allies: twelve-year-old Will Parry, fleeing for his life after taking another's, has also stumbled into this strange new realm.

On a perilous journey from world to world, Lyra and Will uncover a deadly secret: an object of extraordinary and devastating power.

And with every step, they move closer to an even greater threat – and the shattering truth of their own destiny.

"She had asked: What is he? A friend or an enemy?
The alethiometer answered: He is a murderer.
When she saw the answer, she relaxed at once.

Lyra finds herself in a shimmering, haunted otherworld – Cittàgazze, where soul-eating Spectres stalk the streets and wingbeats of distant angels sound against the sky.

But she is not without allies: twelve-year-old Will Parry, fleeing for his life after taking another's, has also stumbled into this strange new realm.

On a perilous journey from world to world, Lyra and Will uncover a deadly secret: an object of extraordinary and devastating power.

And with every step, they move closer to an even greater threat – and the shattering truth of their own destiny."

Hope everyone is staying sane in quarantine. I am really missing the library, but on the positive side I am really ploughing through my to-read pile. 
I am the first person in my family to make it past the first book in this series. Both of my parents started this one but couldn't make it through. I can totally see why. 

The first book of this trilogy is, personally, wonderful. A rich world, emotive story telling and a fast moving plot. In The Golden Compass, we were treated to a rich alternate universe that had elements that were similar to our own, like some of the geopolitical structure, and elements that were entirely fantastical, like armoured polar bears and witches. (so cool) The Subtle Knife, however decides that most of this is insignificant and takes place almost entirely in a different, and mostly un - fleshed out, universe. It seems like Philip Pullman wanted to reel us in with high fantasy before he could preach at us. It defiantly felt like a book that's sole purpose was to set up for the final third, mainly filler and exposition. 

The second protagonist of the series Will, the Adam to Pullman’s Eve, takes the lead here. Initially I was, and to be honest I still am, very resistant to this idea. I had grown to respect Lyra; she’s a really strong heroine. Will is a giant "young adult fiction" stereotype, in search of the father he never knew while protecting his mother from bad guys and seems to be gifted in the combat department while being unrealistically stoic for his age. But after a while it kind of started to make sense. Pullman has expanded his story considerably. Lyra has three chapters told from her perspective. The same amount, roughly speaking, is told from the perspective of Will. The rest of the chapters are from side characters of the previous book. So there’s a strong move away from a Lyra centred story. While I understand this desicion from a structural perspective, it really dilluted the emotional connection to the charcters, I found myself no longer invested at all. 
At times this felt like an entirely different series altogether. There is no sense of closure at the end of this. The first book had a strong ending, but this has very little, more like a fade screen. This book seemed to be a mere set-up for the next instalment, which makes it rather difficult to review; it’s like picking out the middle bit of a story and trying to criticise it as a separate entity from the rest of it: it’s not easy to do. Any criticism you make are negated by the fact that this is not a separate book: it’s a chunk of a greater work.  

The plot was also quite faulty. Things just kind of happened with very little motivation or thought out plan. It felt almost episodic. 

Something I wasn't expecting was the religious/ spiritual element that was added. It was hinted at in the Golden Compass, but I wasn't expecting it to become so overt. I really, really love the dissection and rethinking of religion in fantasy. Anything that discusses religion in a new way has got me and I think these books had great potential. There could be a lot to discuss with adolescents (not young children...at all). The nature of the soul, the natural man, organized religion, the costs and benefits of religions and the danger of absolute control. All appropriate things to discuss with younger children. But unfortunately Pullman takes that conversation away with his lack of metaphor. It becomes impossible to argue, "I think the dust means this." or "what do you think The Authority is for Pullman?" when he throws his opinion at you with real life Christian beliefs and makes it so in your face.

It's not so much that the book is horribly bad, per se, though I do think it becomes too dark for the age group I initially thought it was written for. The plot was glitchy and the writing sub par. Okay so maybe it was bad. 

Age Rating 14+. Depections of mental illness, quite brutal violence and graphic wound description.