If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

*ARC from NetGalley-much thanks!

Published: March 26 2013 (I have an ARC-I reviewed this in December 2012 and was asked to hold off the blog post until April 2013)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Website: Author Website

Introduction

            Carey and Janessa live in the woods with their mother in a camper, removed from society. Their mother is a meth addict and leaves for several weeks at a time, forcing Carey to care for Janessa, who is a selective mute. One day, when their mother has been gone far too long, a social worker and their father come to retrieve them. They do not know this man aside from what their mother has told them-that she had to take them away from him because he was abusive. But unless Carey and Janessa want to be separated in different foster homes, they have to go with him.  

            These forest children move in with their father, their step-mother, and step-sister. It is a difficult adjustment for them. There is an abundance of food, shelter, and clothes, yet Carey is torn with her feelings towards her Mama. She thinks that their mother tried her best to take care of her children. Underneath her independent and strong exterior, Carey harbours dark secrets about their past that haunts her and keeps Ness mute.  

Pacing

            I really enjoyed how this book has such an even flow. This book isn’t about making your heart race. It’s about making your heart break. There are no adrenaline-pumping moments. It’s real. They are retrieved, taken to their new house, they meet their new family, go to school, meet people, etc. No lulls in pace or rushed moments.

Admittedly, I tend to gravitate towards the paranormal, or at least the unusual. Girls who lived in the woods with a meth head mother come to the “civilized” world as we know it is unusual. But no one is tossing around magical powers, meeting supernatural beings, solving murders, saving the country, what have you. When I finished the book my mind constantly went back to the moments when you read the words on the page and you feel the words that are not on the page. What is implied as opposed to what is just given to us. It’s like the dark-the scariest part of it is what you cannot see. You feel it is there, and that ever so slight hint makes our stomachs fall to the floor.  

During reading, you’ll come across passages that are in italics. This signals that Carey is remembering something. This isn’t a new technique that Murdoch has invented. This happens a lot in literature. For years I have been hearing that this confuses people because it switches the scene. I suggest if this is a gripe for you, you actively seek titles that employ this and get the hang of it. It’s almost like multitasking, but easier.   

Carey

            Unlike Wake and Lullaby, the protagonist is unique. Her upbringing has given her what most people would call a backwater accent or manner of speaking. She says “ain’t” and drops her “g”s when she’s not careful. This might be annoying to some people, but I don’t mind tasteful dialect usage (i.e. even when it is unfamiliar to me, at the thickest I can still tell what’s going on).

            Carey is strong, independent, and an excellent caregiver to her little sister (given their circumstances). To foster her sister’s independence and acceptance of their new life, she tries not to baby her. I found it remarkable that she could let other people take care of Ness, but Ness isn’t really her sole responsibility. Carey is very mature, but she is also a teenager with her separate responsibilities. I love the quirks that we get to see inside of her POV, like how she thinks hamburgers are handburgers and how she prays to Saint Joseph, the patron saint of Beans.

Janessa

            I thoroughly applaud the author for writing a child who acts like a child. I find too often that authors write children as short adults. Children have their own mannerisms and behaviours and are not adults. Ness has her own set of emotional problems, causing her to only speak to Carey when no one else is around. She eats “real” food too fast and becomes sick, throws a tiny fits when she’s scolded, is basically physically attached to Carey for most of their new experiences, and instantly claims the dog. I think a favourite “warm and fuzzy” moment for me was her pictures that she draws. Adorable.   

Education

            I see that this book has received a little criticism for how smart the two girls are. I really do not see anything to complain about. People-children, teens, and adults-self-educate and teach each other all the time. It’s not like Carey did not know the basics when she went into the woods. Their books include works of Emily Dickinson, Tagore, Tennyson, and Wordsworth. They had biology books. Supplement this with a dictionary for words and concepts they don’t understand, and you’ll likely get someone who is smarter than others in their age group. In the woods, once done with the basic survival and chore duties, they would probably do activities that educate themselves. This book makes it clear that Carey might be misplaced in the “civilized world”, but she knows the woods in and out. She can name plants, trees, insects, and animals, and do other basic survival tasks like hunt (hey Katniss!).They weren’t watching television like we do now. They were reading and being read to. You don’t need a registered teacher to hover over your shoulder to be motivated to teach yourself. If I didn’t teach myself outside of the public school system I would probably have the IQ of a tulip.  

Verdict

            This is an awesome book. I highly recommend it. It might be a little too dark for some people. The book treats the uncomfortable matter of child abuse in a way that it is not “in your face” or overly detailed or overly dramatized. Since it is written from Carey’s POV, you only get what she is willing to think about. It’s about girls with a difficult past trying to cope with an entirely new life. It is sad; if you have even a shred of emotional intelligence it will make you sad too. There are readers that don’t want to feel sad at all, and I respect that, so I wouldn’t recommend it to people who hate books with depressing themes. Personally, I think it is an alright choice for a teen book club as long as you understand the emotional intelligence of the teens you are dealing with. Also best to have a feel for their parents too just in case there is a parent or two who want to believe that the world is all rainbows and unicorns. And be ready to talk about the book and the dark themes. If you’re not ready to talk about the details of this book, pick something that you’re comfortable with.

You Know What You Have to Do By Bonnie Shimko

*Made Possible by NetGalley.com! Thank you very much!
Published: March 26 2013
Publisher: Amazon Children's Publishing
Website: Author’s Website

Introduction

Mary-Magdalene Feigenbaum (Maggie) is a snarky and humorous teen protagonist. Her over-the-top mother and her funeral director step-father gave her a more interesting life than most teens have. This YA fiction is set in contemporary times, complete with email and iPhones. Maggie is living a normal teenager life when her head begins to throb. A man’s voice in her head tells her to do something unthinkable. It tells her to kill bad people.

Writing

I love this book. The writing is wonderful with Maggie’s first-person narration. She has only one real friend and she knows why. Her inner dialogue is true to her age. She sounds and acts like a teenager, which I appreciate immensely. The writing is fluid throughout the entire book. The first paragraph had me hooked and I devoured the book in a night. I was never bored. When long stretches of time need to pass, the author jumps ahead instead of giving us needless filler or making the events of the story happen in too-short a time span.

Genre

The premise of the novel is fantastic for those who appreciate a good horror and suspense story. The voice in her head demands that she do these acts. She herself is not a bad person. The emotional connection to her and her plight resonated strongly within me. Sure, we all know that killing people is “bad.” But what if the people she is murdering are “bad”? And then we wonder if the voice will take it to the next level and have her killing good people. The suspense is excellent and it kept me reading it until it was finished. Shimko does an excellent job of blending these elements just right for a teen audience.

Hero or Anti-hero

I found the blurry line that the protagonist walks between hero and anti-hero to be absolutely delicious. I know that some people are absolutely frightened about routing for an anti-hero. I’m not because I’m not a potato. Not everything you’re going to read in life is going to be black and white. If you are an actual reader, you’ll encounter protagonists that you dislike because of their morals and actions. If you have some level of intelligence, you’ll love Maggie like I did. Maggie’s plight is complex and requires reflection and sympathy.  

Secondary Story/Characters

            The secondary plots and characters are amazing. I loved each story involving her best friend Abigail, the boy Lester, her mother Roxie, her step-father Harry, her birth father, and her shrink. Honestly, there are no throw-away characters. Each subplot relates to typical YA problems that Maggie, and therefore the intended reader, confronts in their lives. The big one is boys and setting boundaries. These issues are handled realistically.  

Gripes

The ending was a little soft for me, but it is acceptable, if you think about the story as a whole. A big, overly-dramatic end wouldn’t fit the mostly quiet book.  The entire book is so good, I am going to say that it was too short, because I’m nice like that.

Verdict

            If you are an intelligent reader who likes the issues presented in Judy Blume, but prefer a homicidal twist, you’ll fall into a deep pit of love with this book. Excellently written, fast-paced, contemporary, realistic, and Shimko employs a superb use of horror and suspense for a YA audience. I cannot recommend this book enough to people who like to root for the anti-hero. It would make an excellent YA book club pick and is sure to generate discussion. 

Beautiful Creatures Film Review

Beautiful Creatures 2013

  Yesterday (Feb. 16 2013) we went to see the Beautiful Creatures movie at the theater. Needless to say, we had a case of the fangirl squees while waiting for the film to start. We have been waiting to see the film since we all read the book.  

            Unfortunately, there were many times when we looked at each other and mouthed “what?!” I am adamant that adaptations from book to film cannot be exactly alike. What works in a book does not necessarily work in a film. However, while watching this film, there is the moment when you realize the film has gone crazy and has started adding unnecessary things to the story. Some of the additions are ridiculous, and I will address them, but those sections might contain spoilers and will be marked. I try not to repeat myself so while some comments could appear under many headings, I try to keep some kind of semblance of organization.

Main Characters

            Ethan does not behave as I thought he did in the book. Admittedly, I thought their banter was much more interesting in the book, and overall he had more personality. (Lena: Can we just have a normal, awkward teenager date? Ethan: I won’t even call you the next day. *note: this is not an exact quote, only what I can remember.) I still stand by my opinion that he looks older than he should, and he doesn’t have the hair that needs cutting as stated in the book. It would be one thing if the film simply ignored it, but no, it doesn’t. In the first few moments of the film Amma reminds Ethan that he needs a haircut (when he obviously doesn’t). It was a moment when the writer tells the audience “Hey, I read the book too, I know what I’m writing about.” And by the way, he doesn’t know what he’s writing about.  

            Lena is a decent actor, though like Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in the Hunger Games film, I feel that they should have been more aware of how her face looks in certain angles. That’s something the camera and the actress needs to be aware of. My only major gripe with Lena is that her wardrobe doesn’t have the otherworldly feel like it does in the book. She is supposed to look different and out of place. Sure, she might not look exactly like her class mates, but it’s close, and maybe she is from the next town over. She is supposed to look noticeably different, and she doesn’t. Also, the charm necklace is never explained and should therefore just be taken out of the film.    

Atmosphere

            The atmosphere was well-done in the film, though I have actually never been to the south (yet). At least it looks like what other films tell me the American South looks like. However, I hate it when films have a narrative frame, trying to emulate Twilight. It would have been more effective to have Ethan speaking to someone for the set-up. Ethan: Hey Link. I hate Gatlin. You know what my mom always said, right? That we should strive to get out of this town full of religious zealots. She was right. All Gatlin talks about is the Battle of Honey Hill. Etc. There is at least one other point in the film that uses voice-over narrative that is unnecessary and shows lazy writing. Also, throwing around terms like “naturalist” without explanation is lazy writing and confusing for the audience, whether they have read the book or not.   

            I do dislike how the term southern Gothic is automatically stapled to this film. Yes, it takes place in the south and has the religious overtones known in the Bible Belt. Does it really have the abandoned, spooky buildings or other iconic symbolism? Not really. Everything is overdramatic and not scary at all. In fact, most of the scenes are in happy daylight. Southern Gothic also involves the grotesque in some way. It’s not here. So let’s stop using terms we don’t understand, shall we? It’s a teen romance movie, don’t paint it as something that it is not.

Book to Film-What Was Changed

(Mild Spoilers)

Light Vs Dark

            This change I actually liked. In the book, why you wouldn’t want to go Dark isn’t particularly clear. I assumed it has something to do with going to the dark side and you get to shoot lightning out of your fingers, but nothing is said in the book, as far as we can recall. With the exception of the “OMG once you go Dark you’ll hurt everybody you love!” you don’t know anything besides Dark=Bad.

            In the film, Dark Casters are actually bad. Ridley, a siren, actually hurts people. Sarafine has an agenda that will hurt mortals. Even Macon Ravenwood is a total jerk at one point and does something mean to Ethan.   

Claiming

All Duchannes are Claimed, male or female, in the book. In the film, only the men get to choose and the girls still get Claimed. Why did they change this in the film? They made it a girl only curse that is directly related to their bloodline. I think this was a stupid idea that was totally unnecessary. Why change what isn't broken? 

Secondary Characters

            A lot of fail here. Why don’t we get to hear about any of the family’s powers? Where are all the other family members? Larkin’s purpose in the film has been so altered, I have to ask: why is he even in the film? Marian has been cut and replaced with Amma. Amma is supposed to be the Caster and Public Library librarian, on top of being Ethan’s caretaker (which is not explained, to my recollection) and a seer. This doesn’t give her much time to do all the other things she is supposed to do in the story, and I hate how the film just neglects logic and piles all this on her character. Ethan’s father never makes an appearance and he is swiftly forgotten. Not much mentioning of Ethan’s mother, either, when she plays a role in the first book even though she is absent. Don’t even get me started on what they did to Macon in the end of the film.   

Sarafine   

Why is Sarafine introduced so early? The whole “OMG she’s been influencing everyone the entire time!” falls flat because in the film, we are SHOWN a huge reveal too soon. The audience is left going:...ok....so here’s Sarafine, being evil. I guess she’s the bad guy. The film tells us: Please be afraid of her now. This doesn’t really work.  

Ending

            The ending was ridiculous. I will not apologize for my statement either. It was stupid and uninspired. It was like whoever wrote the screenplay felt pressured to throw in a mish-mash of overused tripe and call it a day. Even the lines the actors were given are just awful. Why did they deviate from the source material so badly? I can't stand what they did to Macon and Ridley.

Verdict

            An alright movie for people who have not read the book and are into paranormal romances. The ending was rubbish. The beginning was more than decent for this kind of film. It had some interesting and thrilling scenes with magic like spinning tables. The love story was alright. Better than Twilight. Atmosphere and acting was enjoyable. If the second film is made despite the abysmal ending, I hope they get a better screen writer.   

The Giving Bunny Project

http://www.urbanthreads.com/blog/?p=7487

A great thing to teach teens (or anyone) is the value of giving. The Giving Bunny Project encourages participants to make simple bunnies with a paper tag and leave them to be found. This brightens someone's day and encourages the receiver to become a giver. Giving a gift anonymously is something that most people will never do. The experience of giving without recognition is very refreshing.  You can find all the details, along with a template in this blog post.

This project was created by Urban Threads and is perfect for use in teen programming! You just need some kind of white fabric like felt or fleece, some thread for stitching, stuffing, and a pompom for the tail. The site suggests embroidering the eyes and nose. If teaching embroidery to teens is daunting, you can make it simpler by using tiny button eyes and a tiny pink pompom for the nose, or stitch on the shapes. I've seen some adorable variants and it's not about being exact to the pictures. Just get together with the supplies, some snacks, and go at it!

Hopefully we'll be making our own once we pick up the supplies in a week or so. We look forward to leaving them in places to be found to bring a smile to someone's face!
      

Dr. Frankenstein’s Daughters by Suzanne Weyn

*Made Possible by NetGalley.com! Thank you very much!
Published: January 1 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Website: Author’s Website

Introduction

            Before Victor Frankenstein died, he had twin daughters. Ingrid is her father’s daughter, possessing a scientific mind. Giselle is frail with her cough, but is beautiful. They inherit Castle Frankenstein on a lonely little island and relocate with their new wealth. Ingrid becomes fascinated with her late father’s scientific research, and Giselle is a budding socialite looking for love. The peaceful life on the island is interrupted with several murders. Who is the murderer?

The premise of this book hooked me because I love Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. I cannot count how many times I have read it. The idea that he had two daughters who may take up his work is brilliant. I had hoped for a gothic tale involving castles, monsters, insanity, love, and science.

Pacing

Unfortunately, that is where the brilliance ends. The beginning of the book is terribly slow. To fix this, there needs to be a hook at the very beginning. Perhaps start with an incident that is described later. Of course, no one is paying me to edit this, but there are many ways to easily fix the pacing. The beginning is boring and made me wonder if I really wanted to give my time to it.

Murder Mystery

            The murder mystery was disappointing. Without giving away who is behind them, it is terribly obvious. Perhaps the author shouldn’t have made that person act like a nutcase all the time. Or balance that person’s insanity with people of equal or insanity, or perhaps even worse. And when it is revealed who did it...party’s over. That’s it. Well? What happened to them? What about all the people left behind? How do they feel about it? This short book could have been made longer with some exposition.   

Audience

In my opinion, it should be re-written for an older age group. You know, for teens who have read Frankenstein in high school. On my copy it says for ages 12 and up. A 12-year-old’s reading taste and a 16-year-old’s will differ immensely. If it is for young adults, write it for that age group. A 12-year-old is not a YA.

Writing

My biggest gripe is the writing. Nothing about the prose stands out. That’s probably because it was written for 12-year-olds, though I have read books for that audience that is written with artistry. There is nothing about this that makes it stand out in the sea of books already written. Pick an age group and deliver the best writing possible.    

Praise

The cover, the premise, and I thought it was cute to mention Percy and Mary Shelly.

Final Verdict 
            Great idea, mediocre execution. Because of the mediocre writing, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for a teen book club pick. If a teen likes Frankenstein, I would recommend it on the basis of the premise alone.