Book Review: The Girl Who Was On Fire ed. by Leah Wilson

My inner nerd was thrilled to read THE GIRL WHO WAS ON FIRE, a book of essays by YA authors that discuss THE HUNGER GAMES series in thoughtful detail. Reading the book gave me great ammo to use against anyone who dares say that the series isn’t deep enough – that it isn’t really literature but merely throwaway entertainment.

In one of my favorite essays, “Your Heart Is a Weapon the Size of Your Fist: Love as a Political Act in the Hunger Games”, Author Mary Borsellino compares themes in HG to George Orwell’s 1984 and shows how love was able to conquer hate in Katniss’ case where it did not for Winston. How’s that for deep?

But the essays on topics that range from PTSD to reality vs unreality to the science behind the books are not merely intellectually engaging, they are also fun to read. Sarah Rees Brennan, Jennifer Lynn Barnes and others bring the same relatable voice and humor that they do in their fiction offerings.

I’m not going to give THE GIRL WHO WAS ON FIRE a Zombie Chicken rating since it is secondary dystopian lit, but I will say, if you are A HUNGER GAMES fan, you need this book in your collection.

THE GIRL WHO WAS ON FIRE will come out in April 2011.  Find out more about it at the publisher's website.

Book Review: Grace by Elizabeth Scott

I asked readers pick a book for me to read and review during Dystopian February, and GRACE came out the winner!

GRACE is not necessarily a dystopian - in fact, when I spoke to the author about it last May, she confirmed that it wasn't written as a dystopian.  It's a story that could very well happen today in one of the many oppressive societies around the world. 

The basic premise is this: Grace has been raised to be a suicide bomber and to die showing despot Keran Berj that the People will never be ruled by him.  Once she is given her assignment however, she chooses to live instead and has to go on the run.  The story takes place mainly in a dilapidated train car with Grace sitting next to "her brother" Kerr, a young man also trying to escape.  During the train ride, Grace forms an uneasy bond with Kerr as they recall the horrors that brought them both to this point.

GRACE is a very dark story.  Both Grace and Kerr are killers, their minds warped by propaganda from both sides.  They've lived through sexual abuse, ostracism, starvation, cruelty. They've be programmed to live for others ideals, and they've both decided to be selfish, to live for themselves and to stay alive no matter the cost.

Scott limits her scope to these two broken souls and the barest of pertinent details.  It's an effective choice - by not diluting Grace's story, it hits harder.  Still, I did find myself wishing for a bit more (especially towards the end).  Similiar to LIVING DEAD GIRL (Scott's spare novel about a kidnap victim), GRACE is not going to appeal to the squeamish.  But those who don't shy away from the darker, deeper questions of the human condition will find much to think about and discuss here.

GRACE is available in hardcover.  Find out more about it at the author's website.

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

Book Spotlight: Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

Readers who answered my Dystopian August survey said one of the things they'd like me to do is to spotlight books I've read in the past but not reviewed.


ELLA MINNOW PEA is one of the most inventive novels I've ever read. It's starts out with a crazy premise - on the island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina there is a community who reveres Nevin Nollop the writer of the sentence "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog".  When letters start falling off his statue, the island's council takes it as a sign that Nollop doesn't want them to use that letter anymore and it is banned from all speech and letters on threat of explusion from the community.

The novel is all letters Ella writes to her cousin Tassie and Ella has to be increasingly creative with the language she uses as the alphabet at her disposal decreases.  At first, it is merely annoying, but Ella is always able to find alternative ways to say what she needs to.  But towards the end, her letters look like this:

Thangs 4 telling me oph what happen to Mr. Mannheim. Yew are right. We were inteet worging together.

In any case, Dunn explores a totalitarian dystopia that seeks to limit freedom of expression with wit and wisdom.  A fun novel for anyone who loves language and is looking for a book in the genre that goes beyond the doom and gloom.

Dystopian Mash-Up #2 by Guest Blogger Megan

In interviews with authors this month, I've been asking them to do a dystopian mash-up with their characters and other books (or other characters in their books).  I extended the challenge to fellow bloggers as well, and Megan from Posey Sessions has the floor today!

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My favorite novel of all time is THE GREAT GATSBY and I have pondering the ways that Gatsby would fit into a dystopian society. He is already used to a rigid class structure, so functioning in many dystopias wouldn’t be that different from his current understanding. In many futuristic societies class is the new race. It is the way we can discuss race in a way that also suggests we have transcended the constraints of race. Sometimes I see Gatsby as more of the man behind the curtain type. I think he would be much happier in Oz than he ever was in West Egg. I see him pulling the levers and having joy in the controlling of everything. Gatsby doesn’t really want control though he is very controlling about his surroundings in West Egg, though in a jovial way.

It is curious to ponder in which dystopian societies Gatsby would thrive and which he would fail. If Gatsby were in the world of DELIRIUM, he would definitely be diagnosed as being ill. But would be cured? How would his drive be able to manifest itself within his cured brain? I do not think he would fall to pieces and be incurable. I do not see him acting idiotic and throwing away his chances at life. There is something so calculated about his choices in THE GREAT GATSBY and how would that translate? I think that if Gatsby lived in the world of DELIRIUM, if he was a resident of Portland, Maine, he would conform, he would rise among the ranks. He would strive for power, seize power, and when he gained it he would only use it to match himself with the woman he loved, who he could never otherwise be with. Gatsby isn’t interested in the resistance or the freedom of the people. He is inherently selfish, and while he has the appearance of jovial conformity he motivations are rooted in his self.

But I wonder, what would happen to Gatsby once he got what he wanted? If he were to have Daisy, what then? Wouldn’t then his life become pointless? But within the world of DELIRIUM attaining his love would be the ultimate achievement because he would always know he had the power over the system.


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Interesting thoughts Megan!  What do you all think?

Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

On her 16th birthday, Beatrice has to choose the faction she wants to be aligned with for the rest of her life. There is Abnegation (the faction she grew up in), Dauntless (the one she wants to join), Amity, Candor and Erudite. But when she takes her aptitude test, Beatrice finds out that she’s a divergent – someone with the strengths of multiple factions. And that divergents are in grave danger.


I heard so much great buzz about this one that I traded someone on Twitter a box full of German chocolate for it. Was it worth it? Oh yes! I do have to admit, though, that at first, a city divided by such seemingly arbitrary factions felt a bit too artificially constructed to me. But soon enough, I was completely sucked in by Beatrice (aka Tris), her struggle to survive life as a dauntless initiate, her search for answers about what it means to be divergent, and her complex relationship with her trainer Four.

DIVERGENT may remind you a bit of THE HUNGER GAMES or CHAOS WALKING trilogies because it is unapologetically bleak in places. It’s a high-stakes, clever, compelling novel and I can’t wait to continue Tris’ journey in book two.

DIVERGENT comes out on May 3, 2011. Find out more about at the author’s blog. Also, check out the starred review in PW!  And remember, you could WIN a copy of DIVERGENT (and other fab books and swag) by posting a review of a dystopian novel this month and linking it up here.

See index of all dystopian reviews on Presenting Lenore

Return of Cat Tuesday (19)

Kaia was really cuddly this week!  Here she is with her paws hugging Lu's neck.

And she even braved the crabby Emmy.

Short Story Spotlight: Examination Day by Henry Slesar

Readers who answered my Dystopian August survey said one of the things they'd like me to do is to spotlight books I've read in the past but not reviewed.


Have you read Examination Day already?  It's very short, so if you haven't, read it now and then come back for a discussion!

What I like best about Examination Day is the ending, which comes as a total shock.  See, sure, we are all a little apprehensive about taking tests, and surprise tests are probably the least fun, but no reader expects the test to be as serious as it turns out to be.

Mr and Mrs Jordan don't even mention the test to their son Dickie until the day he turns 12.  Turns out that all kids have to take some sort of intelligence test, and though the Jordans seem nervous about it, they are not terrified or anything.

We see a little about what sets Dickie apart from his parents.  He is inquistive about the world around him and sensitive to others' feelings.  His father is annoyed when Dickie asks questions and doesn't even look at him when he drops him off at his test, let alone give him a hug or affection.

And then comes the PHONE CALL! Not only is the content shocking, the business-like, bored tone of the government official tells us that such phone calls are par for the course in this decidedly dystopian society.

What are your thoughts?

Dystopian Mash-Up #1 by Guest Blogger Emily

In interviews with authors this month, I've been asking them to do a dystopian mash-up with their characters and other books (or other characters in their books).  I extended the challenge to fellow bloggers as well, and Emily from the blog What Book Is That?  So, let's give her the floor!

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Emily here! I will say here at the onset that I seriously underestimated the challenge that is a dystopan mashup. I think it's because I'm a serious fan of books of any genre that feature a hero or heroine that can handle their business in any situation. What would be the fun of putting a no-nonsense person with good common sense, survival skills, and the will to succeed in a dystopian setting? They'd just carry on with business and that would be that!

No, the mashup that tickles my fancy the most works in reverse, by speculating how someone who managed to survive a dystopia would do in a different setting entirely. One of the first characters that popped into my head was Claudia from INCARCERON and SAPPHIQUE by Catherine Fisher. Her clever navigations of the politics and drama at the court and her experiences as the daughter of the Warden of the Incarceron prison left her wily, creative, clever, and scheming to a fault. What would happen if she were dropped into another royal court, but this time stripped of her power and position and completely dependent on another person for her survival?

After all, that's pretty much what would happen if she were to suddenly find herself dropped into the world of Ixia in POISON STUDY by Maria V. Snyder. The politics and fighting between factions in Ixia would no doubt feel pretty normal and status quo for Claudia; somehow being the poison taster for the Commander seems like something that would not go down easy for her.

And let's not forget the romance! While Claudia's relationship with Finn in INCARCERON and SAPPHIQUE is heavily defined by her ability to guide him in the strange new world outside of Incarceron, what would happen if she were in another, different relationship and found herself totally dependent on that person? One dose of Butterfly's Dust in POISON STUDY is all it would take.

I think it would take some adjusting, but Claudia is nothing if not resourceful- she could make a life for herself in Ixia. Whether that life would be good for anyone else, though, is another story entirely.

Many thanks to Lenore for letting me be a part of the Dystopian February festivities!

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Thank YOU Emily!  If you have a dystopian mash-up to offer, you can either post in on your own blog and leave your link in the comments, or you can submit it to lenoreva at hotmail dot com with the subject line Dystopian Mash-up.  Just keep in mind that I can't promise to publish all entries.

Short Story Spotlight: The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

Readers who answered my Dystopian August survey said one of the things they'd like me to do is to spotlight books I've read in the past but not reviewed.


One of the most memorable dystopian short stories I've ever read is The Lottery.  If you haven't read it, head over and read it now.  Then come back for a discussion.
 
Probably the creepiest part of the whole story is the tone.  The people in the village act like the lottery is completely normal, acceptable part of village life.  Check out this sentence for example: 

The lottery was conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program--by Mr. Summers, who had time and energy to devote to civic activities.

As early as the second paragraph, though, you get a sense that something's not quite right when the boys busy themselves by gathering stones.


I think it's really effective how Jackson introduces Mrs. Hutchinson, the main character. She's late.

Just as Mr. Summers finally left off talking and turned to the assembled villagers, Mrs. Hutchinson came hurriedly along the path to the square, her sweater thrown over her shoulders, and slid into place in the back of the crowd. "Clean forgot what day it was," she said to Mrs. Delacroix, who stood next to her, and they both laughed softly.

Doesn't bode well for her, does it?  Of course, there's also the fact that Mrs. Hutchinson is just as into it as anyone until her family is chosen.  And when she's the one in her family who gets the penciled x, it is chilling how her children react.

The children had stones already. And someone gave little Davy Hutchinson few pebbles.

 FREAKY!

So what do you think?

Book Review: Those That Wake by Jesse Karp

After an event known as the Big Black plunges NYC into darkness for two weeks, people in the city prefer to keep their heads down and communicate via technology. Mal is a foster kid. Laura has been raised by loving parents in the suburbs. Circumstances throw them together as they face off with a nameless corporate evil that is trying to erase them from the memories of everyone they’ve ever known.


This novel got off to a very promising start. I was fascinated with the concept and the characters were well developed right off the bat. Near the end of part 1 one, though, things took a turn for the paranormal and baffling. To be honest, I am still not quite sure what actually happened! So I’ll just chalk this one up as not for me.

2 Zombie Chickens – Entertaining but not essential

THOSE THAT WAKE comes out next month on March 21, 2011. Find out more about it at goodreads.

See index of all dystopian reviews at Presenting Lenore