January 2008 - Posts
Hidden Child of the Holocaust: A True Story
By: Stacy Cretzmeyer
This is quite an interesting read. In the author's introduction we learn that this book is about the author's high school French teacher. They had kept in touch after graduation, and when Stacy asked Ruth for recommendations of people to interview on a trip to France. She knew she wanted to write about what happened to Jewish children in France during the Nazi occupation. Little did she know, her teacher Ruth was one of those children. With a slight change of topic, this book is Ruth's story.
At the beginning of the story we worry about Ruth and her family. We're concerned, but not terribly as we are given Ruth's perspective of the situation. She doesn't understand everything, but she knows enough that she has to be careful and obey her parents. Renee (Ruth's French name) is 5 years old and she already knows what to say when people ask about her parents. They are gone, they have already been taken. Her cousin brings her back and forth to school, when they think they are being followed they stop at a Catholic church to throw the suspicion off of them.
One night, a man comes to their door telling them they have to flee, and flee they do. In a matter of minutes they have packed their few belongings and are running to catch the last train out of town. Did the man get to Uncle Heinrich fast enough to warn them too? (Uncle Heinrich is her father's brother and reads to Ruth when she visits). When they make it to Albi, they go to her Uncle Oscar's house (her mother's brother) for shelter until they can find a new hiding spot.
Things steadily get worse for the Jewish families in Southern France. The scares are occurring more and more often. So often that Renee's father goes into hiding in the mountains. Then Renee's mother has to make a decision she doesn't want to make: should Renee go with her cousins or no? She is convinced it is for the best and tells Renee that she is going on vacation and won't it be fun? Renee is excited until she realizes that her mother packed an awful lot of clothes for a short trip. When Madame Kahn leaves them at the French Convent, Renee is devastated. She just wants her mother and she's scared. She doesn't know what their prayers mean, what the beaded necklace all the girls in the dormitory have is for, when she will see her mother and father again and so many other questions!
This story is told from Ruth's perspective as a child. We see her innocence and her maturity for her young age. Since the story is told from that perspective we really feel for Ruth as she undergoes threatening questioning, her 'abandonment' and her return home. We also experience a child-like innocence in this story as many horrors of the war are not discussed directly, but skirted around.
While the book is well-written and an interesting look into Jewish life in occupied France during WWII, I think discussion would be warranted with kids reading this tale. There are the inevitable deaths and scares, but kids today will be aware of that. What I think will need further discussion is the question of humanity: How can people be persecuted like this? What did the Jews do to the Germans to receive this kind of treatment (there were people in France who didn't understand why the Jews were being singled out - that was an interesting history lesson, yet still obvious if you're familiar with the history of the time)? Why were some people willing to risk so much to save perfect strangers?
Recommended To:
Assassin - The Lady Grace Mysteries
By: Grace Cavendish (well, sort of!)
This is the first in a (so far) 6 part series featuring Lady Grace Cavendish. In this series we are told about intrigues that occur in Queen Elizabeth I court. Grace is one of her ladies-in-waiting who is supposed to pick one of the three suitors the Queen has selected for her. One's too old, one's not very nice, and one's a little dull, but he's at least her age!
Grace makes her decision, but that night one of the suitors is murdered while another is the accused! Grace must figure out what has happened in order to preserve the honor of the accused. She goes to work with her friends Ellie and Masou to find the real killer. What they discover is almost more than Grace can handle!
I found this to be a fast-paced book that was quite simple for me. A potential problem for readers is some of the terminology, but the beauty of this book is that there is a glossary at the end (which is really good). There are also notes about poisons (a hot topic in this book), apparel (another biggie) and a 'Fact Behind the Fiction' section which I really appreciated. It's nice when an author takes the time to let you in on a part of their research process and distinguishes things that could be either real or fake.
All-in-all, I really liked this book - I'll be borrowing the others in the series from the public library and keep you informed of Grace's activities! (I own book 1 and 3, I'm sure I have book 2, but do you think I can find it? I had to give up after an hour of looking!)
Recommended To:
The Sisters Grimm - Book 1 - The Fairy Tale Detectives
By: Michael Buckley
I've had this book on my shelf for awhile and finally got around to reading it. I'm so glad that I did!
Sabrina and Daphne's parents disappeared a little over a year ago. Since then they've been shuffled from one awful foster home to another. Their last chance is to go to their grandmother's. The only problem with this plan is that the girls' parents told them their grandparents were dead.
Relda Grimm is not what the girls expect. She's a little odd. For example: there are multiple locks on the inside and outside of the door to her house, she knocks 3 times and tells the house she's home and when she's leaving, and her spaghetti and meatballs is not even close to the right color. Daphne (the younger sister) is immediately at home and enjoys what she's experiencing, but Sabrina is much more skeptical. Who is this woman? What is in that locked room? Why are they looking at a house that obviously collapsed - or did it?
The girls are taken on the adventure of a lifetime - will they accept what Relda is telling them? That they are the keepers of Ferry Landing and must keep all of the fairy tale creatures there. Yes, fairy tale creatures. The stories of the Brothers Grimm are true, and it's up to this generation of Grimm detectives to make sure things continue to run smoothly. When someone sets a giant loose on the town you know things are going to get exciting. Why is Jack (of Jack and the Beanstalk fame) being kind of difficult? Is he hiding something? What is Charming up to? Why is he trying to get everyone's money? Can the girls trust Puck?
I'm quite sorry that I waited so long to read this story! It's intriguing and I love the concept of the descendants of the Brothers Grimm keeping fairy tales alive. I think this will be a really fun and exciting series to follow! There are already 5 books out, with book 6 due out on the 1st of March.
You won't believe which fairy tale characters show up in this story! I can't wait to get to the next books in the series!
Recommended To:
Becoming Jane Austen
By: Jon Spence
This was a wonderfully fantabulous book on the life and works of Jane Austen. The research Spence did to make his case is amazing. Just look through the Bibliography and the "Notes to" pages and you will see what I mean. You have to admire a person that tracks down all of that information! His bibliography provides a great starting point for future Austen researchers.
First of all, if you're not familiar with any of Jane Austen's works, this could be an extremely difficult read for you. Spence uses Janes letters to help track down the things that were going on in her life when she was writing her novels. He links people, places and events to her that help define the writer. There is discussion of all of her novels (and some of her juvenilia) throughout the text.
A main part of Spence's dialogue with the reader in this book is that of the romance of Jane to a Mr. Tom Lefroy. He was the nephew of a friend of Jane's, a Mrs. Lefroy. Spence argues that Jane and Tom were quite possibly in love, and that her relationship with him was a major factor in her life. (He does say there is no reason to believe they were engaged - just in case there's an Austen fanatic out there ready to yell at me.)
Tom left England without a good-bye to Jane, she discovers that he has returned to Ireland and his studies. Spence argues that Jane's use of character names was directly influenced by Tom Lefroy. Jane uses numerous character names that were in a novel called Tom Jones that was apparently Tom Lefroy's favorite novel. I believe she uses names from that novel in all of her works (maybe not in Sandition, I can't exactly recall - sorry!).
Jane's relationships with those around her really were a big part of the driving force of her genius. Yes, genius. Her commentary on the society she lived in is rich - rich in people looking for their other half that are "tempermentally, intellectually and morally well-suited to one another and have the joy of passionate fulfilment as well....social affirmation and deep personal good" (229). Jane was raised in a house where logic and sense ruled the day - there was really no room for emotion, and Jane put hers into her novels. Her last, unfinished work, took a different turn, it focuses on the body instead of temperment. Spence argues that a big reason for this is that some members of Jane's family were constantly giving birth. At the time, childbirth was extremely dangerous. She worried over her nieces, friends and sisters-in-law who were going from one pregnancy to another. Her last work was going to focus on people controlling their nature. Spence also argues that Jane does not have Anne Elliot (Persuasion) marry until she is older so that "she has not given up her youth to what Austen later called 'the business of Mothering" (214). I find this idea extremely intriguing, and is something I will have to keep in mind when I re-read her novels (yes, every so often I have to read Jane Austen again).
Spence gives a quite detailed history of Austen's family that is extremely helpful in helping him make his arguments. The drawback to the reader is that many relatives have the same names in different generations (and sometimes in the same one) which can make one pause to think about who the author is talking about.
I have not seen the movie called Becoming Jane so I can't comment on similarities or differences, but from what I understand the movie focuses on Austen's relationship with Tom Lefroy. I would assume that artistic license has been taken, but the author of this book was the historical consultant on that movie.
Also, if you are a Jane Austen fan you may want to know that Masterpiece Theatre is showing all of the BBC movies of Jane Austen's works every Sunday night. You've already missed Persuasion and Northanger Abbey (which were both quite good, but Northanger Abbey edged out Persuasion for me.) They start at 8 and run until the first week of April. Check out the site to see if you're favorite is coming up soon!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/
Recommended To:
Claire Tomalin's Jane Austen: A Life may be an easier read for those uninitiated with Jane Austen. I read it years ago in the throes of a class that focused on Jane Austen and her works (so what I'm saying is I was very familiar with many things Austen while reading that book - in England! - so that may be why it was an easy read for me at the time.) You in no way have to think the same way I do about any book!
The Library of Congress is using Flickr (an online photo sharing site) to launch a program to share the richness of its collection with the general public. So far they have 2 collections: 1930s-1940s in Color and News in the 1910s.
The Library of Congress is inviting the general public to tag these items to help enrich the collection. If the information on an item is incomplete and you know something about the photo, you are also invited to help provide that information.
http://www.flickr.com/commons
There are some beautiful photos in this collection! Take a minute or a few hours to browse through these!
There is also a link to the Library of Congress's Prints and Online Photos Catalog.
The Princess Bride
By: S. Morgenstern or, is it William Golding
First off, this book is brilliant. I can't believe I've waited this long to read it! Honestly, it's been on my list for years, I just never picked it up. Until now! Holy complications Batman!
Starting with the full title: The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Golding. Seems alright, doesn't it? Well, I'm about to burst your bubble!
The question of who is the author in this puppy is quite the fascinating one. If it's S. Morgenstern's tale, then didn't he write it? But William Goldman says he abridged it, but he only left in the parts his father read to him when he was sick. (Young William is very ill and his father reads him this story and abridges as he goes, as an older William will one day find out.)
Is it S. Morgenstern? Is it William Goldman? What about his father?
Do you know? I do! I do!
Well, I'm going to proclaim to know. This argument may not be wholly reasoned out, but I think you'll get the gist of what I'm about to say: William Goldman is the author. Now set aside your taunts, jeers and unpublishable mutterings under your breath while I explain. William Goldman made this story up and I can prove it. He tells us that this is part of the history of Florin. Want to know something about the country of Florin? Well, you'll have to ask Goldman because he made it up. Yes, the man made up a country and wrote as if it were a true story. Oh, and he changes the details of his personal life (Goldman interrupts S. Morgenstern's tale numerous times to explain why a certain section means something to him, what his wife and son are up to and so on. It's another layer to the story of The Princess Bride.) How do I know Florin is a fake country? I looked it up silly! And no, I did not use Wikipedia (you really shouldn't either, but that's a whole other lecture). It was a coin minted in 13th century Florence. If you've read the story, you'll know that Prince Humperdinck uses the activities of some to blame on the Guilders so he can declare war on them (that is deliberately elusive as I my goal is not to totally destroy the book for you). Guess what a Guilder is? A monetary unit of the Netherlands!
If that is not yet enough proof, pull out some old maps and look for a country named Florin. Go ahead, I'll wait....
Anyhew, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm declaring William Goldman the author, now who thinks I'm wrong?
On to the tale itself: First off, I really enjoyed this tale thoroughly, well, until the end, that is, but that I will leave for you to decide. The story of Westley and Buttercup is sweet, though I am not a fan of Buttercup. She's just a blah kind of girl to me. She always realizes things afterwards and she only really springs to action once that I can think of. I really like Westley, he's strong, brave and true. Plus, the man can take torture like no other. I have to admit the part where he's in the Zoo is too disturbing for me to recount here. Just the mention of his name and the Zoo makes me ill.
The "bad guys" Fezzik the giant Turk who likes to rhyme, the Spanish Inigo with his sword skills and personal mission, and the Sicilian, Vizzini, the boss and mastermind behind their plot to kidnap Buttercup. Oh yeah, they kidnap the future Princess of Florin.
What about Westley you say? Oh he comes back into play... Who's the man in black? You'll find that out too. Who's behind the plot(s) to kill Buttercup? Why is a war with Guilder necessary? Just how big of an ego does Prince Humperdinck have? All this and more people!
This story is truly an action-packed, sword-fighting, magically creepy, suspense filled adventure. I really, really liked it. Why didn't I love it? I was not a fan of the ending or Buttercup. That's just the way it was for me. That in no way should deter you from enjoying this book. I'm going to have to watch the movie now, but I might have to turn away for the parts that are in the Zoo......
Recommended To:
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action/adventure lovers
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the anti-romance crowd - I think you might enjoy this aspect, it's definitely different!
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adults mostly, but mature teens and tweens could definitely handle it, especially the boys, I think they would love it!
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everyone!
UPDATE: I watched the movie last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also thought I'd let you know that Robin Wright Penn's version of Buttercup made me like her a lot more. She wasn't quite as spineless and brainless as I had imagined her. On another note, the torture scene wasn't at all like I had pictured it - it was tamed down quite a bit compared to my imagination! 1-25-08
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
By: Brian Selznick
Caldecott Winner 2008
I was not expecting this book to win the Caldecott. Why, you ask? Let me count the ways!
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It's not a picture book
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It's not a graphic novel
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It's not strictly a Middle Grade or YA novel
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It has more words than a typical winner
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Isn't that enough?
Caldecott was, however, "known for breaking the rules of illustrating for children and creating new ones" (Newbery and Caldecott Trivia and More for Every Day of the Year). In that train of thought is how I would describe this book. It breaks the rules! It doesn't conform to a particular or specific genre. I think that Selznick's book is like an old-time black and white movie with the dialogue on the screen. The fact that one major part of the book deals with film-making really emphasizes the structure of this novel. It is a book with all manner of loveliness. The layout of the book is phenomenal! The pages all have black borders, in the sections with illustrations they make a nice frame, and the border frames the words on the other pages.
The book is over 500 pages, but it is hardly a daunting task. If I remember accurately, Selznick said there are 300 drawings in here that he did himself. And they are lovely. Even if you don't read the written story, you can follow the emotions of some of the characters throughout the book. There are also photo spreads from some of the old movies described in the book.
Ok, have I bored you with my talk of structure and formatting yet? If not, on to the story!
Hugo has a talent for tinkering with clocks and other mechanical toys. Life has left him hiding in the walls of the train station trying to repair the mechanical man and stealing food to eat. He doesn't enjoy the stealing part, but he doesn't have any other way of getting food. The theft that has the biggest impact on him is that of the toy mouse from the vendor in the train station. Hugo works off his theft for the man, meets his adopted daughter and so begins the adventure of a lifetime! Why won't the man give Hugo his notebook back? Why does that girl follow him? How long will it take him to fix the mechanical man and find out what he has to say? Once he learns that, will he be satisfied, or will it lead him on a further mystery?
I'm leaving out a lot of details here people, but you have to get them through the experience of this story. Half of it is told in pictures while the rest is in words. If you skip either, you're going to miss out on major parts of the story.
A word of warning: Some of the illustrations are so gorgeous and intricate you may have a hard time continuing on!
Recommended To:
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Teachers far and wide
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Art lovers - just for the aesthetic aspects of this beauty!
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Kids - I really think they'll all love this one! It's not a girl book or a boy book, but the main character is a boy, and he is a little stubborn!
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Everyone!
PLOS - Public Library of Science
http://www.plos.org/about/index.html
In a drastic change, I have found a site for the Science people here on campus! This "is a nonprofit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a public resource." (About PLOS)
On the right-hand side you'll see the subjects and if you click on it you will be taken to a Journals page. Here you can search for your chosen topic.
Take some time, do a little exploring and enjoy!
(I have added this resource to the Research QuickStart database in: Anthroplogy, Biology, Chemistry, Health and Physics.)
Sorry, I have been remiss in posting this year's Newbery, Caldecott and Coretta Scott King awards. I forgot that I posted them last year, and I even knew what they were on Monday soon after they were announced, but I forgot to put them here, so here we go!
John Newbery Medal Winner:
Schlitz, Laura Amy - Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! I had heard wonderful things about this book last summer, decided it would be worth ordering in the Fall, and now it's a winner! Hooray! It's also a fascinating book. It portrays people from all walks of life in a Medieval Village. Each person has a monologue, and it's written so that a classroom of students can perform it and have equal parts! Beautiful!
Newbery Honor Books:
Curtis, Christopher Paul - Elijah of Buxton
Schmidt, Gary D. - The Wednesday Wars
Woodson, Jacqueline - Feathers
I've heard good things about Elijah of Buxton, I believe a little controversy in The Wednesday Wars and nothing until it was announced for Feathers. At least we have the winner!
Randolph Caldecott Medal Winner:
Hold on to your hats folks, you aren't going to believe it!
Selznick, Brian - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
A lot of talk about this book! Many wanted it to win, but feared it wouldn't. See, the Caldecott goes "to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children" (ALA website, Caldecott awards section). The beauty of this book is that it's not a picture book, and it's not a middle grade or young adult novel. It's accessible to many ages and levels. I'm in the process of reading/viewing this book, so look for a review soon! (By the way, I am totally loving it!)
Caldecott Honor Books:
Writer: Illustrator: Title:
Levine, Ellen Nelson, Kadir Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad
Writer/Illustrator:
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro First the Egg
Sis, Peter The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
Willems, Mo Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity
First up, Kadir Nelson. The man has some talent. His name is familiar you say? Maybe that's because last year he won the Caldecott Honor and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator award for Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. I think that's enough! I haven't seen it, but I am very much looking forward to it!
I know nothing about First the Egg. Sorry!
However, The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain is looking gorgeous! If you're familiar with his work your imagination is already working overtime with the wonders that are in store for you! It's on my list to read. I may have to break down and pick it up sooner rather than later.....
Then there's Mo Willems. Good ol' Mo! I'm loving him! Have you read his very fun Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale? If so, you know you're in for a treat in the sequel! Mr. Willems has been extremely busy this year. He's been putting out easy reader books with Elephant and Piggie as the main characters. One of those, Today I Will Fly! won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award this year! They're very fun.
Coretta Scott King Author Winner:
Curtis, Christopher Paul - Elijah of Buxton
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books:
Draper, Sharon M. - November Blues - sorry, I know nothing!
Smith, Charles R. - Twelve Rounds to Glory- same deal, but it looks very exciting!
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Winner:
Bryan, Ashley - Let it Shine - This seems vaguely familiar, but we'll just have to wait and see!
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books:
Joy, N. Illus. Devard, Nancy - The Secret Olivia Told Me
Dillon, Leo and Diane - Jazz on a Saturday Night
Sibert Award:
Sis, Peter - The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
FYI - These books will be ordered at some point this semester. The exact time is yet to be determined.
Swan Sister: Fairy Tales Retold
Edited By: Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling
This is a collection of fairy tales that include rewritings by distinguished authors such as: Neil Gaiman, Jane Yolen and Tanith Lee. I'm sure the others are distinguished as well, I just don't recognize their names off the top of my head.
I enjoyed this collection. It's a quick read with retellings of tales like: Bluebeard, Arabian Nights, Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb, Red Riding Hood and more! This is also a companion collection to A Wolf at the Door which I read years ago.
I can't really give you a favorite out of the collection, I enjoyed them all!
Recommended For:
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fairy tale fans
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everyone!
Hitler's Daughter
By: Jackie French
This is a really great middle grade novel that will get students talking about the differences between right and wrong, good and evil.
When it rains at the bus stop, Anna tells the rest of the kids a story. Anna's latest story has Mark thinking. She tells the tale of a little girl named Heidi, and she was Hitler's daughter. We never learn who her mother was, but most people didn't know Hitler had a daughter. That's because she lived in a house with Fraulein Gelber who teaches her lessons. No one around asks who the child is because she is there under the orders of Hitler. Heidi knows a little bit about what's going on in Germany, but not much as she's not really allowed to know.
Heidi is moved to a safer house. We know that this is getting towards the end of the war, as she mentions the sounds the planes make more and more frequently. Then she is woken in the middle of the night and taken to an underground shelter. She and Frau Gelber are in a small room and are given meager meals (as food was getting scarce everywhere). Frau Gelber secrets away some bread and Heidi wonders at that, until she wakes in the middle of the night and Frau Gelber is gone. She realizes that she knows Frau Gelber went to find her family. Heidi wanders out of her room when she hears Duffi's voice (Duffi is her name for Hitler). He yells and screams at her and tells the soldiers to get her out of there. A nice man is taking her to another bunker when calamity strikes right before her eyes.
I won't tell you how Heidi's story ends, but it's really quite an intriguing tale. I think the best part is how this book goes back and forth between the kids from the bus stop and Heidi's story. Mark is extremely interested in this tale. It makes him think about the differences between good and bad, so much so that he pesters his parents with questions about good and evil. Since Hitler was not a good man, does that mean that Heidi is not good either? If you inherit traits from your parents, does that mean you have to be exactly like them? What if your mom or dad does something really, really bad; does that make you bad too? What if you do something really, really, bad; will your parents still love you?
This is a book that will require discussion with a child who reads it. It's excellent on its own, but with the subject matter that is dealt with, I think kids would get more out of it with a discussion with a parent, teacher or other trusted adult as it tackles some pretty big questions kids have while they grow up.
Recommended To:
I'm not saying everyone this time, because this book made me think - I believe some children would be ready for this discussion, but others won't be. You be the judge - and if you're still not sure, read it for yourself first. It won't take you too terribly long!
Ophelia
By: Lisa Klein
Author Lisa Klein felt that Shakespeare gave Ophelia a raw deal when he wrote "Hamlet." Ophelia plays a pretty minor part, but something about her just didn't add up for Klein, so she decided to tell us Ophelia's story - and it's good. Really good.
Ophelia's father has finally accomplished the first major step on his quest to seek an office for the royal family. Polonius, Laertes and Ophelia will be moving to the castle. Their rooms are small and cramped, and Ophelia's not so sure about her new surroundings. Then the Queen notices her and she ends up becoming a lady-in-waiting. She's the lowest born and the newest, so things are not as easy for her, but she does garner the Queen's favor and ends up being a preferred reader to the Queen.
She also attracts the attention of Hamlet. When they first meet, they are children and they tease each other. Occassional meetings continue to follow, and Ophelia finds herself enjoying the few moments that they talk. Then things start to become more serious, but in secret. Ophelia does not have an approved background for a potential future Queen of Denmark. They meet secretly with the help of Hamlet's faithful friend, Horatio. Hamlet and Ophelia develop a knack for manipulating people into seeing things that aren't really there (a la Othello). Cristiana (a fellow lady-in-waiting) is spiteful to Ophelia, but she is being courted by both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. They trick them all in a three-way triangle of love and things that are not ladylike at the masked ball.
After the success of their trickery, Hamlet leaves for Wittenberg. Soon after Hamlet leaves, the King is dead. Whispering that the King was murdered begins almost immediately. Hamlet returns a changed man. The quick wedding of his mother to his Unlcle Claudius, the new king, troubles Ophelia and wounds Hamlet deeper than he can put into words. Ophelia comforts him in a way only a true love can, and she worries he will disrespect her. This is for naught, as the two meet secretly and wed. Their meetings are only known to Horatio, who helps to arrange them and prevent their discovery.
After Hamlet sees the ghost of his father and vows revenge, Ophelia worries. She helps a little bit in Hamlet's new plot to prove Claudius murdered his brother, but he leaves her in the dark for some of it. When they agree that Hamlet will feign madness, Ophelia is with him, but when their meeting ends in a way Ophelia never expected, she can not believe that this Hamlet is the same one she fell in love with and married.
After the well-known play Hamlet has the visiting players perform and scares King Claudius, life becomes very dangerous for Ophelia. Her father is on the outs with the new king for telling him Hamlet's only ailment is his love for Ophelia, and the King looks at her in ways that make her leary of her safety - and she knows that Edmund (a guard) would gladly hurt her.
Ophelia must act, and she must do it now. Her father wants to use her for his own gain, Hamlet is worrying her, and she bears a secret that could possibly destroy her forever. Horatio is her helper and confidante. Only he can help her plan come to fruition: she will make a sleeping draught and Horatio will rescue her from her tomb after she is buried.
So, now that I've ruined the part where Ophelia supposedly kills herself in the play (which you will understand as soon as you read the prologue why I told you that part), I will let you ponder this: Why did she confide in Horatio? Why was a fake death her only option? What happens to her, Hamlet and all the others she knows and cares for?
This was my favorite book in my Christmas reading pile. It's an intriguing read that will keep you wondering what's going to happen next, even though you already sort of do know. You just don't know the whole story.
Recommended To:
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Shakespeare lovers
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those who like a new take on an old story
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independent people who like a strong, take-charge kind of heroine
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everyone!
A Great and Terrible Beauty
By: Libba Bray
We meet Gemma and her mother in India. Gemma is cross because all she wants to do is go to school in England and her mother refuses. When a strange man whispers, "Circe is near" to Gemma's mother, a fate she has yet to comprehend begins to unfold.
Gemma's mother dies and she gets her wish to go to school in England, only now she's not so excited. The vision she had the day of her mother's death haunts her. A strange man, Kartik, tells her to stop the visions, but she doesn't know how. Her brother Tom takes her to her school where she doesn't exactly fit in with the other girls. Her tormentors are, of course, the popular and rich girls who like to make others look bad so they look good. Only things don't go quite the way they plan, and Gemma manipulates her way into their circle, and even brings her roommate Ann with her.
The visions and their purpose slowly unfold for Gemma. When she enters the Realm of the visions she has a chance to speak with her mother who helps her decipher her mission, and it's an interesting one for Victorian England. Gemma takes her new friends (her previous enemies) with her into the Realm, where Victorian standards no longer exist and the girls are free to do things they'd never have been able to do otherwise.
As events unfold, one girl has to choose between the Realm and a fate she could not abide, Gemma tries to save a favorite teacher from being fired, keep her friends from becoming power-hungry (I still don't trust some of them) and figure out her purpose if she does choose to help the Realm, despite the warnings of Kartik.
All in all I found this to be an enjoyable, quick read. I'll be picking up Rebel's Angels and The Sweet Far Thing hopefully soon!
Recommended To:
Take a gander in the author's website!
http://libbabray.com/
Wicked Lovely
By: Melissa Marr
Did you know that a bunch of new authors banded together last year to form the Class of 2K7? Well now you know! Here's a link to the website:
http://classof2k7.com/
On to the book!
A word of warning, I love anything having to do with faeries. This book has some extremely intriguing ones in it!
Aislinn has lived by 3 rules for her entire life:
Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
You see, faeries are all around us, only we can't see them. You know how you feel really silly when you trip on a crack in the sidewalk only to realize there was no crack there? That's the faeries getting you!
Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.
If you speak to them they'll know you see them - and that could be extremely detrimental to your health.
Rule #3: Don't ever attract their attention.
See Rule #2.
So, what has Aislinn done? She's attracted the attention of the Summer King who is bound by his mother, the Winter Queen. (Now she is a faery that I would definitely steer clear of. Most of them are mainly a little naughty, but she is wicked. OH SO WICKED!) The Summer King needs to find the one that is destined for him. He's been searching for longer than we can even imagine, but he thinks he's found her at last. And his mother knows. And she will do whatever necessary to stop him from gaining his full powers.
The twist to this? Which one do you want? Aislinn isn't at all sure she wants to become the Summer Queen. That would mean leaving Seth, right when they were starting their more serious relationship, disappointing her grandmother and possibly taking over for Donia, the last girl who took the test to be Keenan's one true love. Donia's destiny is an awful one. She follows Keenan (the Summer King) around. Every time he finds a possible Queen, he must take them to Donia to take the test. If they don't take it, they become a Summer Girl (a faery follower of the King). If they do take it, one of two things could happen:
1. They become the Summer Queen and rule with Keenan
2. They take over Donia's job
What is Donia's job? She is to discourage every girl Keenan brings to her to not take hold of the Winter Queen's staff. If they take it and they are not the Queen they take over for Donia. No one has touched the staff in centuries. You think this job is sounding easy? Ha! Donia is cold. A bone-chilling, never warm and always cold. She and Keenan have become friends, but they can't touch for very long because she gives him frostbite and he burns her. You didn't see that coming, did you?
Aislinn agrees to spend time with Keenan so he can grant her her heart's desire: to be with Seth without the fey. Some trickery goes on at the Carnival and things will never be the same for Aislinn. Her options on how to deal with this situation are running out, but when her grandmother gets involved, the time has definitely arrived for some hard bargaining.
Recommended To:
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Fans of faeries and faery fiction
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Those liking a modern twist on an ancient concept
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This book is kind of like Survivor: Aislinn needs to outwit, outlast and outplay some of the faeries, but who? So if you like the show, take a gander!
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I'm even including adults on this, 'cause I can!
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Everyone!
I feel I should tell you there are some more mature themes in this book. Teenage love, responsibility, honesty, truth, trust and so much more are at stake in this book!
And if you love, love, love it, check out the author's website:
http://www.melissa-marr.com/
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple
By: Karen Cushman
Welcome back! Well, I'm back anyways, and ready to review for you! I only have 4 books for you, and one of them wasn't technically read over break (since I just finished it), but that's the one I'm starting with. Why you ask? Because I said so! (Sorry, I have no little childrens to say that to so I have to let it go sometimes....)
California Morning Whipple is not a happy camper. She DOES NOT want to move to California, and she doesn't like her name either. California's longing for home (Massachussetts) overshadows any chance she has at really enjoying her new life in Lucky Diggins. Her Mama works in the boardinghouse Mr. Scatters has put up. Well, it becomes a house, but starts out as tents. California and her siblings Butte, Prairie and Sierra work alongside their mother to make a go of it in the West. California changes her name to a respectable one, Lucy, and starts selling pies so she can make enough money to go back home.
Things don't quite go as planned. There's 'The Ballad of Rattlesnake Jake' that gets Lucy to thinking that it's one of their borders (who disappears a short time later), adapting to life in the West, new friends, a bad home situation, a death, a murder, 50 words for whiskey (which are fun and old-timey and proves that little Butte needs more education than he's getting working at the saloon), a disaster and a choice. Whew. I think that about does it!
All in all, this is a pretty good quick read.
Recommended To:
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those interested in the California gold rush time period
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anyone who wants to be at home
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those seeking the meaning of home
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fans of Cushman
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everyone!
I do have to say I preferred her other books; Catherine, Called Birdy and The Midwife's Apprentice. They're more in my kind of time-setting (Medieval/Renaissance).