Song of the Sparrow
By: Lisa Ann Sandell
Are you a fan of the Knights of the Round Table? Arthur? Lancelot? What about Gwynivere? Ever heard of the Lady of Shallot?
In the Arthurian legends we are given all sorts of varying insights into the character and the drive of the male characters. We hardly see the women except as "damsels in distress who needed a man to rescue them, and at worse, they were chaperones of doom and destruction" (394 - author's note). Lisa Ann Sandell tells us The Song of the Sparrow from the point-of-view of Elaine, or, Elaine of Ascolat, or, most familiarly, The Lady of Shallot. Let me tell you, she's got some spunk and she will not be a damsel in distress (or for very long!).
We meet Elaine in a camp. She has lived there since her mother's horrible murder many years previous to this. She is a tomboy, she's the only girl in camp, and she has also learned the art of healing. You could count on Elaine to fix you up whether it was from a rash to a wound. She also was the friend of many, as well as their mender. Elaine's role in the camp is layered. She's a daughter, healer, mender, friend, sister and confidante. We read the story in verse format from her point-of-view. She's quite astute. She will even follow the men to their battles and watch from the sidelines to make sure her help is not needed.
When Arthur becomes the leader of this faction of Britons defending their homeland, conflict arises. Some of the men don't want someone younger leading them, others don't have confidence in Arthur, but yet still others have full faith that Arthur will help them to defend their homeland. This is a crucial decision, as Arthur's plans will put the group on the offensive instead of the defensive. They have always defended, never attacked. This change of strategy does bother Elaine, and she even makes her thoughts to Arthur known. Will this make the men murderers instead of defenders? She has a terrible feeling about the upcoming attack and plans to follow, even though it will be much further than she usually travels.
When Elaine is following the men she also feels as if she is being followed. When she has almost reached the camp (she can see the fires and hear the noises associated with it) she is attacked by Saxons. Suddenly, a figure jumps from the trees - her savior and also her nemesis from camp has arrived. Elaine and her friend are taken captive by the Saxons. While there, they hear a spy telling the Saxons how and when to attack Arthur's army so it would be at its most vulnerable. Elaine and her friend devise a plan: Elaine will distract the guards while her friend runs to Arthur to warn him of the danger. Elaine knows that she could very well die doing what she is about to do, but she goes through with it because it will hopefully save all the people that are the most important to her in her life.
That's a basic run-down of the story line. What, you want to know where the romance is? Well, let me tell you, it's there! Early on we know who Elaine thinks she loves, then we know who she really loves before she realizes it herself. We also find out about Lancelot, Arthur and Gwynivere. There's no lack of love or drama in the love department, but it's also not over-the-top mushy-gushy either.
And if you know anything about the Lady of Shallot you will be pleased to note that she does sail down the river. It just may not occur quite how you expect it to!
Additional Information:
There is a fantastic note from the author at the end of the story. She tells of her fascination with the subject, as well as giving you the low-down on what's fact and what's fiction. It's quite murky, but still helpful. There is also a section of suggestions for further reading. That is exciting! (Honestly though, not many teens are going to be looking into some of these books unless they're completely fascinated with the Arthurian legends.)
Notes on the Cover:
Acch! The dreaded back of the head shot! There have been quite a few books with this type of cover in the last few years. My main question is: why doesn't she have anything at least draped over her shoulders? (It's not a distasteful cover by any means). What's with the ivy in her hair? If you read the story, Elaine is just not the type to have ivy in her hair. Honestly, this cover is not going to attract any of the Arthurian legend buffs out there. I wouldn't have even known what this book entailed if it hadn't been for the jacket desctiption!
Recommended To:
- Historical fiction fans - yes, the historically accurate part is up for debate!
- Arthurian legend readers - this offers a unique perspective!
- Readers of the prose - this book is told in long verse. I love it! It just begs to be read aloud!
- Everyone!
On our shelves!
Out of the Wild
By: Sarah Beth Durst
Remember Into the Wild? You know, where Julie saves the world (well, her city anyways) by going into the Wild and defeating it, thereby releasing some of the Fairy Tale characters it had grabbed hold of yet again? Her mom's Rapunzel? Gothel (the wicked witch) is her grandma and Puss-in-Boots is her brother? Yeah, that's what I thought!
This time, the Wild has a surprise in store for Julie and Rapunzel: it swallows one of the Three Blind Mice and spits Julie's father back out. Julie and Zel are confused, as the Wild never willingly lets anyone go, if you'll recall Zel had to fight her way out before. Julie's excitement over her dad's return is soon quashed when they head to the Wishing Well Motel to ask Gothel about the Wild just returning Rapunzel's prince to her (after more than 500 years no less!) and finding a villain whom none had suspected. Unfortunately, there's an even more sinister villain pulling strings from behind-the-scenes. You'll figure it out, and this super bad evil villain's true identity will shock you, and completely make you feel for her. (Yes, I'm giving away the fact that it's a female.)
This is just as exciting and filled with adventure as the first one! People are turned into pumpkins, frogs, are returned to their fairy-tale fates, rescued from their fates all the while trying to outsmart dragons and villains and learning how to navigate a flying carpet. Oh yeah, there's magic carpets, beanstalks, castles in clouds, flying brooms and so much more!
Julie may be young, but she knows her fairy tales, and she's going to do her best to defeat the wild yet again. Will she succeed and save the entire U.S. (really, the Wild lives on the East coast with Julie and Zel and has almost reached Disneyland by the end). Honestly, would you want to be doomed to re-live the same story over and over? How awful would it be to be Sleeping Beauty? She falls asleep for a hundred years, her prince wakes her up and then they start again. How awful! Will Julie have to destroy the Wild in her efforts to save everyone she loves, and therefore destroying most of them? Pick this fast-paced adventure up and find out!
Notes on the Cover:
I like the blue background and we still have the vines along the left-hand side of the book, which helps to tie it together with Into the Wild. Looking at it now, I bet it's a beanstalk....there's even a silhouette of a witch on a broom and a couple of fairies/pixies! The focal point of the cover is pale pink which makes it really pop against the blue background. You can tell that Julie is on a flying carpet, the wind in her hair gives you that effect anyways. The only question you need to answer is this: What in the heck is she doing on a flying carpet and where did she get it?
Recommended To:
- Those who enjoyed Into the Wild (you won't be disappointed!)
- Fairy tale readers
- Adventure junkies
- Talking Animal lovers
- Everyone!
On our shelves!
True North was created by the Minnesota Historical Society in conjunction with Minnesota's Land Management Information Center and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The goal of the website is "to provide Minnesota's teachers with the knowledge, curriculum, and tools to teach the state's new graduation standards for geography and history, using online digital resources and applications."
If you click on Lesson you will find lesson themes for grades 4-8 as well as 9-12. They also provide information on workshops and additional resources.
The Maps link may be a little confusing for the first time user, but the help section is pretty straightforward in explaining how the system works. There is valuable information on Minnesota history, people, natural resources, places, products and transportation in these maps.
Take a little time and learn something new about Minnesota!
The Night of the Burning: Devorah's Story
By: Linda Press Wulf
This story is based on actual events and the main character and her sister were real people. The author is very upfront in telling you right away that she has taken liberties with the dialogue and interactions of the various characters. She also tells you which of the other characters were based on real people, or just named after them.
Set in Poland in the post-Great War (WWI), Devorah's Story is that of the amazing journey and transformation of a young girl who survives a pogrom (Cossacks would agitate local peasants and the group would then loot and burn Jewish homes and shops, they also killed their Jewish neighbors). She is a serious young thing who has trouble understanding how her little sister, Nechema, can still smile after all of the horrors that they have witnessed.
Devorah and Nechema were rescued from their hiding place by the only kind peasant neighbor they had. She sends the girls off in a cart to an orphanage as it's not safe to keep them with her. Nechema adapts more easily than Devorah. A big part of this is because she is so young, but Devorah has a harder time letting go of her past - she made a vow to her father that she would never forget the stories. At the time of the vow he tells her that making a vow is a serious and solemn thing. At 9 (ish...) she thinks she's up to the challenge, but by the time she's at the orphanage the stories are weighing on her soul. She wants to talk about their parents and past, but Nechema wants nothing to do with the past.
When a man named Mr. Ochberg comes to the orphanage wanting to take children to South Africa to live with Jewish families Devorah is intrigued, but scared. She knows that if she goes she will never come back, but at the same time, she has nothing to come back to. Nechema, on the other hand, is a bundle of excitement over the trip. She's going. Devorah knows that she will go because Nechema is and she promised her mother she'd watch over her.
Will Devorah and Nechema make it to South Africa? Will they be adopted? If they are, would it be separately or together?
This story will break your heart and make you cry, but it is so worth it. If you're the oldest sibling in the family it would really be worth the read, especially if you've been raised to ‘set a good example for your little sister (or brother),' or to ‘watch out for your siblings' or ordered to let them follow you around. It might enlighten you to some reasons as to why you are the way you are!
Recommended To:
- Fans on historical fiction
- Anyone interested in Poland at the end of WWI, or just Poland in general!
- The eldest sibling in a family - I'm almost willing to bet you'll recognize various aspects of your personality in Devorah!
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
Devorah takes center stage holding the dolls her father brought back for her and Nechema. The blank, soulful expression of her eyes tells you that she has been through much. I feel as if this is her before the pogrom (because of the dolls), but she doesn't look unhealthy (skinny, malnourished) to me which is how I imagine her for quite a bit of the book. I suppose an emaciated looking girl would put people off of the story...The background behind Devorah is an interesting shape; not really a teardrop, nor a flame. I don't know if I particularly like the shape, but the image inside the shape really adds to the cover. The outlines of the buildings and the fire coming off of them are really an integral part of the story that they've featured on the cover. If not for the fire and pogrom, Devorah's story would be much different.
On our shelves!
Babylon Revisited and Other Stories
By: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Oh Fitzgerald, how do I Love thee? Okay, yes that's silly and trite, but I really do love Fitzgerald!
This is a collection of some of his short stories. "Babylon Revisited" is one I've read before and is one of my favorite looks at love, family, and second chances. Charlie has made some mistakes in his life, and one that potentially cost him his wife and the mother of his child. Now that he's back and better, will his sister-in-law give up her legal custody or will Charlie's past come back to haunt him? An interesting look at how past actions can still affect our present.
"The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" is an interesting look at a family's desire to protect their treasured secret: their house is sitting on the largest diamond in the world. The founder of the stone decided it should be kept secret and his predecessor's followed suit. The tale brings up issues of just how far a person will go to protect what they think is right. Fascinating!
"The Freshest Boy" is a look at a boarding school for boys and how sometimes one is picked out of the rest to be "the" person to pick on. This is a nice view of how to live with the torment, and how to eventually rise above it.
Obviously that's not all, but I'm just giving you a brief glimpse of my favorites from this collection. I could go on and on about how much I love Fitzgerald, but I'll stop here, really! If short stories aren't your thing, check out one of his novels like, The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night, or The Beautiful and the Damned. Yes, I loved all of them...
Recommended To:
- Short story readers
- Psychology majors - really!
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
I love the burgundy at the top, the blue pattern on the bottom, the man sitting and contemplating on the cover...The whole shebang just works for me!
We have a copy on our shelves!
Currently off-campus students may have trouble accessing any of the EBSCOhost databases on the library's webpage. Try using Internet Explorer as your web browser and ignore the security warnings until you get to the search page. If this does not work for you, feel free to e-mail or call me 507-344-7874. We are working to resolve this issue. Thanks for your understanding.
Again, apologies to our off-campus students! You may experience difficulties trying to access JSTOR from off-campus. We are working on resolving this issue as well and will update you as soon as we can.
The Enchantress of Florence
By: Salman Rushdie
I'm not going to lie, it took me a little bit to get into this one. I almost even gave up. Why didn't I? Because I wanted to know how the tale of the Enchantress of Florence, Qara Köz, ended. The reason I thought about just throwing in the towel on this one is I was getting confused during the beginning. Sometimes I felt like I was in India and at others in Italy. It took me a little while to figure out that that is what was actually happening. The Enchantress of Florence weaves the tale of Qara Köz with the tale of Machiavelli (took me a while to figure that out too...sometimes book jackets are so helpful!) and two of his childhood friends and then also has a first person narrative at some points for King Akbar. The problem is that you are never told where you are and when. You have to figure that out by the characters names, and when they are Italian, Indian, and Turkish names you easily get confused.
Was it worth the beginning struggle? You bet your bottom dollar it was! If I had the time (okay, the ambition) I would read it again to pick up on all the little things that I missed the first time, but, quite frankly, there are too many books out there and I didn't completely love it like I do Harry Potter (no, that is not a fair comparison because we're talking about completely different books, but this book did not inspire the desire to devour the book like the Harry Potter books do to me. That, of course, is purely a personal preference and yes, there have been other books that I have read then started over again from the beginning.)
The story of Qara Köz is tragic and beautiful and even a little disturbing. Weave that in with a King who believes he is supreme and who begins to wonder about the "I" and what kind of King he is and is to become, the adventures of Argalia the Italian Turk (yes, you read that right), Niccolò Vespucci, and the magical realism that occurs throughout the text. Please note that this is set during the Italian Renaissance so expect some debauchery and war stories in the text. These sections do make it a more believable experience, especially since Rushdie did a considerable amount of research for this book. The bibliography kind of makes me want to go out and read through them all, but I'll be realistic; maybe just a couple of them!
Recommended To:
- Italian history fans
- Those who read their books for the prose
- Storytellers - Vespucci knows how to tell a tale!
Notes on the Cover:
It's lovely. There, I said it! The copy I have is an orangish color with a light pattern against it. Behind the title you see the silhouette of a woman (Qara Köz I betcha) and below her is a goldish border that has the author's name. It's just a classy cover! Yes, Rushdie has won the Booker Prize (among others) so you can expect great things from this author!
You can get this one at the public library here in town.
The Monster of Florence: A True Story
By: Douglas Preston with Mario Spezi
I will occasionally read a non-fiction title if it strikes my fancy. This was one such title. The Monster of Florence title alone intrigued me and just sucked me right in. When I pulled the book off the library shelf and saw the cover I was hooked. Sculptures! Florence! I'm in!
Then I read the inside cover - now, this book is not really for the faint of heart. It talks about a serial killer in the Italian countryside outside of Florence that kills couples out parking on the Saturday night of a new moon. This was not just in a couple of year time span, these killings span roughly 20 years and 16 people died from the killer, that is not including countless others who were implicated as the killer only to have their lives ruined before they were freed because the killer had struck again. Another thing to take note of is that there are some graphic descriptions of what the killer did to his victims. This is mainly confined to the first couple of chapters (there's one description that just completely chilled me), but is referred to throughout the rest of the book, although not in as much detail (thankfully!).
The first half of the book is the story of Mario Spezi and how he became involved in the case and the details of what happened in each instance. He also chronicles the efforts of police and journalists and notes where they made mistakes (and they made a lot). Spezi is an Italian journalist who was covering the criminal section on a Sunday morning when he went to the local police station just to see if anything was happening. Let me tell you, that is a Sunday that forever changed Mario's life. He is also the person who named the serial killer The Monster of Florence.
The next half of the book is Douglas Preston's half of the story. His portion covers his move to Italy with his family, the discovery that they were living extremely close to one of the locations of murder, his belief in Spezi and his need to help uncover the truth. It also chronicles the arrest of Spezi and the questioning of Douglas himself. That's right, the Italian police believed that Spezi was the Monster and that Douglas had information that would be helpful to the investigation. Douglas even has to leave the country because of this.
I'm not going to tell you whether or not they find the killer, but you'll know what's coming as you read through this book. It's a shocking look at a system of justice that did not work for many, many innocent Italian citizens.
Recommended To:
- Non-fiction readers
- Those fascinated with Italy, its history, judicial system, and Florence (in particular)
- Those intrigued with 1st Amendment Rights
- Anyone interested in becoming a journalist
Sorry, we don't have this one. I picked it up at the public library.
Rapunzel's Revenge
By: Shannon & Dean Hale
Illustrated By: Nathan Hale
Oh was I excited for this one! It's the tale of Rapunzel re-written to make her more of an independent cowgirl than the role of damsel-in-distress. Guess what the added bonus is? It's designed as a graphic novel (kind of like a comic book)!
We meet Rapunzel as a young girl living in Mother Gothel's grand villa. She admits she probably would have stayed there her entire life except for one thing: the wall. She wants to know what's on the other side and she's never been allowed to see. Well, she changes that quickly on her 12th birthday. What she sees surprises, amazes and bewilders her. The person she meets shocks and astounds her. Se begins Rapunzel's path of disobedience, but in a good way!
Rapunzel's tower is a tree, her hair grows, Mother Gothel offers her chances of freedom for good behavior, but Rapunzel isn't having any of that! This is your basic story of Rapunzel, except for how she gets out of her tower and what she does after that. That part is completely new and so utterly enjoyable! I love it when a ‘traditional' heroine who is considered meek takes on a new life in a tale like this. Rapunzel does still follow some of the same fairy tale tropes, but she does it in a new and inventive way. If you love this you're going to love the fact that a sequel called Calamity Jack is currently being illustrated.
Recommended To:
- Fairy tale fans
- Those who like a gutsy heroine
- Anyone who prefers that their books have pictures
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
Oh how I enjoy a Rapunzel with a makeover! Her long braids as her lasso, the bright red hair (I have to say I have never pictured her with red hair, but it matches her spunk!) Hooray!
Side Note:
Shannon and Dean Hale are married and Nathan Hale is of no relation.
Well Witched
By: Frances Hardinge
For those of you who loved Fly By Night I am happy to report that Hardinge has written yet another whopper of a tale. The tales are vastly different as far as their settings go, but they are both really great books.
Well Witched is the story of 3 children; 2 who worry about getting into trouble and 1 who doesn't seem to care about trouble, even when he knows what his punishment is going to be. Ryan is our narrator and he takes us through his adventures with his friends. Chelle is the only girl of the group and has a tendency to chatter on and on. Ryan sometimes feels bad because he doesn't pay attention to her, but by the end of the story he will have to. Ryan and Chelle both feel privileged to be Josh's friend. Josh defends the two of them even though he's a bit of an unlikely candidate for the job.
When an afternoon adventure turns into a wish and a curse that will have the three children in its grips you know you're in for some excitement. The children are doing the best they can with the task they've unwittingly taken on but are now compelled to carry out. When their results aren't quite what they were hoping for, Ryan and Chelle realize something's not right and needs to change. Josh, on the other hand, is enjoying his new ‘powers' and is in no way, shape or form giving them up without a fight.
What happens when you have to take a stand against your best friend? What happens when everyone you try to help ends up a little bit more miserable? Will Ryan and Chelle be able to figure out the curse in order to save themselves and Josh?
This is a wonderful tale that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I will admit it took me a bit to get into it (just a chapter or so) since I was expecting something along the lines of Fly by Night, but this was a wonderful tale all on its own!
Recommended To:
- Those with wishes unfulfilled - you may not mind so much after reading this!
- Those interested in stories of friendship and what you will or won't do for a friend
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
I have the American edition. I am a bit disappointed that they changed the title from the British edition which was Verdigris Deep. I love that title (and that cover). The Verdigris part intrigued me. It is explained in the story, but I almost feel like they were dumbing-down the title for the American audience. That being said, the cover is good, the three children are at the well, all pertinent facts to the story. On the other hand, I really like the cover to the British edition. I don't think I can be diplomatic on this one as I just really liked the British cover and nothing else can compare to that.
On our shelves!
Sunrise Over Fallujah
By: Walter Dean Myers
This is an extremely emotional yet unemotional tale at the same time. I'm really not trying to be contradictory, but when you read a book about the day to day life in a war zone you're going to come across emotions, and the blocking out of them. It's very intriguing to read, because you feel as if you are right next to Birdy, Jonesy, Kennedy and the rest of their Civil Affairs Unit. You feel the tension, the unexpectedness of people shooting at you when you're supposedly in a ‘safe' area of Iraq. You can also feel Birdy and other characters distance themselves from the sights they have seen. Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful things that happen, but when the focus of the story is on a war, you know that everything is not going to come up all roses. It's just not possible, there will be suffering wherever war happens to be. This book really makes you think about the Iraq War and the day-to-day life of our men and women who are serving over there.
Birdy tries to distance himself from the violence that is all around them. Being in the Civil Affairs unit means he's not on the front lines and shouldn't be getting shot at, but he and his entire company are. Their job is to help the Iraqi people and make them feel that they are safe with the Americans there. Things sometimes work out, but when they don't it can get bad for everyone very quickly.
For someone who is opposed to the war, this would be a great book to understand the thought process of some of our soldiers and why they are there. They may not always like what they're told to do, but they do it out of pride of their country and a true belief that they are helping people. There's nothing wrong with that. On the flip side to that though, for someone who has supported the war from day one and has never been involved in one, you can see the impact that war has on a person's psyche. It may make you re-think your thought process.
A word of caution on this tale: you will be reading some descriptions of people dying and other forms of torture. There will be some mild language and other things that you may not appreciate, but it's necessary to the story. Myers doesn't shy away from tough subject matter. Some of it is a bit graphic, but it really is essential to make the tale have that truly realistic feel. It's going to challenge you no matter what your thoughts on the war in Iraq are.
Notes on the Cover:
Beautiful. Just beautiful. There is a passage in the book that refers to the sunrise and comes at a poignant time in the story. I re-read that passage to really get the full effect of it. The colors of the cover really portray how the sunrise is described in the story. The lone soldier walking with his weapon, the military vehicle (sorry, I have no idea which one, I had a hard enough time keeping the different units straight - but not to worry, there's a glossary!), the smoke rising from a building in the background, and the colors of the sunset is just amazing.
Helen of Troy
By: Margaret George
Oh me oh my! Have you ever heard of a little ‘historical' event called the Trojan War? How about, "The face that launched a thousand ships" from Homer's Illiad (or was it The Odyssey? Or even Marlowe's The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus? Sorry, I don't remember!) Alright, alright, I know that Homer is not going to be on many people's summer reading lists, but maybe you've seen the Brad Pitt movie called "Troy"? Yeah, I got you there! Not having seen the movie I couldn't tell you if George's version of Helen would match the movies, but I'll explain the story and you can decide for yourself.
George starts with Helen as a child. The youngest of four siblings, she is a special child. So special that she is not allowed to look in a mirror nor to leave her family's estate. Her other siblings can, so why can't she? Because of the prophecies. In those days prophecies would be made about an entire family or a specific member of the family. Some people tried to avoid the prophecies coming true, others accepted them. Helen's family didn't accept it. They didn't want Helen's prophecy to come true so they protected her. (No, I'm not telling.)
There's a lot of Helen's life that I'm going to skip to kind of move this along, but let me just say that for a book of 606 pages I couldn't wait to finish it. I would have a hard time putting it down, but this book is one of those that is right up my alley!
When Helen is of marrying age, many suitors have arrived at her father's palace to seek her hand. News of her marvelous beauty had spread far and wide. She had more suitors than any other girl before her! Helen's situation is unique as her father has allowed her to choose, that way it's her choice and not his and this will hopefully protect her family from anyone upset with her choice. The suitors were also required to swear an oath to defend Helen should anything ever happen to her. Yeah, just a little bit of subtle foreshadowing there...
Helen chooses Menelaus, her sisters brother-in-law. She marries him and things are okay: they get along; she adjusts to her duties as queen, etc. Helen desires to know passion, but has come to accept that she will never be blessed with that gift. That is, until the day Paris shows up. Theirs is what you would call "love at first sight," Paris and Helen have an instant connection and Helen soon faces a choice: stay and now be miserable forever with her husband, or risk her reputation and flee with the young prince?
In George's version of the story Helen willingly goes, in others it appears that she was 'stolen'. Take that how you wish, this is George's version of Helen's story and it really gives you an inside look into what she was thinking when she did certain things. George does not make Helen a villain, hero or even a martyr. She is simply a woman who is following her heart and living with her choices. And she has to live with some extremely difficult consequences of her actions, but she doesn't complain. She realizes what her choices have done to a certain extent, but then as you get further into the story you also realize that while Helen made her choices, others made choices about her that only furthered their own selfish wishes. I'm looking at you Agamemnon! (I have no affection at all for the man, especially as he's described in this book, which, is going to persuade you to understand Helen, and if you accept that you aren't going to like Agamemnon either!)
This is a lovely, engrossing, passionate tale of love, honor, betrayal, family and war.
Recommended To:
- Highly recommended to fans of historical fiction
- Anyone interested in the Trojan War/Greek history (I use history loosely)
- Those who like reading from first-person narration. Helen will pull you in from the beginning and hold you until the end!
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
It's okay. It's interesting and fits with the time period (which is something). Looking at it now it doesn't necessarily just grab me, but when I got it off the sale table the cover did get my attention since it had a side profile of a marble (?) statue of a woman in the Renaissance style. (I'm just guessing Renaissance. It reminds me of statues like David or the Venus de Milo.) Then, there was the title right in the middle of the book. I find Helen to be a fascinating person in literature (and/or history...) and I was excited to read something that was "from her perspective."
Do you still have a few spare minutes in your already jam-packed days to spend with a good book? Are you really into mysteries and keenly disappointed that I rarely read them? (No, I don't know what my issue is since I tend to enjoy them...) If you've answered 'yes' to either of these questions, then you will be happy to find out about The Mystery Reader website.
This site is solely dedicated to reviewing mysteries. They even break them down into categories so you can read the types of mysteries you prefer! Police/Detective, Suspense, Thrillers, Cozy, Historical, or even Romantic Suspense options are right there on your left and with a click of a button you're off and running! You can even find information about the author's themselves in the Interviews, Author Directory or even the Features links.
Note: if you prefer Romances there's a link to the Romance Reader website at the bottom of the page.
The Surrender Tree
By: Margarita Engle
For someone looking for a book that's a little out of the ordinary, I've found you one! The Surrender Tree is set in Cuba beginning in 1850 and goes to 1899. It's a novel in verse format, which I adore, and is told to us mainly from 4 different perspectives; Rosa (a healer), Lieutenant Death (a slave catcher), Jose (Rosa's husband), Silvia (Rosa's apprentice). An additional person, Captain-General Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau, Marquis of Tenerife, Empire of Spain also gives us his perspective a few times throughout the story.
Basically, the Cuban people want freedom from Spain. Valeriano is there to make sure they don't get it. Rosa is introduced as a girl who is learning the arts of healing. As she ages and the various wars come and go, Rosa continues to heal all who come to her, even her enemies. They don't understand her willingness to help them, but in her mind she is a healer, no matter who it is that needs help. Her willingness to help her enemy is really quite honorable, especially considering she really doesn't have a home and is constantly hiding so that she isn't caught by someone like Lieutenant Death.
This is a really interesting read on Cuba in the 1800s. It really inspires a person to read more about the history to really understand what was going on and how it became the nation it is today.
Something to note about this tale: the author's grandparents were two refugees of that time period. You really get a feel for what they went through in this book. The author gives a short introduction to help set up the story for you, then at the end is a chronology and a section for further reading. I really love those for further reading sections, especially on a topic that's not discussed widely. A thorough job! Oh happy day!
Recommended To:
- Poetry readers, you'll love the lyricism
- Those who enjoy reading about survival and overcoming adversity
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
The bold yellow background really helps to focus your attention on the black tree that dominates the page. I also really like the palm holding the tree, and the red that separates the tree from the hand. It really makes me think about the blood that was spilled over this time period, how trees affect the people in the story, and how the hands were what caused the bloodshed. The red dot -like image off to the right of the tree makes me think of the sun, but there are no promises that I'm right about that!
Into the Wild
By: Sarah Beth Durst
By now you all realize that I love me my fairy tales and new versions/takes of the old stories. The premise of Into the Wild is imaginative and unique: Julie lives with her mother, Zel (as in, Rapunzel) and her brother, Boots (as in, Puss-in-Boots). Every once in awhile the dwarves come over for dinner (yes, Snow's 7) and if she's really lucky, her Grandmother, Gothel (the wicked witch) will show up as well. That's truly a rare treat as Gothel rarely leaves the Wishing Well Motel where she guards the well that could undo all they've worked for.
When Julie turns on the tv the day after their dinner with the dwarves and her grandmother, she sees immediately what has happened: the Wild has gotten free. You see, Julie and her mother were the protectors of the Wild, the place where fairy tales live. Zel, Cinderella, Goldielocks and so many more had finally managed to escape thanks to Zel's leadership, but now they're all being sucked back in to continue telling their tale over and over - unless Julie can stop it.
Julie's a great protagonist who has to think before she acts in order to successfully complete her mission: getting her mom back and the Wild back under her bed where it now belongs. Her heart's desire is the key to the ending of the story, but it's up to Julie to make the right decision. This tale is of family, love and friendship will have you on the edge of your seat the entire ride. It's imaginative and exquisitely done, especially when you look at how many different fairy tales are incorporated into this one tale. It takes all of Julie's knowledge of fairy tales to fight the Wild, but will she succumb to the Wild in the end? It knows a lot and uses people she loves against her, but will it succeed in the end?
You may be wondering how the Wild got out, especially since Julie and her mother were protecting it. Let's just say it involves the night of the dinner, the Three Bears (from Goldilocks), the well and a wish. The savvy reader will pick up close to the beginning of the tale just who the culprit is (and if not, you'll get it in the end), but it's not the point of the story and I'm willing to bet it'll have something to do with the sequel, Out of the Wild.
Recommended To:
- Fairy-tale lovers
- Adventure junkies
- Talking-animal lovers
- Everyone!
Notes on the Cover:
This is a cover that will attract more girls than boys. The purple/pink color combination will have that effect on people. Admittedly, they're not colors of choice to me, but at the same time they are striking. The purple background with the vines of the wild growing out of the right side of the book are fascinating, there's more there than what a quick glance will show. I like that at least we see an outline of Julie and Boots and it's not just a part of her body without a head - it's the outline of an entire girl! Oh happy day!
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