Book Review -- The Giver

The Giver by Lois Lowry

My enjoyment rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hangover rating:  3

Source:  Library copy

Genre:  Young Adult

Objectionable material: None

 

Jonas lives in a world without choice: of family, seasons, profession, longevity. But his selection by the community of Elders as, Receiver of Memory, changes forever his perception of his parents, siblings and his life. In his training as Receiver, Jonas must gain “memory” from the Elder Receiver, who is known as the Giver. Jonas’s new memories open up a vast landscape of knowledge, joy, and sorrow that was absent from his personal experience. How can he continue to live without variety, even if it comes with pain, and maintain his position as Receiver?

Lois Lowry writes a haunting story about life without options. Of any kind.

I was especially touched by the intimate relationship she developed between the Giver and Receiver. She does a magnificent job of showing how important a student-teacher relationship is (it reminded me of Dumbledore and Harry Potter).

And the empty nature of the Jonas’s family was equally well done.

However, this was an extremely bleak novel. And as brilliantly crafted as it is, not sure I can say that I actually enjoyed it.

But – it is considered one of those novels you “must read.”

So, at least I can check it off my list.

 

Has anyone read the remaining in the series?

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Book Review -- Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor

My enjoyment rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hangover rating:  4

Source: Personal copy

Genre: Fiction, fantasy, YA, dystopian

Objectionable material: Sexual illusion, but it was faint at best; I don't remember any language.

Ladies of Literature book club July pick

Summary: Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My thoughts:

 

Totally. Out. Of. My. Comfort. Zone.

I feel like the Mikey commercial of the 70’s – she tried it and she liked it!

Seriously…I would NEVER have read this without prompting from my friend, Heather.

I don’t read books like this. Angels? Monsters? Teeth? Parts? Wings?

Hats off to author, Laini Taylor, for creating such an otherworld experience, and having it feel authentic. Her imagery of the “chimaera” – these monster-animal-human-like creations – is vivid, and seems almost plausible.

The relationship she builds between Karou and Akiva is like any other star-crossed/Romeo & Juliet love affair, fraught with passion, angst, longing, pain, desire. I too would run off with an angel if he looked and acted like Akiva! However, if the guy I was into was half goat, not so much.

And I think where her story was brilliantly executed – is with the character’s relationships (or lack thereof) – whether it was Karou & Brimstone, or Karou & Kaz, or Madrigal &Thiago, or Zuzana & Mik – all unique, different, emotionally charged, potent, dangerous. And, well, normal. Or as normal as can be.

I don’t do sequels unless your name is Harry, but I think I will be queuing up part 2 of the Smoke and Bone series, Days of Blood and Starlight.

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Mother Daughter Book Club -- Cinder

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

My enjoyment rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
February Mother Daughter Book Club choice

Source:  Personal Copy

Genre:  YA; Dystopian (12 and up)

Objectionable material:  mild violence; use of guns

Remember Jaime Sommers? The Bionic Woman? One day, happily dating Steve Austin, on the way to being married, when she is tragically hurled to earth in a catastrophic sky diving accident. When she awakens from her injuries and surgery – she has been repaired: new ears, new arm, new legs – bigger, better, stronger.

That’s how I envisioned Cinder, Marissa Meyer’s spunky heroine, in her dystopian mashup of the fairy tale Cinderella: Cinder, hurled to earth to be saved from the Lunar people, rebuilt with mechanical parts that make her a Cyborg (was Jaime really a cyborg afterall?), trying to save her planet and her Emperor (who also happens to be super cute).

Surprisingly – I liked this.

Cinder was an easy character to embrace: she was dogged by her stepmother and step sister, bullied by the mainstream humans – but yet, she was able to rebuild robots, droids and cars, flirt with the hottie Prince, had an awesome sidekick, Iko, and was able to withstand the evil Queen Levana. She was one tough cookie.

I knew going into this that it was a series (Scarlet #2 in the Lunar Chronicles) – so the ending wasn’t really and ending. Which rots. I’m not sure I’m that invested in Cinder to read the remaining to see what happens…but I would like to know how it ends. Oh well.

This was our Mother/Daughter book club choice for February.

We haven’t met yet – and normally I wait and post my thoughts until I get feedback from the girls. But, there is a significant chance we won’t be there on Tuesday.

Daisy daughter still hasn’t finished this. It’s totally NOT in her literary comfort zone (not a single cupcake was baked). We shall see.

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Book Review -- Warm Bodies

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

My enjoyment rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Source: Personal copy

Genre:  General fiction; dystopian; zombie-lit

Objectionable material:  significant language, including F-bomb; gruesome descriptions of attacks; mild sexual innuendo

Ladies of Literature book club -- January selection

Fleshies! Boneys! Living! Dead!

Warm Bodies was my first venture into the zombie-lit genre, and I must say, although I was grossed out at times, I survived the experience.

 

R is a Zombie. Living in the ruins of a former airport, and feasting on the brains of Living, he is trying to make sense of his existence, since he has no memory of his past.

On a hunt to feed his insatiable hunger, R eats the brains Perry Kelvin, a Living teenager who has barricade himself and his girlfriend, Julie, against the onslaught of a zombie attack. But instead of turning his vengeance against Julie as well, R, who is now experiencing Perry’s memories, life and feelings intimately, saves Julie from certain death.

What proceeds from their first encounter, results in the possibility of R and Julie saving what is left of civilization and the planet.

Isaac Marion has created a brilliant story around a bleak existence. R becomes sympathetic and soulful; Julie indestructible and compassionate. In the hands of the author, their entire relationship and existence rings of authenticity.

And the ending gave hope to the notion that we must do better to love our neighbors and learn to accept those who may differ from us.

Apart from the excessive language and the gruesomeness, I enjoyed this novel. Surprisingly enough!

The movie, Warm Bodies, opens in theatres on Friday. I’m going with my Ladies of Literature book club – can’t wait to see it!

 

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