My reading year 2007 - best of - part 3

The Kiddie Section

While I seldom read actual children’s books - which, after the desaster with “Wind in the willows” is probably a good thing - from time to time I do like to read stories that are mainly aimed at older children, teenagers and the like. When I compiled the list I was a bit surprised that there haven’t been more of those last year. So this is not really a best of list, but more of a that’s-all-there-is list.

6. Lemony Snicket “A Series of Unfortunate Events”

I had seen the film on tv and while I am not a particular fan of Jim Carrey I found it not too bad and decided to give the books a try. The book I read had the first 3 stories. But even though I liked the fact that these stories are not the usual sugary cute kiddie stories, I couldn’t really stand the narrator’s voice. I did read the book all the way through, but I know I won’t check out the other stories.
I can understand that children love the books, and they are undoubtedly original and entertaining and at times even educational. So I’m all for reading them to younger kids. My problem was that the narrator had a distinctive condescending tone to his way of talking, which got on my nerves quickly. But children probably don’t see it that way and thus can enjoy the books a lot more. For myself, I prefer the movie.

5. Stephenie Meyer “Twilight”

This book would actually have earned a place on my “biggest disappointments” list as well. Or on a hypothetical “overhyped authors” list.

I had read reviews of this book and its sequel “New Moon” on literally dozens of blogs and had accordingly high hopes for it. And that, let me tell you, is always a very bad thing to have when reading a book for the first time. Of course I was disappointed. Everybody kept celebrating the damn book as the best thing since Harry Potter or something, so reading it could only be a letdown. Also, I have a very defined notion of vampires from watching Buffy and Angel for years, so how could poor, lifeless little Edward Cullen compete with that image in my head? He didn’t have a chance in hell.

Having said that, this book is not really a total waste of time. After all, I finished it without having to force myself to read on, so I didn’t actually hate it. But I can’t say I was impressed either. It is just another trivial piece of teenage romance. I have to admit, though, the cover design for all the books of the series is stunning. Sadly, a beautiful cover alone doesn’t save the book.

The storyline is entertaining enough, if not terribly original. If you read a lot and are over 15 you probably will have read all of this before, but for teenagers it certainly is a good reading recommendation. Meyer’s take on the old vampire myths isn’t very original - except for the “glittering in the sun” thing I didn’t find anything new here. But the characters are for the most part likeable and more or less believable.

The only really annoying thing was Bella’s constant fawning adoration for Edward and this “he was so beautiful that he took my breath away”, “he is so beautiful that I can hardly look at him”, “his beauty is so overwhelming” about 5 times per page. I get it, gal, he is pretty. Now get over it and get on with the story, will ya?

I don’t know if I will bother to read the next installments of the series. I’m probably too old and jaded to enjoy such sugar-sweet teenage love stories.

4. Eoin Colfer “Artemis Fowl and the Opal Deception”

Now this, as I have stated before, is a series of children’s books that really appeals to me. Everything I have said about the fourth installment, which I finished just a few days ago, goes for this third part of the series as well.
Even though I have read this one in german, which is never a good idea, I enjoyed it a lot. And I can hardly wait for part 5 to be published. And I am still undecided if I like Colfer’s or Rowling’s series better. I do know, though, that Artemis himself as a character is way more entertaining than Harry - all this troubled chosen-one attitude of Harry is getting kinda old meanwhile. Artemis is just way more fun.

3. John Marsden “The Tomorrow Series”

Well, fun isn’t exactly the word you could use for John Marsden’s “Tomorrow” series. Seeing as the books are about a bunch of teenagers trying to survive on their own in a warzone, fun is really not what you’d expect. What you get instead are realistic and highly likeable characters in an exciting, suspenseful and poignant story. This series is by far the best YA stuff I have read in ages.

I first heard of Marsden in Australia, which is were this series is set as well. It consists of 7 books:

1. Tomorrow when the war begun

2. The Dead of the Night

3. The Third Day, the Frost

4. Darkness, Be My Friend

5. Burning for Revenge

6. The Night is for Hunting

7. The Other Side of Dawn

So far, I have read the first four and they are all fantastic. I have #5 and #7 on my shelf, but #6 is still missing, so I don’t wanna go on reading before I got every book to finish the series without further interruption. Once I am finished I will write a longer review of the whole series.

By the way, I just saw John Marsden has got quite a very nice website, where you can find everything about all his books. I have read a few other ones outside the Tomorrow series and I must say the man has a great insight into teenagers’ minds. His characters are always believable (and not one of them is even half as annoying as Bella from “Twilight”).

2. Dodie Smith “I Capture the Castle”

Here is another book I adore. I had read reviews of this one as well, glowing ones, too. For some reason, though, I had formed a completely wrong expectation as to the story itself. Maybe that is why I found myself not only completely surprised and amazed, but also instantly charmed, when I finally got around to reading the book.

I mean, a book starting with the line “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink” can’t be all bad anway, but from there the story actually only gets better. Cassandra Mortmain and her family (even her bumbling father) won me over within the first few pages and I couldn’t put the book down again.

This book is like comfort food for your brain. Whenever you feel like crap, you can curl up on the couch with it and let the story envelop you like a soft, warm blanket.

1. Scott Westerfeld “Uglies”

Scott Westerfeld is one of my new discoveries of last year. You know, one of these lucky finds you stumble upon while browsing on Amazon. I have never read anything about it on another blog, which, frankly, is a shame. This series deserves at least just as much recognition as Stephenie Meyer’s, if not more.

This novel is the first of the series and it is definitely on my top ten list. As soon as I have some more money again I will order the next installments of the story. I rarely buy new books these days, what with Bookmooch and Bookcrossing I rarely have to, but for this series it is definitely worth it.

Here is the short review from Amazon:

Tally lives in a world where your sixteenth birthday brings aesthetic perfection: an operation which erases your flaws, transforming you from an ‘Ugly’ into a ‘Pretty’. She is on the eve of this important event, and cannot wait for her life to change. As well as guaranteeing supermodel looks, life as a Pretty seems to revolve around having a good time. But then she meets Shay, who is also fifteen - but with a very different outlook on life. Before her operation she plans to escape to a community in the forest where Uglies go to escape ‘ turning’. Tally won’t be persuaded to join her, as this would involve sacrificing everything she’s ever wanted for a lot of uncertainty. When she is taken in for questioning on her birthday, however, Tally gets sent there anyway - against her will. The state wants her to go on an undercover mission and report back about the location of the community; otherwise she will forfeit her birthday operation. What she discovers on her journey reveals that there is nothing ‘pretty’ about the transformations…

This story takes our current obsession with beauty and perfection to a whole new level. It is mainly aimed at younger readers, but this is one of those books that adults can enjoy as well.