Coraline and Inkheart

I recently read Stardust by Neil Gaiman, who apparently is a fairly famous fellow. I haven't seen the movie of this book--mostly because I have an aversion to book to film projects--but I rather enjoy it. I heard that another one of his books was becoming a film and decided to read that as well. Here's the jacket copy:

"When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous.

But there's another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Coraline will have to fight with all her wits and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life."

I rather liked this book. The writing is rather frank and plain, but I think that's a part of his style, and the work does not need the extra language. The characters were all lovely and entertaining, and I got a sense that the writer know more than he shared (a very good thing). I'm sort of attracted to that dark, occult-themed work so the mood of the entire work was rather pleasing to me. I'm a tad bit if-y about the end. I'm glad that author was able to tie up all the loose ends, but I'm not quite sure it was needed. Hmph, perhaps if he had not included it, I would have been complaining of the loose ends. : ) A good book, if your kids are not scared too easily, and the movie is directed by the same fellow who did James and the Giant Peach and The Nightmare Before Christmas so the movie is looking pretty good too.

My next book is Inkspell by Cornelia Funke. I enjoyed the first book in the series, Inkheart, except for... the terrible plot structure, so I'm looking forward to this book. Perhaps she fixed the plot, and Inkspell will show what a great writer can do.

Through Violet Eyes by Stephen Woodworth (Edit)

I recently went to the public library, and as usual, I picked up several books. Typically, I pick some from the young adult section, a few from the juvenile fiction, and some from the adult fiction bookshelves. One of my adult books was Through Violet Eyes by Stephen Woodworth. It's his debut novel, so I suppose he needs a bit of leeway, but having read the first chapters of book, I cannot say that I'm all that impressed. The characters are incredibly flat and unoriginal. And, the writing is clunky and loaded with 'I'm such a clever writer' character development, which makes the bibliophile in me wince. Trite, I suppose, would be the word to sum it up. I like the idea of the Violets, people who can channel the dead, but I cannot claim to like any of the characters. What a shame sense the cover was so nice. Maybe the characters will get deeper as I get further in the story... I can only hope.

Ha, I actually wasn't lucky enough to find Brisingr in the library, so you all will have to wait for a real rant. Then again, Paolini may have happened upon a less derivative plot and more believable characters, and I will have nothing to report. But, for some reason, I find that unlikely.

UPDATE: Well, I've finished it. Guess what? The entire book was a bad as the first chapters. The characters were all shallow. I've read books where I love certain characters; I've had books where I hate certain characters; but, I've never had a book where I didn't care about any of the characters. 'Til now. On the cover, Iris Johansen is quoted, saying, "A stunning thriller." Funny, I didn't think this was stunning or thrilling, and if I am to go by the credibility of this review, I am in doubt of the use of "A."

The books most rewarding qualities are its ending. It's unexpected and not as clean cut as the rest of the book. The last... 30 or so pages are the fastest paced and best. It's a pity you have to suffer through the first 300 pages to get to them.

Now, onto reading Coraline : )

The Host

I'm a big fan of the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. Her books are what YA is all about. Originally, I had an intense aversion to this book. I mean, it is a vampire romance, but it's much better than you'd expect. Anyway, I decided to buy her next book, The Host. It is the first of her novels to be printed as an adult novel. In my opinion, it feels very much like her YA novels, and I don't see exactly what is so adult about it. She could have had it published at Little, Brown under the YA category without me seeing the difference. I suppose that she's trying to reach a wider audience.

For those of you who haven't heard, The New York Times has removed children's books from its bestseller's list. They are instead on their own list. I suppose that it because some writers for grown ups got witchy about authors for kids (such as J.K. Rowling). This of course is ridiculous. To separate a single category is like taking out Jazz, Country, or Rock music from winning grammy's because they are not 'serious' music.

But enough ranting. As I've already said, this title is very much like the rest of her works. Her plot isn't driven as much by events as it is by character realizations. Emotions are the main device driving you through the novel, which I don't mind. Meyer does quite well with first person, introspective sorts of work. She's also not afraid to gray things out. While you may initially classify things as black and white at the beginning of the novel, Meyer has tried very hard to slosh the black and white into grayscale.

I will say one thing I was a little disappointed in was the details on the medicine... It seemed much too easy, and any real science buff will be scratching their head wondering what the mechanics of Heal, Seal, and Clean are and why they need specialist for this medicine when a kindergardener could administer it. The lack of detail explanation and the simplicity of it, I think, will turn off true science fiction fans. Science fiction is usually very heavy on explaining things; We want to know not just that it worked but how it worked. Science fiction is different than fantasy. Take the vampires she wrote about in her previous books. I don't care how vampires work biologically that much, because I know that vampires don't exist. They're outside explanation. Science fiction is about what we may be capable of within the usual scientific limitations.

One other note, I think I wouldn't have minded the unhappy ending. Those of you that have read it will know what I'm talking about. I feel like she tacted on the last bit, making a magical solution, where she should have just let it be. She let the character be saved at the last minute, and as an author, I've got to protest against that. Your characters have to solve their own problems, through their own cleverness, but I'll let it slide just this once, because it did make me stop crying at the tragic ending. What can I say? I'm a big softy.

Percy Jackson and The Olympians

I've been reading this series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and it's a bit addictive. I can see why it has been on the New York Times best-seller's list. It isn't so much about the turn of phases or the development of the characters that makes these books interesting. It's the action. These books have a back-to-back action scene sort of pace. It feels... very American, very action movie, very much like a book written for boys.

My little brother, who I have to trick into reading, was very interested in these books as soon as I summarized them for him. I'll have to bring them back from my apartment for him to read the next time I venture from my apartment. It's an interesting way to learn about mythology and feel as though you've gone through quite and adventure doing so.

The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth

Another Writing Sample

This is the eighth chapter of the Wormwood Prophet. Though it is rather short, it is one of my favorites thus far.

The Queen walked on the path beaten by the mourners of the past thirteen days, beaten by her frequent trips to the King's tomb, and she sighed as she went. Her lantern dangled, ringing against the rod she held it by, and she stepped softly. To a watchful eye, the blades of grass bent down before her stride. To a sharp nose, the aroma of incense clung to her. To an attentive ear, the empty hills sang with her presence. Wrapped in a black cloak and having her long dark ringlets fall about her, the girl could hardly be separated against the night.

At age twelve, Amy Wize had never been one for crying, but as she glanced up and saw the tomb laying before her, she faltered.

Black stone walls rose firm and solid above her, and the dark steeple merged with night sky. Stone angels, carved into the walls, played harps, sounded trumpets, and strummed guitars. Had it not been the tomb of her father, Amy might have thought the building was beautiful.

Amy ambled across the stone walk and opened her lantern. The flames she had lit the previous day had died, but smoke still hung in the air. Melted wax covered the surface of the altar, and she made a note to herself to clean it when she visited again in the morning. Amy took a thin stick from her cloak, lit it with the lantern’s fire, and set a new candle aflame.

“May you rest in peace, father.” Closing her eyes, Amy tried to wipe her mind of the last two weeks, but all she could see was her father’s face, without color, devoid of strength, in the hospital. All she could smell was the scent of sanitizers and plastic gloves. All she could feel was the pressure of her hand in his as he passed. He held her so tightly, then his grip left her, and he was gone. Gone forever.

She opened her eyes, wiped them, and sniffed. Written in stone, his name twinkled in the firelight. “I had hoped.” She looked at the name and thought of how permanent it seemed. “I had hoped it would work out this time.” She sighed, kissed her fingertips, and then placed them on her father’s name. “I love you.”

Amy closed her lantern and stepped across the stone walk. She stopped as soon as her feet met the soil. The blades of grass didn’t bend before her. The ground didn’t soften to her step. The crickets, the wind, and the owls didn’t sing to her, and the deep purple sky had turned black.
The Queen’s lantern rose, and her eyes narrowed. Her lips parted, and she trembled with recognition.

The most distant trees vanished against the darkness. Then the closer ones, and then everything became dark as though the scene had all been painted black. Her lantern flickered, and she didn’t move. This was the end, she thought, and the chill surrounded her. The lantern light held onto what looked like the last of its life before suddenly dancing wildly and turning white.
“Brighter,” she heard someone whisper, and the lantern rose.

Something was a approaching. A human-sized something. A boy. In the white lantern light, his blue eyes struck her like lightning. “Help.” His gaze shifted to the lantern. “Brighter.” The light burst from the lanterns frame, and Amy tossed the lantern forward. She closed her eyes as the light illuminated the field, as it grew brighter, as it broke through the darkness.

The grass bent before her. The ground softened for her. The crickets, the owls, and the grass sang to her once more. It was as though nothing had happened, as though the darkness had never come.

The only difference was the burnt plot of land where the lantern had landed and the boy now lying on his back in the grass.

Beginning to Detest

I'm editing my novel, (I'm about a third of the way through) and it's amazing the tendencies you find in your own writing when you have your words printed before you. A list of words I'm beginning to loathe:

1. Suddenly. This word makes me sound as though I don't know how it came about. Suddenly, he jumped. Doesn't that sound like even he didn't know why he jumped?

2. Seemed. Either something is or isn't. There is no seemed, unless it appears to be one thing but isn't.

3. Nod. If my characters nodded any more, their necks would snap.

4. Repeat phrasing. I detest when I repeat the same description of a single object/setting/whatever in separate chapters.

5. Dangling Participles. Okay, well, I knew of this before writing. I'm aware when I'm doing it. I just ignore the rule of the participle relating to the noun closest to it if it's at the end of a sentence. "He sat in the chair, hoping to not arouse suspicion." In the last sentence, it's pretty obvious that the chair is not afraid of being suspected. "He" is. Still, the arrangement makes me uneasy.

6. Needless words. How'd you get in my manuscript? Cuts her manuscript in half.

African American Literature

I was surfing the net the other day, and I happened upon an article about a woman suing a publisher for classifying her book as African American Literature, which would reduce the readership of the material. If I recall, the publisher was Penguin Books and the author was Millenia Black. Well, I don't really see why any publisher would try to reduce the readership of any book (After all, isn't that how they make their dough?) but this got me thinking of what African American Literature section is.

I've never bought anything from the African American section of any bookstore that I can remember. I may have passed it in a used bookstore or two, but I've never gravitated toward it. Why? Well, I only have a vague understanding of what African American literature means. When I think of this category, I mainly think of romances like "Stella Got Her Groove Back" or "Waiting to Exhale," and I don't read romance unless I'm tricked into doing so. Next thing I think of is the Black history books or books about what it's like to be Black in America. With decades of being excluded from the history books, I do understand a need to "set the record straight," but not being that interested in history in general (I mean, it IS over isn't it?) it's not a section that arouses me. I do like social commentary though. "Things Fall Apart" and "Invisible Man" are excellent books, but honestly, literary novels such as these are almost always depressing. If you look at publisher's websites, you'll see that I'm fairly correct: Random House, Harper Collins.

Well, I thought, maybe I can find something I like in the African American section. I happen to like fantasy (haven't I already eliminated all the other categories?) Apparently, my people don't like fantasy. I went to blackexpressions.com, and they specialize in African American Literature. Get this, they don't have a fantasy section. Neither does blackbooksdirect.com. Strangely, I did find an 'urban fiction' section. I'm not quite sure what that means.

So I suppose, I now get the gist of this section, but why the separation? Aren't romances with black characters romance? I know, when I do read romance, I often replace the race of characters (Why can't Stephane be a dark-skinned Indian man if I want him to be?) Isn't Black history history? Aren't Black literary works literary works? And, what makes the work Black or African American? Is it the author? If the author wrote about all White, Middle Eastern, or Asian characters but were Black, would their works still be in the African American section? If a person of a different race wrote story with all Black characters, would their work be in the African American section? It's puzzling.