Stars Above (Lunar Chronicles Short Story Collection) Spoiler-Free Review

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like all short story collections, "Stars Above" is a mixed bag. However, seeing as all of the tales are set within the world of The Lunar Chronicles, I enjoyed every one of them. Here's a brief, spoiler-free summary:
"The Keeper"- This story tells Michelle Benoit's story in more depth. It touches on her relationships with both Scarlet and Dr. Tanner, and finishes with how she came to protect Cinder. Well written and plotted, it manages quite a bit of story and character development for its length. 4 stars.

"Glitches"- This story follows Cinder as she joins the Linh family in New Beijing. She's a child, she has no memory of "the other family," and she's a cyborg. Young Cinder and Peony are precious, and I enjoyed reading this part of the story. 4 stars

"The Queen's Army"- Naturally, this is a story about Wolf and how he became an elite member of the Queen's Army. This story has a decidedly different tone from the previous two, and it was one of my favorites. Taken from his parents and genetically modified, Wolf (or Z, as he's known at the time) must deny his gentle nature and become a killer if he wants to survive. 4.5 stars

"Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky"- A cute story about pint-sized Thorne at school. The most interesting thing about this story was that Thorne was from a wealthy background, and how that shaped his character. Otherwise, this one didn't do much for me. 3.5 stars

"After Sunshine Passes By"- Next is a story about Cress as a child, and how she came to be put in a satellite. This one is quite short, and it is basically a reworking of the beginning of Rapunzel in the world of TLC. 3.5 stars

"The Princess and the Guard"- Winter and Jacin are the titular characters in one of the longer stories in the anthology. Basically, this story just explores their childhoods and backstory. Jacin was the character I felt the most distant from in TLC, so it was good to get more of his personality and character. Winter is, as usual, completely charming with a stain of sorrow. 4 stars.

"The Little Android"- A pretty straightforward retelling of "The Little Mermaid," but with an android (Mech6.0). It was a standout in that only Cinder has a brief cameo (as far as the main LC characters go), and we get to see more of the world and everyday people of TLC. Bittersweet and well done. 4.5 stars

"The Mechanic"- I'll admit that I was primed to like this one, since it is the story of Cinder and Kai's meeting from Kai's perspective. It was great fun to get in his head, since he is one of the more impassive/emotionally unavailable characters. As I suspected, he's pretty funny. I would read an entire book with him as the POV character. 4.5 stars

"Something Old, Something New"- Obviously, there is a wedding involved. This story was the sappiest, and definitely had the most corny parts, but it also surprised me with some truly hilarious bits. The mental images of all the male characters decorating for a wedding together was worth the read by itself. It went on a bit long for me, but it also neatly tied up the story and sent the characters into the next stages of their lives. 3.5 stars

Overall: A fun, breezy read with some standout stories, a liberal dose of humor and mayhem, and more of lovable characters. Definitely a must for Lunar Chronicles fans. 4 stars

View all my reviews

Top Ten Tuesday: Top 10 Songs That NEED to Be Books

Top 10 Songs that NEED to Be Books (Top 10 Tuesday on Wednesday)

Image Source: The Broke and the Bookish

When I saw this, I knew I had to participate, no matter how I managed to obtain internet. Next to books, music is my favorite thing in the world, and I could probably make a list that goes on for days. As I've written elsewhere, many/most of my own writing is either directly linked to music, or music is just one of the many ingredients. Either way, music and writing are inextricably connected for me.

The challenge here was limiting myself to 10! (So only one song per artists, or it will mainly be Within Temptation) Anyhow, I included videos where applicable, the song titles are linked to lyrics, and the bands are linked to their sites for more info.

1. Dark Wings by Within Temptation

There is a fantasy novel in almost every Within Temptation song (whether they were inspired by one, or it's one that's begging to be written!*). I have WT songs on almost every one of my novel playlists for a reason :) 

So why pick Dark Wings? Look at the lyrics, listen to Sharon Den Adel's vocals and the epic power of the music. This is a fantasy novel about the Faye, or some ancient winged race (related to dragons, maybe?)

2. Dragons by The Green Children

 Speaking of dragons, metaphorically, the song Dragons has a story. There are several parts to it (just click on The Green Children's channel in the links to find the others - starting with Life Was Beautiful), but it isn't a book. It needs to be. Like a modern Kay and Gerda in The Snow Queen, our video protagonists get separated and caught up in a sinister looking web of magic (?) or not. 

The video visuals are amazing, and the dance pop ambiance makes it fun to listen to. And the lyrics are intriguing to boot. There is definitely a book here. One of the many bands I love that haven't made it into a post yet, The Green Children are another frequent contributor to my novel playlists.

3. One Shot by B.A.P

Note - there is a bit of blood and violence in this video, but nothing too graphic.

Life choices are the major theme in this heavy-hitting song by B.A.P** The video above has handy subs for the lyrics, but it's still pretty obvious what's going on. But the surprise ending . . . This gives me all kinds of novel ideas. I'm thinking contemporary YA about a gang of street boys, with a sci-fi/time bending twist.

4. The Maiden and the Selkie by Heather Dale

If you're into the Celtic/Folk/New Age music scene (or King Arthur), you've probably heard Canadian singer Heather Dale. Her music is based on folklore and legends, with her own spin. 

I picked this song for the unique ending - the maiden is very proactive about this marrying a selkie prince business (basically Scottish were-seals). Instead of dying on command when she can't marry her true love (a real danger in Celtic ballads), she finds a way around it. Applause for her. Embellish this story, and it could be a lot like a Tam Lin retelling.

5. Ralph Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra

Don't feel like you have to watch all 17 minutes of the above performance, but I promise that it's worthwhile! You might recognize this piece from the movie Master and Commander. It's depth and haunting beauty always make me want to write - and if I could write something half as beautiful as this piece of music, I'd be pretty well pleased. 

I love Thomas Tallis and his sacred/choral music, but Vaughan Williams (impressively) actually improved upon the original with his 1910 fantasia (above). Seriously, if this was a book, I think we'd all read it.

6. From Yesterday by 30 Seconds to Mars

This video is another one that needs a book. Not only is it gorgeous and evocative, the powerful lyrics of the song just shout novel at me every time. Sci-Fi, historical fiction, fantasy, it doesn't matter. It would just be a really cool book, regardless. (Am I the only person who thinks that this video is better than a movie already?)

7. Shadows by Red

Lyrics, music, vocals, story, this song has it all. And it's oh so intense.  We can follow up with So Far Away and Hold Me Now. If you like powerful vocals and messages with driving rock music, then you need some Red in your life.

 I'm envisioning this as urban fantasy with a character who walks the wire between life and death, and constantly suffers from crises of conscience and complex moral dilemmas. With Red serenading them in the background, how can they not be awesome?

8. When I'm Gone by The Click Five

Maybe it starts like this: A famous young detective was on his way to propose to his gf, and he was caught in a freak accident. Or was it just a freak accident? He comes back, but no one, including his girl, can see him. He doesn't need/want revenge, and though he has some unsolved cases, he's kind of puzzled as to why he didn't pass over. And there's your story - with lots of ghost-solving-mysteries along the way. I don't think I've ever read a book like this.***  

But I want a book where the aforementioned ghost is the hero/POV character. I feel like comic books and movies/tv shows have somewhat explored this (but they're usually stupidly violent). At any rate, this is my ghost's anthem.

9. Generation Throwaway by The Used

I am envisioning Les Mis meets Holes meets The Maze Runner. 

Led by an uncompromising idealist, a ragtag group of misfits and recreants sets out to save the world, but it's never that simple. I think I need to write this book already, and dedicate it to everyone else who listened to lots of pop punk/emo/post-hardcore as a teenager.

10. Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon

Who doesn't want this to be a literal book? The lyrics are nuts. I want to read it. Modern, jaded British werewolves just minding their business in London. (On second thought, I might be the only person who wants to read this)

So there you go: 10 songs that needed to be novels, yesterday.

Would you read any of these if they were books? Have you heard any of these songs/bands? Did you watch any of my videos? Is there a song that you think really, really, needs to be a book? Sound off below ;)

Footnotes:

*Seriously - just look over their lyrics. Novels happening everywhere. This seems to be a defining characteristic of symphonic metal - Xandria, Delain, Epica, Nightwish, Kamelot, Sirenia, I could go on forever but google it and you'll understand.

**B.A.P is the only Kpop band on this list. But I find that the theatrical, overblown nature of Kpop is more suggestive of characters or themes than complete novels. And it's very good at that (Case in point - my current infatuation with Bigbang and Kim Junsu's stuff)

***Closest thing was the ghost fiance in the Kdrama "Who Are You?" He was epic.

Monthly Rewind (January is OVER?) and TLCS

This says 2015. But I am too lazy to do anything about it.

I do know that it is the fifth of February. 

I'm just behind. Still. But I know what day it is, because it's the second day of the February Birthday Avalanche. My family (extended and immediate) have so many birthdays this month that I confuse them all. (Even mine, sometimes!)

But I digress. January is over. 

Yes. It is.

Bring on the villains

I survived the first month of 2016 without losing my mind, despite the crazy amount of things I had going on. I didn't blog very much, but I read several books! See the proof scattered over this post.

I also read quite a few books on the Korean language, but those covers just aren't as pretty, so I'm ignoring them.

Anyhow, I usually do the end of the month wrap-up hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction. I refuse to let the fact that I am a week late stop me from participating. If you want to join up late like me, click this link.

As I said, January wasn't a huge blogging month for me. I did compile several epic Best of 2015 lists - covering music, writing, books, and more:

• Year in Books. If you were interested in what I read, and seeing a lot of book covers, then this is the post for you.

• Year in Everything Else. Kpop, movies, and the other things I got around to in 2015.

• The only Top Ten Tuesday I managed to finish in January. Writing Resolutions for 2016. Gifs aboundeth.

• And behold, I wrote a writerly post! Tips for Better Dialogue are this way - - - ->

• January 2016 Beautiful People - Betas, queries, writing processes, ideas, and more. Click this for a peek into what I am (probably) writing in 2016.

• Another writerly post. How does music affect your writing? I shared specific examples, and a video that you must watch.

Fine, but a little light

• The aforementioned Emoji Mini Reviews

• I finished the first draft of my WIP, The Last Coffee Shop, took pictures of my food like a regular twenty-something, and went to a bookseller wonderland called Winter Institute. Read more about that here.

I liked this one way more than I thought I would

POOR KEN=Tokyo Ghoul

Counting back, I actually completed 9 posts, which is pretty good considering how busy I was!

Looking ahead, there's the February Beautiful People (I'll have to find a WIP with romance in it if I want to participate!), books to read and review, my birthday (I am trying to replicate the kimchi stew/kimchi jjigae I had in Denver), and a lot of work stuff to keep me busy. 

Also, I made the mistake of starting Kdrama You Who Came From the Stars, and I won't be able to rest until I finish the darn thing. (HOUR LONG EPISODES, PEOPLE. And there are 21 of them). I don't know why I do these things . . .

Ahem.

<3<3<3 Ishiguro

And speaking of TV, I forgot to mention something in my Denver recap - I discovered NHK World News (out of Japan). I turned on the hotel TV when I was way overtired (as you do), and was mesmerized (you read that right) by this glimpse into Japan and Asian politics from the inside. Fascinating. My favorite segments were on pop culture (exploring a manga studio!!) and going to lunch (not kidding).

As far as writing goes, I have to decide which WIP to work on next. I have several in progress, several in synopsis form, and several begging to be typed down right this minute.

I'm giving The Last Coffee Shop a month-long break, so I can come back to it in March with reinvigorated editor's eyes. To celebrate finishing the draft, I'm ending this post out with some random stats and facts.

Current Word Count on the Unholy Leviathan: 121,554

This is just to show you that I have a lot of work cut out for me.

Page Count (Size 11 font): 254

Fun Fact #1: It was supposed to be a novella.

Fun Fact #2: TLCS was originally structured as a (fractured) fairytale retelling. Any guesses as to which one? (Handy link to TLCS posts if you want to dig).

Fun Fact #3: I actually did finish this draft while listening to Let's Not Fall In Love in an endless loop, :0

Hey, whatever works, right?

First Sentence (from the Prologue): The first time that the boy died, he drowned.

Last Sentence: “Madeleine Capot,” said the figure, “Did you miss me?”

My Current Favorite Chapter Title: Chapter 17: You, Me, and Blood On the Dance Floor

Fun Fact #4: Despite the mammoth word count, I actually stuck much closer to my story outline with The Last Coffee Shop than most of my other manuscripts.

This gives me something to look forward to March for (March isn't Michigan's prettiest month . . .)

So that was my January. Am I the only one still surprised by the fact that it's February? What did you do last month? Read anything good? What are your plans for the shortest month of the year?

TTT: Top 10 Fairytales I Want to See Retold (Even if I Have to Do It Myself)

Image Credit

It's Top Ten Tuesday Time again, and the theme this week is awesome: Top 10 Fairy Tales/Retellings /Tales you want retold, etc. If you want to participate, here are the details. As always, thanks a bunch to the lovely bloggers over at The Broke and the Bookish who host this weekly meme.

Anyhow, I have a lifelong obsession with fairy tales, folktales, legends and myths. My voracious reading habits had my childhood librarians scrambling for new collections on interloan every week.

The point is, I have read hundreds of retellings, but there are plenty of untapped tales out there, which leads me to my take on this week's theme:

Top 10 Fairy Tales I Want Retellings Of, Pronto

1. The Marsh King's Daughter - Hans Christian Andersen

Artist: Anne Anderson

$100 says here's one fairy tale that Disney will never touch. I honestly think I want to read a retelling because I'd be impressed if someone could make this crazy weird story into a good book! First off, the narrators are storks, which is probably the least strange thing about it. It is a mixture of Viking and Egyptian settings, Christianity and Norse Mythology. There is a gorgeous ghost priest, a bratty heroine, and a frog-skin suit. Interested? The link above takes you to a condensed version (it's also really long!).

2. How Six Men Traveled Through The Wide World - The Brothers Grimm

It's basically the version of The Avengers that Marvel didn't go with. 

We have six unlikely heroes: 

1. An angry soldier (he served his country well and only got three farthings)

2. A man who can pick up trees as if they were corn (specific here)

3. A huntsman who can shoot the eye off a fly two miles away (Take that, Hawkeye!)

4. A man who can blow great gusts out of his nostril, enough to power seven windmills two miles away (I'm not joking)

5. A runner who removes his legs when they get tired. He can run faster than birds fly when both legs are on.

6. A man with a cap on one ear: if he straightens it, a frost fills the sky and all the birds drop dead (a really useful skill, somewhere, I think). 

Anyhow, they think that maybe, all together, they might be able to get on in the world. You think? If this can't be a book, I want it to be a movie that parodies Avengers and The Expendables. (There was a great semi-retelling of this story with sisters instead, and I cannot remember what it was called!)

3. The Story of a Boy Who Went Forth to Learn Fear - The Brothers Grimm

If you haven't noticed, I like strange fairy tales. TSoaBWWFtLF needs a much shorter title if it's going to get anywhere in the world, but it has always been one of my favorites. Regardless, this story is exactly what it says in the title: there's a boy who doesn't understand fear (or in some versions, he doesn't know how to shiver), so he gets sent to a terrifying haunted house that has plagued the locals. Naturally, nothing frightens him, so he deals with it in a practical fashion (it's pretty funny too). After macabre weirdness worthy of Neil Gaiman, the boy eventually winds up with money and a wife who teaches him how to shudder (a sensible girl, she uses cold fish down the back, that always works).

4. The Clever Wife - Chinese Folk Tale

"The Clever Wife" is a typical fairytale theme, but one of my favorites is the great Chinese story about Fu-hsing's wife. One of the best parts about this story is that Fu-hsing actually realizes how wise his wife is, and he both values and supports her. He's so thrilled about his wife, that he posts up a scroll about her. The local magistrate sees it and misunderstands, and he brings loyal Fu-hsing in to examine him. The magistrate sets him three impossible tasks. Naturally, Fu-hsing's clever wife is up to the task, and they outwit the magistrate as a team. Now that's a relationship.

5. The Death of Koschei the Deathless (Marya Morevna) - Russian Fairy Tale, collected by Andrew Lang

If you want some high-octane action and daring, look up any Slavic tale featuring Koschei the Deathless. A powerful, immortal sorcerer or king, he is often an antagonist. In the tale above, he plays a role in the story of Prince Ivan (basically the Russian version of the ubiquitous Jack). Don't be fooled by all the giving sisters in marriage at the beginning: this story is basically reversed East of the Sun and West of the Moon with Ivan hunting down his warrior princess wife, Marya Morevna, after Ivan makes the mistake of pitying the crafty Koschei. This book just begs to be written.

6. The Son of Seven Mothers - from Tales of the Punjab, collected by Flora Annie Steel

An inventive Indian tale about a boy who is raised as the communal son of his father's seven wives. His father is duped into discarding all seven in favor of a witch, mayhem ensues, and The Son of the title goes on an epic adventure. Another story that is just waiting for the novel.

7. Manabohzo, the Mischief-Maker - Native American Folktale

This giant trickster is basically the North American version of Loki, always pulling pranks and duping those around him. His adventures are usually hilarious, and his clever schemes are delightful. He spends most of the above story making everyone look ridiculous.

8. The Stones of Five Colors and The Empress Jokwa - Japanese (and Chinese) Fairy Tale

Twenty-five feet tall, an able ruler, and a smart woman, Empress Jokwa once mended the broken heavens. This is that story (and there are warriors, an evil wizard, and lots of adventures). Still, I have a lot of questions about this marvelous tale. How does Jokwa feel about being so tall, for starters.

9. The Happy Hunter and The Skillful Fisher - Japanese Fairy Tale

Image Copyright: Iya-chen

I love this Japanese story about two talented (but rival) brothers, and think it would make a great novel. Or a manga (check out the awesome illustration by iya-chen above). Basically, the Hunter and Fisher decide to switch roles for a day, which doesn't go well. The Hunter loses his brother's prized fishhook, which brings the Fisher's simmering resentment to the fore. Despite the Hunter's best efforts, his brother is still furious. Eventually, the Hunter goes on a quest for the hook, and gets into a lot of adventurous scrapes. But will his brother ever forgive him?

10. The Master Thief - Nordic Fairy Tale

I think this is pretty self-explanatory. The youngest son of a poor man seeks his fortune, falls in with a band of robbers, and becomes a Master Thief. Basically it's a string of adventures where he cons people, finds a wife, and becomes the leader of the robber band. It's pretty funny too.

So there you have it. Did I pick any of your favorites, or add ones you'd never heard of? (Bonus points if you've read The Marsh King's Daughter). What fairytale would you like to read a retelling of? Would you read any of these if they were novels?

Tale as Old as Time

The timeless appeal of an enchanted dude with an awesome library . . .

It's a truth to be universally acknowledged- we love Beauty and the Beast - whether it's the Disney movie or a retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth. 

Even at its most subversive, the story is still powerful. And it really is a "tale as old as time," with hundreds of similar stories found in cultures all over the world.* Sometimes, the story is even found in the real world (it's certainly more common than Cinderella!)

I was thinking about this as I finished my latest read, the (excellent) Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodges. I had finished numerous novels in the past three months, and [at least] four of them were basically retellings of Beauty and the Beast. 

I decided to look at my Goodreads page and see just how many distinct retellings I had read, and came up with over thirty. There were the straight up retellings, and the ones that were too close to leave out. There were also stories that were basically the same thing, just hidden under other plot threads (i.e. Jane Eyre).** If you think about it, Pride and Prejudice could even fall into this category ("beastly" guy, spirited and intelligent heroine who has to make personal sacrifices/lose everything before she wins his hand, etc.)

In its most basic form, the "Beauty and the Beast" story is this: 

1. We have a girl who is smart and principled (but not always physically beautiful or moral, per se. The 'Beauty' can refer to her mind or strength of spirit).
2. And whether she is naturally so (or forced by circumstances), she sacrifices herself for a lapse in judgement (hers, her parents, etc), and gives herself as a "bride" or a "gift/sacrifice" to a Beast.
3. The Beast is often a prince in animal form, but he might be a god or minor deity. The reason for his "Beast" form is one of two: either he was "beastly" in nature and offended a powerful woman, or he (or someone close to him) is testing his bride.
4. How it pans out here is always a little different, but either the girl fails the test and gets to go through trials to reclaim the beast (that she has grown to love), or she leaves and comes back at some personal loss (there always has to be a sacrifice) and her love restores his human form/proves she's worthy to be his wife.

Somehow the story never gets boring.

So here are a few standouts:

Favorite Retelling: This is hard! Probably Till We Have Faces, by C. S. Lewis, with Robin McKinley's Beauty as a very close second.

Worst Retelling: Beastly, by Alex Flinn

With Scottish Highlands and a Werewolf: By These Ten Bones by Claire Dunkle

When the Beast Doesn't Get the Girl: The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

More Like Tam Lin (basically the same story): The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope

Where the Girl is the One Under a Curse, and the Guy is Beastly Anyway: Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Needless to say, there are a bunch of retellings that I've never read. And I will probably never get sick of them (and I've written a few of my own!). If you're interested in the more scholarly look at Cupid and Psyche, there are some good essays here.

So do you have a favorite Beauty and the Beast/Cupid & Psyche retelling? Do you think the library scene (in Disney's B & B) is basically the best Disney scene ever? Sound off in the comments, and brownie points for retellings that I've never heard of.

Footnotes:
*SurLaLune Fairy Tale Blog has a nice list of variations here.
**There is a huge list of B & B retellings on Goodreads.

Book Review: Thorn by Intisar Khanani

The artist is Jenny from Seedlings Design

I stumbled across Thorn on Goodreads and the gorgeous cover art caught my eye. When I realized that it was a retelling of The Goose Girl and written by indie author* Intisar Khanani, I purchased a copy. 

The cover is even more beautiful up close. However, like the best fairytales, the beauty of Thorn isn't just skin deep.

Princess Alyrra is the ignored and neglected princess of a backwater kingdom. Her only friends are the servants and a playful wind. Still, she is content enough until the powerful neighboring King of Menaiya shows up with a startling proposition: he intends to bring Alyrra home as a bride for his son Kestrin.

Alyrra has no idea why a powerful prince would want someone like her for a bride, but it doesn't matter, as she has no choice. Or so she thinks. When a sudden betrayal turns Alyrra's life inside out, the princess must choose between doing (what seems like) the right thing, or pursuing the life she makes for herself.


Thorn is a beautifully written book, and a thoughtful take on The Goose Girl. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but if you've read the original fairytale, you should be familiar with the basic plot. There was so much I enjoyed about it, but here's a quick 5 reasons you should buy a copy:

1. Alyrra was very different from your average YA fairytale heroine. Accustomed to both abuse and hard work, she relishes the position of a lowly goose girl. The hard work is fulfilling to her, and she has chosen it for herself, which makes it better than her life as a "useless" princess. Her character arc and development was logical and well done, and I love how her hidden strengths bloomed and truly made an impact on the plot.

2. The "romance," is much more mature and believable than most YA novels. Kestrin and Alyrra's relationship was slow-burning, and fraught with (understandable) conflict and deception. Where it ends, in particular, was realistic and a bit messy, not tied in a perfect bow, and it made a lot of sense.

3. The writing. I cannot say this strongly enough: Intisar Khanani has a gift for language. Her prose is elegant and descriptive without being flowery. It immerses you in her world.

4. The serious plot elements are well-handled and thought out, not just thrown in for pathos or shock value. Some truly terrible things happen to these characters! Khanani touches on topics from physical abuse to murder, The characters have to deal with these things, and they retain both baggage and scars that influence them and those around them.

5. The characters. Even the "villains" were nuanced, with histories and motives that helped you understand them, even if they deserved their fates. Characters grew, changed, and had to deal with real consequences from both action and inaction. Kestrin was an interesting foil for Alyrra, and a complicated character in his own right. However, none of the characters were just throwaway or fillers.

I only had one real complaint: It was too short! I would have loved to read more about this world and its people, and I want to know more about the mentioned Fair Folk. There were so many elements hinted at in the story that, while not bearing on the plot, intrigued me.

In summary: 4.5 out of 5 stars. This was a brilliant Goose Girl retelling from an author to watch. I will definitely be reading her other books.

Have I convinced you yet? Here is a link to her books so you know where to buy them. I ordered mine through the indie bookstore store where I work (and I plan on stocking a copy). Have you discovered any fabulous indie authors that we should check out? Sound off in the comments.

Footnotes:
*Thorn was self-published. I don't just buy any book, self-published or otherwise, but I strongly believe in supporting the brave, independent people who take their own path. On top of that, this book is very good, which makes it even more deserving.

Book Review: The Glass Casket by McCormick Templeman

Happy Thursday :)

As I happened to finish a few books this week (which felt awesome!), it's about time I reviewed at least one of them. So here we go:

I really, really, wanted to love The Glass Casket by McCormick Templeman. It's all the Gothic high melodrama and fairytale eeriness that I love. And yet, it was too filmy and insubstantial to leave much of an impression.

In The Glass Casket, Rowan Rose keeps busy by translating ancient texts along with her scholarly father. They live in Nag's End (which is a village on the edge of nowhere-exactly what it sounds like), surrounded by "superstitious" villagers with layered traditions. Though her mother died when she was young, Rowan has a good relationship with her father and a strong friendship with fellow villager, Tom. However, everything changes when the kings' men come to town and are horribly killed, and Rowan's mysterious cousin, Fiona shows up in their wake. The Elders warn of hungry wolves, but Rowan begins to suspect that it is something, much, much darker, and not easily explained away by logic and science.

So, it's basically the child of The Village, The Brothers Grimm, and Hot Topic.

What I liked/What worked:

1. Templeman's mastery of tone and mood was great from the get-go. There was a timelessness to her atmosphere and descriptions which reminded me of The Village (in a good way)

2. The merging of Snow White, Snow White and Rose Red, and Little Red Riding Hood (with just a touch of The Demon Bridegroom legend). This was cleverly done, and it worked well with her story.

3. Templeman's prose and use of description (see #1) were lovely, and I could easily visualize the characters and action.

4. There is a guy named Jude. I really think we should revive that name. It has a sort of Clint Eastwood character swagger and charm.

5. Rowan was a scholar. She triumphs through loyalty, love, and knowledge. I liked that she had an inquiring mind, yet she didn't accept either her father's logical, scholarly beliefs, or those of the villagers, without question.

What I didn't like/What didn't work:

1. Uneven use of language. This is a pet peeve of mine, and there are so many books that do this, YA and Adult alike. Using modern slang terms like "Okay," when you are distinctly going for a medieval meets Victorian vibe is jarring and it snaps me out of the story. This is almost more of an editorial complaint-I know I've made that mistake myself, it's really easy to do! But that's why you want test readers.

2. The characters were flat (like in most fairytales), and we were just supposed to accept their insta-loves and their dramatic changes of heart. For example, Rowan starts out with a good relationship with her dad, whom she loves dearly. Later in the book, after all of the killings and danger, he decides she needs to be married off for her safety. Naturally, she is angry. However, she then decides that she hates him completely, even though he is trying to (misguidedly) protect her.* She has every right to be angry, but to utterly loathe the one person who has really loved you and guided you? That just didn't strike me as realistic. And it's only one example. There was also the creepy relationship of Fiona and her stepdad,** and her good relationship with her stepmother. Both of these were just dropped into the narrative, instead of developed through character.

3. There was too much going on, and not enough plot exploration. It felt like huge chunks of the story were missing (character development, plot development, worldbuilding, etc . . .). We were given some backstory on the types of witches in the world, but this didn't have much to do with the story until the end. We know city people are smart and logical, and that Nag's End is full of "backwards" old-fashioned types. We know there is a whole mythology and culture, but it is never really explored. You were given types and cues so you could fill in these blanks, with nothing to hold them up.***

4. The first two thirds of the book were basically a set up for the stronger last third. I felt like Templeman hit her stride toward the rising action, and that the plot became more cohesive. It was frustrating.

5. The world. This is related to all of the above. I felt like Templeman had a really fascinating world in her head, but it didn't quite translate to the page. It was like looking at beautiful pictures with no continuity, as if Hot Topic did a fairytale-themed Vogue section.

Overall: 2.5 stars for the book, but 4 stars for the idea.

For a similar feeling book that turns an old story upside down, try My Swordhand is Singing. It's creepy, yet poignant, and beautifully written.

Footnotes:

* This phenomenon seems to be everywhere in YA books. Just because young people are more emotionally volatile doesn't mean they're all Gollum/Smeagol crazy.
** Don't get me wrong, I didn't really want to know more about that creep, but I just thought it was one more random infodump, more than character development.
*** I am a worldbuilding fiend. The richer and more detailed the world, the better. I had very similar problems with The Forest of Hands and Teeth, which I disliked for many of the same reasons.

Since I Am Not So Great at Blogging, Here's Something I Can Do!

As anyone who stumbles upon this page will see, I am an erratic blogger. However, I do like to write book reviews! Reading is really how I ended up writing anyhow, so I think this time, I'm going to go full circle.

The last book I read was Stitching Snow, by R. C. Lewis:

Take a minute to admire this cover. Pretty cool.

Stitching Snow was (as you might have guessed by the cover) a retelling of Snow White. It also happened to be in space (and no, it is not a rip off of Cinder, but a totally different sci-fi take).

In brief, Essie, a cage fighter on a lonely mining planet of Thanda, gets kidnapped by a *mysterious young good-looking dude named Dane. Essie is a brilliant inventor, and she "stitches" machines together (the coding, programming, and designing is referred to her as stitching), which I thought (as a crafty person) was a cool metaphor. Essie's only companions pre-Dane were seven mining droids with disparate personalities (one of the more original takes on the Seven Dwarves, for sure).

  Anyhow, after Dane figures out that Essie is the lost Princess Snow he's been hunting, he kidnaps her and they hurtle off into space adventures. There is a lot of baggage, an evil queen, and a truly terrifying king (Essie's abusive father, think Deerskin, *shudders*), and some obnoxious techies as well.

What worked/what I liked: 

1. Essie is a strong heroine who overcomes a dreadful past, and not all of her strength is physical/kickbutt. She's a programmer, which is very cool. Unlike many YA heroines of the same type (I'm looking at you Katniss), she ultimately decides to do the right thing for the greater good, and doesn't let her past reduce her to a passive victim.

2. No love triangle 

3. The Seven Dwarves as robots 

4. Every major element of Snow White made it in, in a unique sci-fi way, from the Huntsman, to the apple.

5. The cover. Just look at it for a minute.

What didn't work/What I didn't like:

1. The flimsy worldbuilding. Honestly, the author had the makings of a fascinating new world with all the cultures and trappings of sci-fantasy, aaaand, she just didn't do much with it. I really wanted to know more about Essie's universe.

2. In that same line, I felt like the author only brushed the surface of the characters outside of Essie. The evil queen, Olivia, in particular, felt more like a caricature than a character, and [outside of being vain and evil] I wasn't exactly sure why she did what she did. (You can fill in the blanks and guess, right, but that's no substitute for a well drawn character)

3. Dane was boring. Other than being principled (minus the abduction part) and a devoted son, and in love with Essie, there wasn't much there. This is more minor, as he was the love interest/plot catalyst, not the main character, but I would have liked to see more personality. His motivations and actions were understandable, as were his feelings for Essie, but he just felt flat to me.

4. Essie's computer skills were awesome-but I don't think we saw them enough. I would have liked to know more about her "stitching," and how she learned to do it so well.

5. Honestly, everyone and everything but Essie and her robots seemed half-formed. I think that was, overall, my biggest problem with the book. There were a lot of storylines and complex threads, but few of them were fully explored. It's hard to write more without spoilers, so I'll leave it there.

Overall: 3 out of 5 stars

*Seriously, where do all of these mysterious good-looking dudes with a past come from? I think there is a factory. In space. 

Post-Reading-Tolkien Syndrome

(Note: This silly post was originally published on this wonderful blog http://www.shealynns-faerie-shoppe.blogspot.com/  in September of 2012. I thought it was worth a re-post.)

A Few Suggestions for the Effective Treatment of Post-Reading-Tolkien Syndrome

    Do you ever look outside, and wish that there were elves passing through your backyard?
    Do you watch the latest fantasy film and decide it’s just not good enough?
    Do you see mossy knolls and think, “Wouldn’t that make the cutest little Hobbit hole?”

       If you answered yes to any one of these questions, you might have Post-Reading-Tolkien Syndrome (or PRTS for short). PRTS is an uncomfortable condition, and cannot be treated by the medical community. As a sufferer of PRTS myself, I've compiled a list of helpful suggestions and activities to soothe the discomforts brought on by PRTS, and bring you back to reality with a gentle push, not a shove.

1. First, to get yourself in the right frame of mind, you should brew a cup of tea, and bake/purchase some Lembas or Seed Cakes. If, like me, you haven’t found a working recipe for Lembas yet, you can substitute shortbread-it looks right.
2. Listen to some music while you bake. Here are a few suggestions:

• Enya: A Day Without Rain
• The Lord of the Rings Soundtracks (if this is too painful, skip this row)
• The Chronicles of Narnia Soundtracks
• Escala
• Loreena McKinnett
• Clannad

If you can’t find any of these albums or artists, just put on a Howard Shore or Celtic Internet radio station.

     Now that you have taken care of the music and the victuals (wise preparations for any adventure), you have to find another book to read. This can be a very difficult, and sometimes painful process, and you will need the music and food to fortify you. Reading any masterwork can make other books seem sub-par (or reveal the truth, if you will). So you have to let yourself down slowly. Here are some suggestions to make it easier on yourself:

If you just read The Hobbit, and are looking for light adventure fare with deep themes, read The Chronicles of Narnia or The Princess and the Goblin, or Susan Fletcher’s Dragon Chronicles. You also might try Christopher Paolini’s Eragon. If you are a young Tolkien fan and wish there were more books with fantastical places and creatures, try the Fablehaven series or Beyonders: A World Without Heroes, both by Brandon Mull, or the Redwall series.

   If you read The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and need another series with a returning king and unlikely heroes, read Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain or The Monster Blood Tattoo Trilogy by D. M. Cornish (not nearly as silly as it sounds-with a very Tolkien feel!).
   If you’re feeling more epic size and fantasy to boot, also read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke-which is an amazing book on its own. If you’re on the younger end, or more interested in humans, try the Ranger’s Apprentice Series by John Flanagan.

   If you read the Silmarillion, The Lost Tales, or Unfinished Tales, and need more dreamy locales, bittersweet endings, epic romances, legendary heroes, and/or magic, try The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, by Patricia A. McKillip, The Hero and the Crown or Chalice, Robin McKinley, the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix, Til We Have Faces, by C. S. Lewis, Le Morte D’Arthur, or The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope.

   If you read The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun, try Beowulf, retro (pre 90’s) Thor comics (I’m serious),  Rosemary Sutcliff’s Historical Fiction, Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea Series, The Song of Roland, Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series, Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, Stephen R. Lawhead’s The Dragon King Trilogy, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (translated by Tolkien!) or good old collections of Norse Mythology.

   If you read Smith of Wootton Major or Farmer Giles of Ham, try Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Patricia Wrede’s Enchanted Forest Chronicles, T. H. White’s The Sword in the Stone,  or Cornelia Funke’s Inheart.

   If you read Roverandom, try Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga, Neil Gaiman’s Odd and the Frost Giants, or N. D. Wilson’s 100 Cupboards Trilogy.

   If you read any or all of the above, or if you need to laugh, hard, I would also recommend The Dark Lord of Derkholm by Diana Wynne Jones and Gerald Morris’s The Squire’s Tales (Arthurian mischief and humor).

And finally, if reading a book is too hard right now, here are five more activities to ease your Post-Reading-Tolkien Syndrome:

1. Walk through a forest at twilight
2. Watch a movie like Thor, a miniseries like the 10^th Kingdom, or a TV show like Once Upon a Time.
3. Look at Alan Lee’s and J. W. Waterhouse’s art books, or visual guides to England, Ireland, Scotland, or Wales.
4. Write a story about Elves, Dwarves, or anything else you wish was (or wasn't) real.
5. Phone a similarly suffering friend and commiserate, then do any of the above activities together.

From one sufferer of PRTS to another, I hope these suggestions help you on your road to recovery.

R. L. Hendrian
Pioneer in the study of PRTS and its effects.