tiny pink books

The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2007.

The final book of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, The Sweet Far Thing delivers a thoughtful and satisfying conclusion.  Nearing the end of their time at the Spence Academy for Young Ladies, Gemma Doyle and her friends, Felicity and Anne, are faced with the harsh realities of their futures.  Meanwhile, the Realms are awash with conflict as Gemma holds all of the magic and must decide how to share it within the tribes there.  In this final book, Gemma’s two roles, as a strong sorceress of the Realms and as a powerless English school girl, collide and reach an exciting conclusion.
I enjoyed this whole series much more than I expected to.  I love that way Bray uses the historical setting to create a unique and feminist theme.  As Gemma and her friends struggle against the corseted boundaries that society holds them in, the only power they seem to have is that of magic.  I could go on, but basically, this trilogy was a very good blend of genres (both historical fiction and fantasy) with really well written characters.  As someone who is not particularly inclined to either genre, I am amazed at how enjoyable I found this series.  Recommended to readers, especially teen girls, who want action, realistic characters, and a bit of magic.  Also, though long, the audio versions of all of the Gemma Doyle books were excellent!

Rebel Angels by Libba Bray
Random House, 2006
Continuing the Gemma Doyle saga, Rebel Angels delves further into the fantasy elements that were established in the enjoyable A Great and Terrible Beauty.  16-year-old Gemma Doyle is still at Spence Academy, learning how to be a fine young lady in her world of manners and corsets.  Taking place mostly over the Christmas holiday in London, Gemma and her two friends Felicity and Ann, find themselves destined to bind the magic in the mysterious and magical Realms.  Of course, there are hoards of magical creatures and secret societies looking for a piece of the magic, not to mention the evil and powerful Circe, who will stop at nothing to gain power.  Of course, there is also the drama of being a young lady in a rigid society of rules, traditions, of family problems, and of potential courtship with a handsome young gentleman.    Part fantasy and part historical fiction, Rebel Angels is an excellent chapter to this fun and addictive trilogy.

I’m normally highly resistant to historical fiction, but this series has really entertained me thus far.  While I liked A Great and Terrible Beauty overall, I found Rebel Angels to be more interesting and exciting, probably due to the fact that the story has darkened considerably.  Yes, it’s predictable and you can see the plot twists coming a mile ahead, but it’s fun and the combination of fantasy, historical fiction, and snarky girl drama is entertaining.  I think Rebel Angels will be well enjoyed by fans of the first book.  It’s a compelling page turner with a good dose of fantasy that mixes well with the historical setting and characters.

I listened to the audio version and higly recommend it!

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Delacourte Books for Young Readers, 2003.

Set in 1895, 16 year old Gemma Doyle’s life changes forever with the sudden and mysterious loss of her mother.  She is sent from India, where she grew up with her parents, to the prestigious and imposing Spence Academy in English.  While she struggles to find her place among the other girls and deals with the grief surrounding her mother’s death, Gemma also faces a more unusual problem.  Finding herself in possession of new, powerful abilities and a connection to a dark secret society, Gemma must struggle to understand her new power and place in the world.

I’m not much of a fan of historical fiction, so I opened A Great and Terrible Beauty with a lot of reservations.  What I found though was a novel that was compelling to read, with just enough historical detail to add to the story without being overwhelming.  The story itself, though a little predictable, is a fun read.  The contrast of the powers that Gemma has in the supernatural world with the lack of power she has as a woman in 1800’s England works well.  Even though I wouldn’t say that I was in love with this book, the pages kept turning and I found myself unable to put it down.

I’d recommend this one to readers seeking a girl + supernatural world/power story.  Fans of Twilight, The Summoning, and such will be pleased as this is a solid contribution to the genre.

Al Capone Does My Shirts
by Gennifer Choldenko
Putnam, 2004

Al Capone Does My Shirts is the story of 12-year-old Moose Flanagan and his first few months living on Alcatraz island in the 1930’s. The son of a prison guard, Moose has been moved from his comfortable home in Santa Monica to the cold and foggy world of Alcatraz, where the worst criminals in the country are kept. Although there is a certain light heartedness to Al Capone Does My Shirts, Moose deals with some very real problems. First, as the new kid, he must deal with making new friends in the neighborhood and at school, one of which is a mean girl with a bossy tongue and a distaste for Moose and his family. Second, he has a sister, who is severely autistic, worries his family has they try their hardest to get her accepted into a special school where she will get the treatment and care that she needs. Moose deals with these problems with remarkable maturity and narrates the story (the book is told through journal entries from Moose) in a natural and easy voice.
One thing that I particularly enjoyed about Al Capone Does My Shirts is that fact that it is both serious and fun to read. It is not a depressing book, yet it deals with some pretty heavy issues. It is not necessarily a laugh out load read, but there are moments of lightness and humor that give this book life. What I found most impressive, however, is the fact that Al Capone manages to be both historic and light. With such a specific setting, in both place and time, it would be easy for this book to turn into a droning history lesson disguised as a story. Instead, Al Capone keeps things relevant to today’s readers and using the setting as a backdrop for the real story.
I think there are a lot of young readers (grades 5-8) who could enjoy this book, as it has a very wide appeal. It would be a good choice for a reluctant reader, especially a boy, who has been assigned a historical fiction book report.

The Book Thief
by Mark Zusack
Listening Library (Audio); Unabridged edition, 2006.

Narrated by Death himself, The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster child growing up in Nazi Germany. Liesel is sent to a suburb of Munich to live with two aging foster parents and a cast of colorful characters in the low income neighborhood. The setting, during the rise of Nazi Germany and the subsequent World War II, is so beautifully crafted in this book, that it doesn’t even feel like a historical novel. Yes, history is strongly present and Zusack paints the setting with immaculate detail. I tend to have issue with historical fiction when the details of time and place dominate, leaving little room for the emotions of the space, but but Zusack succeeds in making the landscape just as much emotional as it is historic. The characters in The Book Thief also manage to win in this aspect. Liesel, who grows out of her childhood and into her teens in The Book Thief is a complicated character who is both flawed and utterly likable. Her foster parents and the neighborhood characters are written with equal depth. The resulting world created in The Book Thief is engrossing and, although devastating at times, absolutely enjoyable to read through.
The coming of age story of The Book Thief is freshened by the well-crafted characters and setting. Seeing a girl grow up in such a deliberate and difficult time of history is interesting and captivating. By setting the story from a German point of view, we (at least we Americans) get a World War II story from a fresh perspective. The story and subject matter are very dark, yet the characters and their relationships, especially that of Liesel and her foster father, are beautifully warm. The contrast between the darkness of war and the warmth of loving family and friends is what makes this book work. Having the book narrated by Death is also a good twist, though it came make the story a little meandering and, perhaps for some, confusing at times.
The Book Thief is marketed in the US as a young adult novel, although it was originally marketed in Australia as an adult novel. The crossover appeal is clearly there. Adults and advanced young adult readers can enjoy this book. The high page count (or disc count, in this case!), sophisticated writing, and not quite linear narrative structure might make this difficult for younger readers or too dense for those seeking a light, airy read. For those seeking an intricately crafted setting and cast of characters, however, this book will do the job. The audio version, specifically is very well done. Read by Allan Corduner with a perfectly proper, clear British accent that is absolutely perfect for Zusack’s Death. A warning though, listening to the audio version of The Book Thief while driving may result in teary eyed vision–a danger while driving down the freeway on a rainy evening!