"Finnikin of the Rock" by Melina Marchetta

Summary: Lumatere was once a thriving kingdom, but for the past ten years, half of its population has lived in exile while the other half is trapped inside the magically imprisoned kingdom.  The Lumaterans rarely discuss what caused such tragedy--the five days of the unspeakable, in which the king, queen, and their children were murdered and an imposter king took over.  Since then, Finnikin, the son of the King's Guard, has been traveling with his mentor, trying to assist the Lumateran exiles.  But one day Finnikin is called to claim a Lumateran girl from a cloister.  The girl, Evanjalin, says she can lead Finnikin to the missing prince-king and return the people back into Lumatere.  However, Finnikin is unsure if Lumatere can ever be restored again.

Musings: Finnikin of the Rock leans traditional/high fantasy, which is usually not my genre.  In fact, in the first few pages when I was hit with a slew of generic fantasy names, I was a bit turned off, but I'm glad I stuck it through.  In the end, I really enjoyed the book, especially the first two-thirds or so, and the characters within it.

There's a lot going on the world Marchetta has created, but it's easy to focus on the lives of Finnikin and Evanjalin as they push and pull against each other, each trying to do what he/she thinks is best for the kingdom.  Much like I felt with Fire and Graceling, I enjoyed the novel most when it could focus on their relationship rather than on broad politics.  I'm always a sucker for a pining relationship, and I fell completely for this one.

I did became annoyed toward the end of the book as Marchetta needlessly prolonged the expected romantic union for a good seventy pages or so.  And, in fact, when said romantic union did occur, I was a somewhat disappointed.  The relationship had been built in both sweet moments and devotion in the hardest times, and the final acceptance of the relationship was a little too frivolous.

I also felt conflicted over the book's treatment of women.  At the time of the novel, Lumatere worships two goddess, Lagrami (light) and Sagrami (dark).  The goddesses were once worshiped as one, but Evanjalin says men feared the power of a female goddess and thus broke the worship in two in order to minimize female power.  That commentary and others on the way in which men can fear and seek to dominate women were interesting.  At the same time, there was an extraordinary emphasis on rape, which I had trouble with.  I found it disquieting, and I'm not quite sure why; certainly rape would happen in the world Marchetta created, but I also felt like rape was mostly discussed in the way in which it hurt men--the fathers, for example, who would kill their daughters rather than let them be raped.  On another vein, at one point in the novel, the travelers stop and Finnikin has a brief guilt-free romp with a prostitute.  While rape is certainly different than prostitution, given the description of the poverty and forced servitude of the time, it's hard to believe the prostitutes are in the profession out of a happy freely made choice.  The lack of acknowledgment of that while frequently speaking of the horrors of rape bothered me.  Some of these problems may have arisen out of the lack of female characters; through most of the story, Evanjalin is the only female voice.

Finnikin of the Rock definitely comes at the adult end of the young adult spectrum, as often its tone (and sometimes content) seemed geared more toward an adult audience.  I don't think the book would be inappropriate for younger audiences, but I was a little surprised by the designation.

Despite my problems with some aspects of the book, I was truly drawn into the story and felt emotionally attached to the characters.  I know this is Marchetta's first fantasy novel, so I'm interested in reading some of her other fiction.

"The Well of Lost Plots" by Jasper Fforde

Summary: In this third Thursday Next installment, Thursday is hiding out in the book Caversham Heights, awaiting the birth of her child in relative safety.  However, Thursday's much needed rest is not about to come easily.  Thursday finds herself forgetting about her eradicated husband, Landen, through the work of her nemesis Aornis.  Meanwhile, as Thursday becomes a full member of Jurisfiction, the policing force within books, she becomes embroiled in the mystery of the deaths of several members.

Musings: I had so much fun with the last book in the series that I was eager to pick this one up.  In fact, a large reason I reread Wuthering Heights was because it makes an appearance in The Well of Lost Plots.  This book follows the familiar path of the first two and is equally enjoyable, though not significantly different.  In fact, the general plot of the story is already hazy to me, but I had a good number of laugh out loud moments and chuckling at the literature and grammar jokes.  I enjoyed the explanation for why Americans don't use "u" in words like color and flavor and for why an entire chapter of Joyce's Ulysses has no punctuation.  Seeing the whole Wuthering Heights crew in anger management was fabulous (I would have loved more with those characters!).  Probably my favorite part, though, was a entire page about "an untidy man wearing a hat named Wyatt" (15).  If only I could convince my students how hilarious misplaced modifiers can be.

I love this series because it makes me proud of being a stringent grammarian and proud of having read so many "classic" texts.  It's like discovering other people share your nerdy habit.

- See my reviews of book one in the series, The Eyre Affair, and book two in the series, Lost in a Good Book. 

"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte

Summary: The Earnshaw family is forever altered when Mr. Earnshaw takes in a ragged orphan named Heathcliff.  Heathcliff and the Earnshaw daughter Catherine quickly develop a close relationship while Mr. Earnshaw's attention to Heathcliff only incites hated in the Earnshaw son Hindley.  As Heathcliff ages, his attachment to Catherine grows while his hatred and spite towards others increases.  When Catherine marries the warm-hearted Edgar Linton, Heathcliff's life becomes devoted to torturing those whom he hates and pursuing his tortured love of Catherine at all costs.

Musings: My summary above hardly does justice to the self-absorbed and narcissistic leads of Wuthering Heights, Catherine and Heathcliff.  This is another book that I read in high school but have little memory of reading, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.  Reading Austen for some reason gave me a false impression of all 19th century literature, for while Austen's books are full of polite and chaste relationships, Wuthering Heights is anything but.  Instead, it is a close look at psychological manipulation and cruelty.

Catherine and Heathcliff's relationship drives the story.  They see themselves as one person in two bodies and are appalled and hurt by others' lack of acknowledgment of their otherworldly unity.  Even once married to Edgar, Catherine cannot perceive why Edgar would disapprove of her close relationship to Heathcliff.    Catherine describes her relationships with the men: "It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him; and that, not because he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am.  Whatever out souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire" (78).  Early on, both Heathcliff and Catherine learn how to manipulate others' feelings for their own purposes.  In fact, it's hard to know who to hate more.  Catherine hurts (and, in my opinion, ultimately kills) herself solely to injure others, and she uses others' affections for her to cause them more pain.  Heathcliff is more outwardly hateful, but he punishes generations of Earnshaws and Lintons for the perceived crimes of the parents.

Wuthering Heights is a story that ultimately ends with hope.  For although Heathcliff manages to poison numerous people through his perverse pursuit of revenge, his poison is not permanent.  Catherine and Heathcliff are consumed by sullenness, spite, and self-absorption, but the novel also shows how those weaknesses in others can be corrected through positive relationships and support.  Nonetheless, Heathcliff is clearly the force that carries the novel, so it's difficult to believe a small ray of sunshine in his overwhelming madness.

Because the story is narrated by the families' longtime housekeeper Nelly, the pace is brisk and not bogged down by description.  It's a classic book that I found just as compelling as modern novels.

"The Northern Lights" by Lucy Jago

Summary: A biography of Kristian Birkeland, a Norwegian scientist in the early 20th century who discovered the cause of the aurora borealis.

Musings: Here are some reasons why it makes no sense that I picked up this book:

1. I know pretty much nothing about the aurora borealis.  Pretty lights in the sky, right?  And I've never really wondered.
2. I hate physics.  I took astronomy in college (lab science requirement), which was a gigantic mistake.  I couldn't even find the frickin' moon in my telescope.
3. I know nothing about Norway.  It's cold, right?  And, uh, they ski?  Uh...

So considering my total lack of initial interest in the subject matter, I was surprised that I found the book compelling enough to finish it.  Personally, I was not especially interested by the science, although I imagine the book certainly would be of interest to physicists.  What did keep me reading, though, was the in-depth look at one man's single-minded pursuit of science and the relationship of that pursuit to Norway's politics.  Birkeland was a man of considerable intellect with an enormous amount of ideas, but like many genuises, his work was also a plague to him, and he rarely seemed happy.  The Northern Lights also gives the reader a unique view of Norwegian history, particularly as the country sought independence.  As I mentioned above, I know virtually nothing about Norway, and it was interesting to see how Birkeland's scientific endeavors were supported, in part, by a desire to bring prestige to the country.

Like many authors of popular nonfiction pieces today, Jago delivers The Northern Lights in a narrative style which kept a relatively brisk pace but, for me, lacked intimate details and connections to the people.  Jago uses very few direct quotes from primary sources, and because of this, it's difficult to know what in the book is "fact" and what is artistic hypothesis.  Obviously she did extensive research, and there's a bibliography at the end, but her general omission of Birkeland's and others' direct voices created some distrust and alienation in me.  For this reason, I found her book much less compelling than the last biography I read, David Grann's The Lost City of Z, which succeeded in weaving primary sources and a narrative structure together.

Because I was completely unfamiliar with all of the content of The Northern Lights, I learned quite a bit by reading the book, even though it was not an "enjoyable" read.  Considering Birkeland's greatest scientific contributions were on the aurora borealis, it would have been helpful for Jago to include some color photos of the spectacular phenomenon. Nonetheless, I would certainly recommend the book to people interested in science and the scientists who pursue research at all costs.

***This book qualifies for the TwentyTen Reading Challenge ("Up to You!" category).

"Marcelo in the Real World" by Francisco X. Stork

Summary: Since he was young, Marcelo has attended Paterson, a school for children with learning and physical needs.  Marcelo's condition is similar in some ways to Asperger's; he has difficulty with social interactions and has consuming "special interests" that appear odd to others.  However, Marcelo's father Arturo has always believed that Marcelo could operate in the "real world" if he only he tried, so he makes a deal with Marcelo.  Marcelo may remain at Paterson if he takes a summer job at Arturo's law firm; otherwise, Arturo will force Marcelo to attend public school in the fall.  At the law firm, Marcelo befriends Jasmine, the director of the mail room, and learns more about the "real world" than he ever imagined.

Musings: After a glowing review from Reading in Color and favorable comparisons to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, I was eager to pick up Stork's work.  What I found was a sweet and touching book that had me totally engrossed.

Stork does an excellent job putting the reader in the mind of Marcelo.  Marcelo has been taught how to operate properly within the "real world," but he does not do so naturally.  To appear "normal" takes concentration and effort.  This is one of the reasons Arturo wants Marcelo to work at the law firm. Paterson has created a safe atmosphere that adapts to fit Marcelo's needs, but the school has not forced Marcelo to adapt to a world that will expect him to fit in.  Without being forced outside his comfort zone, Marcelo may have a hard time finding success in "normal" environments.  This is Arturo's primary argument; it's a difficult and heartbreaking one, but it's also realistic.  At the same time, Arturo is a jerk, and he makes this argument in the form of an order rather than a discussion.  Nevertheless, one of the joys of the novel is seeing how Marcelo develops as he works at the firm and must adapt in order to navigate the complex social relationships of the work place. As he works longer, Marcelo becomes more adept at interpreting emotion, understanding casual language, and reacting to others' ulterior motives.

However, progress always means giving something up.  In becoming a member of the "real world," Marcelo loses some innocence and comfort of his disorder.  Marcelo also must come to terms with the hurt and failures of the world.  Fortunately, Marcelo has Jasmine to help him in this territory.  Their relationship is touching and gentle, and I loved the way Jasmine and Marcelo were able to understand one another.

Marcelo in the Real World touches on important issues like the treatment of those with disabilities, the objectification of women, the impacts of race and nationality, and the meaning of suffering through the eyes of Marcelo, which helps the reader understand those issues in new ways too.  It's optimistic without being cheesy or false.

***This book qualifies for the POC Reading Challenge and the TwentyTen Reading Challenge (completing the "Bad Bloggers" category).

Guest Post: "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" by Carrie Ryan

Summary: The Forest of Hands and Teeth follows the story of Mary, a young woman living in a village surrounded by the Unconsecrated, basically zombies, who live in the Forest of Hands and Teeth. The village is run by the Sisterhood, a nun-like religious sect, and the Guardians, who protect the village by killing Unconsecrated and mending the fence that surrounds the village. When a rare "Fast One" Unconsecrated breaks into the village, Mary flees the village with a group of villagers including her brother, her betrothed, her true love (happens to be her betrothed's brother), and her best friend. The group escape through mysterious Paths in the forest and fight for survival.

Musings: Greetings, fellow musers! I, Tia's wonderful husband, decided to give Tia a break and pick up one of her books. Tia said she had heard of this book through the blogosphere and wanted to try a zombie apocalypse book (besides Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, of course). I needed a distraction from my graduate school work, so I gave it a go. Of course, in the time it took me to read this one book, Tia finished one book, read another book, and is halfway through a third. Blerg.

I myself have never read a zombie book, and while I'm not necessarily a zombie nut, I was a big fan of 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, and The Village, which I first thought of when I read the inside cover. Plus I'm also a fan of YA dystopian novels (required for the marriage), especially those with female leads. So, even though the concept of a zombie apocalypse isn't exactly original, I was excited to see what a YA take on it would look like. Unfortunately, all this excitement was brought crashing down by incessant, nauseating, maudlin, and frankly unnecessary melodrama.

In the first act of the novel, Ryan spends way too much time reminding us all of what we already know: these may be the last survivors, death looms (literally) at the gates, the future looks grim, so the town's only goal is survival. We get it. It's a zombie apocalypse. Worse yet, Ryan decided to ignore the most interesting aspect of the novel (the zombies, where they came from, how the town came about) and instead tries to interest us in the inner workings of the village and its social structure. Problem is, the story lines flit from one to another too quickly for any to gain any traction. Even worse, after you've spent this time learning a little here and there about the village, Ryan throws it all away by bringing in the zombies. I felt like Ryan may have had a interesting back story about the village in her head, but didn't let us see enough of it before wiping it away. Maybe we'll see more in the sequel.

In the second act, the novel picks up the pace a little bit as the characters escape the Unconsecrated. Again, however, Ryan spends way too much time emphasizing the uninteresting aspects of the plot. Here its the characters themselves, who are frustratingly one-dimensional. The main character, Mary, is a typical rebellious spirit, though way too inept, melodramatic, and selfish to gain my interest, especially compared to strong female leads such as Katniss in The Hunger Games and Katsa in Graceling. Her love interest, Travis, has no real personality besides being "the essense of my soul, the love of my life, the everything of everything" according to Mary. The other men are pretty much stock characters and are generally pushed aside to allow for more time for Mary to wax poetically about her love for Travis and why she's so tortured. Ho hum.

It wasn't all bad; the few action scenes are exciting, and the description of the zombies lurching towards the characters engaged me. The end of the book also gears the series towards what I find more interesting - finding out the history of the world of the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Problem is, I'm not sure I'll want to struggle through more of Mary's thoughts to learn about it.

"Incarceron" by Catherine Fisher

Summary: Incarceron is a prison; years ago, inmates were sealed inside in an experiment to create a paradise.  Since then, no one has entered and no one has escaped.

Finn is a young boy inside Incarceron.  Born of the prison and a member of a group of thieves, he knows nothing of his identity and little of the fits that sometimes come on, leaving him with visions.  But when a mysterious key appears that matches a mark on his arm, Finn believes he may have a clue to his identity.

Claudia lives on the Outside, the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron.  The Outside is trapped in a mandated Protocol that forces everyone to live as if it were the 17th century, despite the significant scientific advancements, in an attempt to avert progress and danger.  Since she was young, Claudia has been engaged to the Queen's son, but when she finds a link to Finn and Incaceron, Claudia knows she must do everything she can to save him and avert the wedding.

Musings: Incarceron is a unique dystopian book with interesting world-building and engaging characters.  In the novel, Fisher has created two worlds--the prison Incarceron and the falsely antiquated Outside, each of which come fully to life.  Although some mysteries, such as Finn's identity, are revealed very early, others are spaced out and enough it revealed and withheld by the end to leave the reader anticipating a sequel.

Some of the intricacies of the worlds are interesting but not fully explored.  Incarceron is a sentient being of its own kind, and some intriguing details of its motivation are mentioned, but the prison doesn't really emerge as a full character.  The presence of the prison itself raises questions of the nature of evil.  Wonders one of the first prisoners of Incarceron:

...or is it that man contained within himself the seeds of evil?  That even if he is placed in a paradise perfectly formed for him he will poison it, slowly, with his own jealousies and desires? (312)

This and other philosophical themes, as well as the forced 17th century lifestyle, could have been more fully addressed, but there's plenty of excitement within the book to look beyond that.

Incarceron is a nice blend of science-fiction and fantasy with a full and complex story line.  Despite some omissions, it's a book that would be great to chat over with others.

***This book completes the "New in 2010" category of the TwentyTen Reading Challenge.