mary_j_59: (books)
It's here! It's here! I read it! And it's every bit as good as I hoped and expected it to be.

"It", of course, is Megan Whalen Turner's series finale, Return of the Thief. I hope this will be a link to my Goodreads review. www.goodreads.com/book/show/11503920-return-of-the-thief


Just a couple of things to add that I forgot to include in that review:
1. Megan's self-insert! At least, I'm pretty sure she gave herself a walk-on. Those who've read the book, what do you think?
2. Ohmygosh, that direct quotation from Henry V! Very appropriate, and very, very clever.

As I said on Goodreads, I could envision a reader starting with this final book and liking it a lot, but you'd gain so much if you read the previous books first. In fact, I think I'm going to reread them all in order before tackling Return of the Thief a second time. And all of Megan Whalen Turner's books need to be read twice, at least.

Part Two: Avatar: the Last Airbender

The short version here is: R.J., you were right. This is a terrific show.
The slightly longer one is: Prince Zuko, you have given me a logline for querying my book. Here it is: Prince Zuko meets Katniss Everdeen when 16-year-old Kiril risks family, life, and honor to save his little half-brother from slavery.

The characters differ in some fundamental ways, obviously, and so do their stories. But the similarities are actually startling to me. Here we go:

Both boys are sixteen. Both are expert swordsmen. Both are burdened by the expectation they will head their families (that's a much bigger burden for the Prince because, as he himself says, his family is seriously messed up.) And both betray/deeply disappoint family members who are dear to them. Finally, both boys are serious--neither has an especially strong sense of humor.

Kiril is a farmer, and a steady, thoughtful person. He does have flashes of Zuko's temper and pride, but these are not as much of a temptation to him as they are to the other boy. And Zuko's betrayals have very different motives than Kiril's. He has actually served, and done, evil, in trying to please his genocidal father and regain his honor. Kiril, on the other hand, is driven by the desire to save a child's life.

So their arcs are really quite different, in spite of the similarities above. I agree with Mark (google "Mark watches Avatar"!) that Zuko has possibly the best, and best-written, redemption arc I've ever seen.

But enough on this compare and contrast! Back to Avatar! Because Zuko isn't the only character with a redemption arc. Uncle Iroh is absolutely the best. And he, too, changes from a warrior serving a genocidal master to a man of true peace. Then there are the other kids. Aang, the avatar, is a genuinely sweet, open child. He's delightful. Katara is a strong and admirable young woman, and her brother grew on me. I ended up liking him a lot--he's funny, loyal, and smart, but still a kid, and sometimes more than a little goofy.

I really enjoyed hanging out with these characters over three months. I loved the writing of the show, the beautiful colors the animators used, the moral questions the show dealt with so thoughtfully, and the heart and humor. Also, in spite of some tragedies, the show is hopeful. Good can prevail; people can change for the better and work with each other to create a better world. How we need that message right now.

mary_j_59: (portrait)
the books we love most passionately are often books we discover in late childhood or adolescence. Books we read at that age can have an enormous influence on us, too, can’t they? This isn’t a comprehensive list, by any means, but I’d just like to note down here a few books that influenced me.

The first couple of titles will be no surprise at all to anyone who knows me.Read more... )
mary_j_59: (Default)
His Own Good Sword (Cymeria, #1)His Own Good Sword by Amanda McCrina

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Megan Whalen Turner fans, pounce! First-time author Amanda McCrina has written a story full of twists and turns and swift, violent action that should appeal to lovers of Turner's political intrigue. Read more... )
mary_j_59: (books)
Son (The Giver, #4)Son by Lois Lowry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Well. I have a great deal to say about this book, and I'm afraid it won't all be spoiler free. So please stop reading after the summary if you don't want to be spoiled.

"Son" is, of course, beautifully written, and the early sections were absolutely gripping. The main character, the infant Gabe's birthmother, is a girl of fourteen when she gives birth to him. Claire, having stopped taking her pills, feels a great sense of loss when her baby is taken from her. She tries to reconnect with him, and, like Jonas before her, starts sensing the flaws in her society. Then Gabe vanishes.Read more... )
mary_j_59: (Default)
A review of Kristin Cashore's Bitterblue

"Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely." Joshua, quoting (possibly misquoting?) in Madeleine L'Engle's The Arm of the Starfish

Is that true? It certainly seems to be; there is a lot of cruelty and corruption in the world - and also in Cashore's fictional world. Bitterblue, the young girl rescued by Katsa and Po in Graceling, is now 18, and a queen.Read more... )
mary_j_59: (Default)
This is not a formal book review. It's just a few short comments on The Hunger Games , which really is a good book. But not an excellent one, and not, perhaps, as good as it could be. My sister tells me the series gets better, and I certainly intend to read the next two. But - Read more... )
mary_j_59: (Default)
"And then I'll be married. Married! At fourteen, in the very flower of mine age! O, I know that many women my age are already married and mothers to boot, but it simply won't do for me." Goose Chase, page 6.

This may have been the first time I laughed out loud when reading this book. It wasn't the last.
Read more... )
mary_j_59: (Default)
The Fallacy of the likeable protagonist: a review of The Demon’s Lexicon and Corbenic
Or, walk softly and carry a sharp sword


This post is inspired by a discussion we’ve been having recently, and also by two excellent books I just read. In the discussion, some people seemed to evaluate characters according to whether they liked them or not. That’s quite human, and I’d guess we readers do it all the time. I’ve done it myself. I’ve said, a few times, about books or films, “I didn’t like it because I didn’t like any of the characters”. But do you really have to like a protagonist for a story to work for you? (Or, in the case of our man Snape, to see that he really *is* the protagonist?) Read more... )

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