Victoria Reviews: Half Wild by Sally Green

I stayed up all night reading Sally Green’s first novel, Half Bad,  and I’ve been dying to get my hands on the sequel, Half Wild, ever since. I was lucky enough to secure a digital arc of this, and I must say that the second book more than lives up to the premise and excitement of the first. Nathan’s continuing journey had me hooked from the start. I’ll go ahead and warn readers that spoilers for Half Bad follow, though I won’t spoil anything for Book 2.

The book finds Nathan soon after he’s received his three gifts from his father, Marcus, as he’s trying to acclimate himself to his new ability. The book follows his search for Gabriel and his quest to free Annalise from Mercury, with some surprising twists and romantic turns along the way. This book brings everything to the table and sets it all up for a nice, action-packed, and emotional conclusion. Nathan returns with his witty and awkward humor alongside some new and interesting characters along with some

surprisingly familiar characters. Green delivers romance, blood, battle, conspiracy, and betrayal all in an exciting and fast-paced sequel, and she doesn't skimp on the character development along the way. Nathan grows and learns, often the hard way, and he truly encapsulates the half and half, middling theme that underlies his character. He muddies the line between White Witches and Black Witches, and his character helps to showcase the many, many grays that exist between good and evil, right and wrong. Nathan must come to accept the gray in White and Black Witches and in himself, and it’s fascinating to watch him learn who and how to trust.

I’d say this second novel is another success for Sally Green, and I can’t wait to get my hands on Book 3, Half Life.

Victoria Reviews: The Body Electric by Beth Revis

Considering I tore through Revis’s Across the Universe trilogy as quickly as I could, I was ecstatic when I heard she was releasing a new book earlier this year. I bought the book as soon as it came out, but alas, school and finals pushed back my reading until the end of the semester (it seems to do that quite often). I’ve been staring at that bright green cover all semester, and now I've finally had a chance to sit down and read The Body Electric. I tore through the book in one sitting, staying up half the night to find out what happens to Ella and Jack. This book was worth the wait, and Revis did not disappoint!

Ella Shepherd lives with her mother in New Venice, the heart of a new unified world and the worldly center of art, fashion, government, and technology. Ella works at the Reverie Mental Spa using technology her mother developed that allows people to access and relive their happiest memory. When Ella discovers the unique ability to enter into others’ reveries and sift through their deepest memories, suddenly her world shifts. The government is knocking at her door for help against terrorists, and Ella agrees to help until she meets Jack, who shows her that the government she trusts might not be telling her everything. Desperate to find out the truth about her father’s death, government corruption, and her own strange abilities, Ella sets off on an adventure of a lifetime, but she quickly realizes that everything is not what it seems, and the truth does not always set you free.

Revis makes science fiction look easy (and it’s not). The ease and grace with which she crafts her worlds, slipping in references, details, and explanations to fill everything out…it’s seamless, and it’s brilliant. The Body Electric is a stand-alone novel, but it has connections to Revis’s other books, the Across the Universe trilogy, as well. The trilogy explores Amy and Elder’s adventures in deep space on their journey to a new planet, but The Body Electric explores what was happening back on earth while Godspeed headed off into darkness. I really enjoyed reading through and picking out the references to Across the Universe as I went, as well as references to other works (such as "I Sing the Body Electric", the poem by Walt Whitman for which the book was named). There’s so much packed into this book that I know I’ll find more and more every time I reread it (and believe me, I will definitely be rereading it)!

Revis takes readers on a twisting, fantastic journey through the gleaming city of New Venice. The book has all you could ask for: eye screens, computer bracelets, androids, microscopic robots, computer hacking, uprisings, all the really fun stuff in science fiction (except space, but that’s in Across the Universe…and time travel, but I’m crossing my fingers for a future Revis book that deals with this). It’s fun, it’s intricate, it’s dazzling, and particularly if you’re a sci-fi fan, you need to check out Revis’s books!

I loved The Body Electric, and it now has a well-earned place on my favorites shelf next to the rest of Beth Revis’s works! Her science fiction is fun, interesting, and well-thought out and researched. You can tell she puts a lot of effort into her work, and it shines through brilliantly. The Body Electric isn’t just fun and games, though; it also examines some deep questions about society, terrorism, and what it means to be human. Revis does not shy away from such questions, and her exploration of these themes is both beautiful and thoughtful.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan or either YA or science fiction, particularly fans of both. I’d also recommend it to anyone who enjoyed These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner. For those interested, at the end of The Body Electric, Revis has included an excellent short story she’s written called “The Turing Test” about a young woman who must determine through conversation with two test subject which is the human and which is the computer. It’s a fascinating story, one that has unexpected and interesting connections to The Body Electric.

Victoria Reviews: Ensnared by A.G. Howard

I have been dying to read this for over a year, ever since I sailed through the ending of Unhinged only to be left clinging to the side of a cliff for a year as I waited (and waited…and waited!) to hear news of the finale of the Splintered series. And then finally it came. My arc of Ensnared arrived in the mail, and I was beside myself with excitement. I dived right into the story as soon as I could (which was, unfortunately, nearly a month after I received the book because school and finals came along to ruin my happiness), and I say with conviction that the wait was worthwhile. Howard has delivered a fantastic and un-put-downable conclusion to her wonderful trilogy, and it’s even better than I hoped!

I wrote in my review of Splintered that A.G. Howard knows how to write a killer love triangle, and this holds true throughout the trilogy. It’s the question on everyone’s minds: will Alyssa choose Jeb or Morpheus? Which will win her heart, Wonderland or reality? Most love triangles are easy to figure out. There’s usually one guy the main character primarily prefers (think Bella and Edward: did anyone really ever think she’d ever leave Edward for Jacob?). A.G. Howard, however, likes to keep readers on their toes. I spent the entire trilogy trying to figure out which guy to root for, which one might be best for Alyssa. I was just as torn between them as she was, and there was never a moment of certainty about which guy (and which world) she’d end up choosing. Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no spoilers, but I, at least, was very happy with the way Howard chose to conclude this particular conflict.

One of my favorite things about this book was how much time I got to spend in Wonderland and

the Looking Glass World. Once again, no spoilers, but I think it’s okay for me to say that the majority of the book takes place far from reality, and that was a welcome distance. I loved reading about the fantastic world that Howard has created around Lewis Carroll’s original one; her creativity and ability to make Carroll’s worlds her known know no bounds. Howard’s world is her own, but it’s not entirely unrecognizable to fans of the original Alice stories. In fact, I think it’s the intricate links to and twisting of the original story that make Howard’s take so fascinating. She’s clearly done her research: she knows these stories well, and she’s done the originals justice.

I can’t recommend this series enough. To those Splintered fans awaiting this book with bated breath: you won’t be disappointed. To those fans of Carroll’s Wonderland who haven’t read these books yet: what are you waiting for?! Ensnared is up there as one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. It was thrilling, weird, and wonderful, and I’m so excited to have taken the journey with Alyssa through these books. It was a fitting end to a mad ride, and I couldn’t have asked for better.

Ensnared will be released on Tuesday, January 6th!

Victoria Reviews: Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

As soon as I heard that Afterworlds existed, I needed it. A book about a teenage debut young adult author trying to make it in the publishing world of NYC, coupled with the entirety of the novel she’s writing about a girl who can visit the ghostly Afterworld? And it’s by the brilliant Scott Westerfeld? YES PLEASE! I was hooked before I even cracked the spine. But crack the spine I did, and let me tell you, the book was even better than I imagined.

Darcy Patel is 18 years old, she’s just graduated from high school, and she has a book deal. She spent her last November of high school typing 1667 or more words a day for thirty days straight and, through the amazing process of NaNoWriMo (or National Novel Writing Month for those who don’t know), emerged with a completed (though unedited) novel. Determined to make it both as an author and as an adult, Darcy delays college and heads to New York to become one with the publishing scene and revise her novel. Through new friendships, books tours, YA author meet-ups, revisions, plotting, book research, and even an unexpected romance, Darcy must not only meet the deadline for revising her novel (a difficult job in itself) but also navigate her new life and take up the responsibilities of an adulthood that she’s not entirely sure she’s ready for yet.

I loved Darcy. She feels so real, and I wish I could befriend her and join her on all her crazy author/writing adventures (including driving a car around NYC with a friend locked in the trunk…anything for research!). Anyone who has ever written fiction at all will relate to Darcy’s struggles and insecurities as she revises her book and as she struggles to become and see herself as a professional author, despite her constant impostor syndrome. She’s funny, witty, and apprehensive, and I found myself really wanting her to succeed. By the end of the book, I cared about Darcy’s happiness and success, especially since the life she makes for herself as an author is one that I supremely envy.

Speaking of authors, this book is full of them. Anyone familiar with YA and YA authors will recognize hints of some of their favorite authors in Westerfeld’s characters. Though they are all completely fictional, the references to the world of young adult fiction and its writers are real and wonderful. On the one hand, it gives the reader the opportunity to see inside and experience that world for themselves through Darcy’s eyes. On the other hand, I can’t help but feel that this book contains a great deal of inside jokes and references exclusive to YA authors who have actually been through these experiences. This doesn’t take away from the novel at all; contrariwise, it adds another dimension of realism. It allows the reader to glimpse not only Westerfeld’s fictional YA world but also hints of the world of young adult literature as it actually exists. Darcy’s story also (for me, anyway) reignited my excitement and passion for writing. This book, more than just about anything else I’ve read or seen, made me want to be an author.

Darcy’s book is just as intriguing as Darcy’s own story. Afterworlds, the inner novel for which the book is named, follows Darcy’s character Lizzie after she survives a terrorist attack in an airport. To escape certain death, Lizzie inadvertently slips into the “afterworld,” the strange world that exists between life and death. After this first encounter, Lizzie is able to move between reality and the afterworld with ease, and she starts seeing and encountering ghosts, even in her own home. Helped along by the scared ghost of a little girl and a kind and protective psychopomp who never ages, Lizzie must learn how to use and embrace her newfound powers for good, even when a darker invitation comes knocking.

I couldn’t put this book down. It was really phenomenal. The two stories alternate, with Darcy’s story one chapter and Lizzie’s the next. I was worried that this method would make the stories feel interrupted and that they wouldn’t flow together well, but all my worry was for naught! Both stories fit together flawlessly. It was fun to pick out the bits in Darcy’s life that appear in her novel and observe how the two stories affect each other. I even found myself wishing I could read the other (fictional) YA novels mentioned and quoted in the book, because all of them sound that intriguing!

Afterworlds has earned itself a firm place on my favorite’s shelf (next to everything else Scott Westerfeld has written, of course). Westerfeld shines in this two-in-one-book; it’s well-written, compelling, and it features amazing characters that you can’t help relating to. This book is a must-read for Scott Westerfeld fans, and I’d also recommend this book to anyone who loves YA (of any kind), especially those interested in writing. I think Nerdfighters in particular will also get quite a kick out of this book, though in the interest of not spoiling things, I won’t say why!

Victoria Reviews: Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis

When I first picked up this book and started to read, I did not expect to find myself sucked into the story just as fully as Nolan, one of the book’s main characters, gets sucked into the world of Amara, the other main character, when he closes his eyes. The book was fascinating and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Otherbound follows Nolan who inhabits another world every single time he closes his eyes (even if he blinks). Each time he closes his eyes, he is suddenly in the mind and body of Amara, a servant in a different world. Amara protects a cursed and exiled princess in the Dunelands as a healing mage, and Nolan can only observe her life without every interfering. Nolan has been diagnosed with epilepsy in his own world, since the best explanation for what happens when he gets sucked into Amara's world is a seizure. But what happens when he starts learning how to take over and control Amara? 

Both Amara and Nolan are wonderful characters. Despite much of their shared experiences, they are two very separate people, and their individuality is a large part of what helps drive the story. There’s never any point where it’s unclear whether it’s Amara or Nolan is thinking or feeling something, even if they are both experiencing the same things. Amara is a servant whose tongue has been cut out – all servants have their tongues removed – and she bears the mark of a servant on the back of her neck in the form of a tattoo. She uses sign language to communicate, another mark of a servant in the Dunelands, and her job is to help protect the princess Cilla at all costs. Cilla has been cursed, and shedding even the smallest drop of her blood will activate the curse, leading to her almost immediate death. Amara is servile in all ways. The duties and expectations of a servant are constantly in the back of her mind, and she almost always does her best to observe them. Even in situations where she could (or needs to) take power, Amara is uncomfortable. Being an abused and watchful servant is all she knows of life, and she isn’t quite sure what to do in situations where she needs to take charge. She doesn’t know how to treat Cilla, who is both her better and possibly a friend. Her uncertainty along with her hatred of feeling this way pervades the book. Though Amara may dream of freedom, she is aware that she might not be able to accept it comfortably.

Nolan has been seeing Amara’s world through Amara’s eyes since he was a child. He’s been in several comas, and he lost his foot in an accident once when sucked unexpectedly into Amara’s painful world. His parents, teachers, and doctors all keep a careful watch on him, often to Nolan’s frustration. He puts up a front to them all, giving out “teacher-smiles” and constant refrains of “I’m okay” to everyone expressing concern. Nolan knows that he doesn’t have epilepsy, and he knows the medications don’t work; however, he can’t tell anyone about Amara’s world, because he knows they wouldn’t believe him. So he simply lives with the pain of existing between two worlds: with his eyes closed he enters Amara’s world only to observe and feel her pain, and with eyes open he must attempt to live out some semblance of a normal life with people who can’t possibly understand him.

There’s a lot of depth to these characters. Even as the book progresses and the characters develop, they still stay themselves – the unity that Duyvis maintains in characterization is quite impressive. Amara acts only in ways that it is believable for Amara to act based on who she is, and the same goes for Nolan. Even by the end of the book, they are still not entirely okay, all of their problems and flaws not magically solved along with the conflict. This makes the book that much more real and convincing – you can almost believe that the Dunelands do in fact exist, if only you could forge your own mind link to see it.

The story itself was fascinating, and the plot twists were completely unexpected. Instead of just pulling twists out of nothing, however, Duyvis manages to make them flow naturally from the story. Once the twist happens, suddenly everything else you know about the story shifts, and you see how that made perfect sense; you can’t believe you didn’t figure it out yourself.

Duyvis’ worldbuilding was excellent; the Dunelands were detailed yet understandable. The details of this world came naturally throughout the story. I never once felt like something had happened or someone had spoken simply so the reader could learn information. One thing I found very interesting was the concept of language and communication in the Dunelands. Different races or nationalities speak different languages, and the mute servants use sign language to communicate, often having to spell out unfamiliar words. Though all languages used in the book are written out in English (even the sign language), it was interesting to see the character stumble a bit in trying to translate certain words, especially English words.

Overall, this book was excellent. It was a fantasy story taken to the next level by its combination with our world. Though it’s a standalone novel, I’d gladly read a sequel or anything else taking place in Amara’s world, if Duyvis ever chose to write such a thing. I loved the characters, and I’m sad to let them go. I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes YA fantasy (especially fans of Catherine Fisher’s Incarceron series or Half Bad by Sally Green) or anyone who is simply interested in a compelling story.

A Summer of #CHBPotter

We've reached the end of our CHBPotter journey, and though we're definitely feeling the sadness, it's been a fun and educational journey. Michelle and I are blogging one last time this summer to discuss our Wizarding World trip and to say farewell to the Boy Who Lived.

First, we'll tell you all about what it was like to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

V: Walking into Diagon Alley for the first time, I felt exactly like Harry in Sorcerer's Stone. There was so much to see, and I wished I had more eyes...my head was swiveling in every direction trying to take it all in. There wasn't a single time I walked down Diagon Alley that I didn't see something amazing that I hadn't noticed the last time I'd looked. Universal did an AMAZING job of creating this immersive experience. Except for the heat, you could really believe you're in Rowling's Diagon Alley. There were people everywhere pointing, laughing, and waving wands to cast their spells (Universal has created interactive wands to use in the parks). My favorite part of the experience (aside from, you know, the entire thing) was seeing Celestina Warbeck in concert. Hearing these magical (and very jazzy) tunes being sung in Diagon Alley by this background character that never gets any notice...that made my entire trip. My other favorite part was the Ollivander's experience. In case you're unfamiliar with the way things are done, Ollivander's Wand Shop allows in a certain number of people per "show," and from that group, the wandmaker picks one person to actually undergo the experience of being chosen by a wand. I've been picked before, but I definitely wanted to try it again so I could have video of the experience. No surprise, I got picked again. The woman playing the wandmaker was fantastic and incredibly believavbe. Not that my first experience was bad, but this one blew it away. I performed Accio to bring a ladder closer (resulting in crashing wand boxes), Lumos to light up the room (and I accidentally made it storm), and then I finally was chosen by my perfect wand. It's a very magical experience, and it draws you in. Michelle, I know you said in the podcast that your favorite moment happened in King's Cross. Was there anything else that stood out to you?

M: Yeah, the King's Cross employee instructing me not to run through a brick wall was pretty great, but really just seeing it all. Or if I'm really honest it was the snacks. From Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice to Chocolate Frogs and Cauldron Cakes...I've wanted to taste these things for sixteen years! I bought ALL the candy in Honeydukes. It was thrilling to be able to be a part of that world for a while. I also really loved the details. Universal went to great lengths with even the small details; this really helps to keep the crowds from overwhelming the experience. Sure sometimes when you look around all you see is a sea of people, but look there are Hermione's dress robes or check out that Crumple-Horned Snorkack - it pulls you right back in to the Wizarding World experience.

Another way of continuing the Harry Potter experience that I only first undertook this summer is Pottermore. I'm still working my way through Sorcerer's Stone, but Pottermore really is totally worth the time it takes to move through it. J.K. Rowling has written tons of addition content for the site that really expands upon the world of the seven HP books. This summer in particular has seen a glut of new information. There's a story about Dumbledore's Army meeting up at the Quidditch World Cup, a story about the life of Celestina Warbeck, and much much more. Anytime I have a spare few moments at my computer I run through a few "Moments" on Pottermore. Definitely recommended for those who've been on the fence about it.

V: Absolutely! Pottermore is great for those fans of the books who wish they could just know more about these characters and places and this whole world! I particularly loved the backstories on both Lupin and McGonagall, and I think those things add so much to their characters and the way you read them. Also, the Celestina Warbeck recorded version of "You Stole My Cauldron" is possibly my new favorite thing, next to frozen Butterbeer.

It's been a heck of a summer for us here at CHB. Reading and discussing the Harry Potter series again and topping it all off with a trip to the Wizarding World has, for me at least, really brought back all my memories of midnight release parties, dressing up, and fan theories and speculation. To me, one of the most magical things about Harry Potter is that it brings people together. No matter who you are, where you're from, your beliefs, likes, or anything at all, if you love Harry Potter, we have common ground and a firm foundation on which to build a friendship. This is the reason that I believe Harry Potter will never disappear and the fandom will never end: we have made too many connections to and through this series of books, and those links are much too strong to be broken by time or distance. The bonds that fans make may have their roots in Harry Potter, but they extend to much more than that, and I think that's absolutely fantastic. And it keeps going. Every new person who picks up the books has the chance to share in these links and these lessons. The magic of Harry Potter lies in the way that it helps us connect to others, be more empathetic, and ultimately, it helps to make us better people.

And on that resonating note, CHBPotter comes to a close. We hope you've enjoyed the books, our discussion and thoughts, and we hope you've learned something along the way, just as we have. We know that Harry Potter isn't for everyone, but to deny the power of Harry Potter is in part to deny the power that literature and stories hold in our lives. Stories are important and they matter. They help us see and realize things about our lives and world that we might not otherwise notice. They help us learn to be better people through empathy and the idea that everyone has their own unique story to tell. To all who have followed along, we thank you for your thoughts and support. And to those who are just now discovering the magic of Harry Potter, we hope you enjoy the journey. CHBPotter has been a magnificent experience for us, and we hope you've enjoyed the ride. To sign off, I'll quote Lee Jordan's ending to Potterwatch, which seems fitting: "Keep each other safe: Keep faith. Goodnight."

P.S. check out our final Potter podcast, Beat Back Those Bludgers Boys, and Chuck That Podcast Here! You can listen in you browser by clicking here or go straight to itunes.

Victoria Reviews: Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston

The inside cover description portrays Frozen as a Vegas-esque romp through a nearly destroyed future with hints of magic and darkness lurking around every corner. As exciting as that sounds, thankfully the book is quite a bit more than that. The setting is frozen both literally and figuratively: everything in the world not covered by ice and snow is toxic waste, and passage between civilizations is either highly regulated or impossible. Society is frozen in its current state, with the rich and privileged spending all their time gambling while the lower classes struggle to survive in such a toxic environment. The government has as tight a control as it can manage on the world, and those trying to slip under the radar are usually caught and quickly executed.

Amidst the militaristic rule and dog-eat-dog population comes a surprisingly old-fashioned tale. Arrogant good guy meets independent, no-nonsense girl, and what results is a toxic seas adventure more like Pirates of the Caribbean than a Las Vegas thriller.

This pirate adventure may sound like it couldn’t possibly fit in with the futuristic Vegas that the book paints as its setting, but the interesting thing is that it actually does; the two seemingly opposing ideas flow together quite naturally, even when you throw in a bit of sorcery and a promised land of the kind Wendy Darling could only dream of.

The characters manage to hold their own despite the mixed setting. Nat and Wes are strong people, capable of handling just about anything that comes their way. But at the end of the day you’re reminded that, despite their ingenuity and intelligence, these are only two teenagers making the best of the cruel world in which they are stuck. Hope and a refusal to give up are sometimes the only things giving them the strength to keep moving.

All in all, I must admit that while I started this book with my expectations closer to the floor than the ceiling, I was rather impressed at the way de la Cruz and Johnston managed to seamlessly stitch together so many vastly different pieces to create a complete and compelling story. I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy and dystopian stories, as this is a bit of both. Frozen is the first book in the Heart of Dread series, and I'm sure the next book will be just as fantastic and surprising as this one!

Nitwit, Blubbler, Oddment, Tweak: Or Our Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Now that we've finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Victoria and I are rather emotionally exhausted. Are we ready for the Deathly Hallows? I guess we are bound to find out, but for now our thoughts on the Prince...

M: I went into this book somewhat cold. I told myself that I wasn't going to be affected by the tragedies Harry faces by the novel's end. I got closer and closer steadfast and stone faced. And then I cracked. By the time I finished I was wrung out. I just sat thinking about grief and loss and life. I took quite a bit of time for myself with this one just to process. I know you were deeply affected by Harry's' grief as well. Do you think we were struck differently this time, or we've just forgotten the pain we originally experienced nine years ago?

V: I think it's a combination of both, honestly. The fact that we're reading the books much more closely combined with the fact that it's been a while for both of us since we've read these books probably came together to add to the emotion. This whole reading experience has been quite emotional for me. I've grown even more attached to the characters this time around, and the deaths in these last two books have absolutely drained me. It happened to me like it happened to you: I was reading along without feeling but, but next thing I knew, I was sobbing. I'm a bit nervous to start Deathly Hallows, because I remember acutely how much this book affected me when I read it the first time.At the same time, I'm excited for Book 7. I've been noticing and feeling the buildup and foreshadowing to this book for pretty much the whole series. Book 7 is my absolute favorite book of all time, and I am intimately familiar with it because of how many times I've read it. So I'm anticipating an exciting and emotional end to this read-through.To get back to Half-Blood Prince, there are two very interesting things that struck me about this book. One is the backstory development of Voldemort, and the other is the progression of Harry and Dumbledore's relationship. Seeing Voldemort as a kid and a young man was particularly creepy to me this time around, and it only made him scarier to see this manipulative and handsome young man with such evil intentions. What did you think of the development of Voldemort's backstory??

M: It's interesting that you mention close reading because when we set out that was definitely what I intended to do. I didn't want to just revel in a highly entertaining book series; I wanted to read it critically, dissect it, and in that way find out why these books are the phenomenon that they are. But that didn't happen - at all (especially as we've moved further on into the series). I'm not doing a close reading of the text because I am too busy engaging with it. I know that must sound counterintuitive, if you are engaging with the work it should be simple to really think through it, but apart from the overarching themes and the things like massive foreshadowing I've just been turning pages too quickly to read in a critical way. I'm to focused on finding out what is happening to these characters that I love (even though I know what is happening because I've read their story before) to stop for a close reading. And in saying all this I realize why the series is such a phenomenon - it engages the reader on whatever level they need/desire. The books definitely stand up to critical readings (Rowling's wordplay and literary allusions alone provide fodder for all the scholarly journals of the world) but they are also what they were meant to be: seriously entertaining, engrossing books that resonated within the hearts and minds of a generation of readers.
So (now that I've gotten that out of the way), Tom Riddle. I am very interested in young Tom Riddle and I really like how Rowling shaped book six around Harry learning more about him (from "he's so like me" to "oh my god what created this monster"). It forces the reader to think about the nature of good and evil - Harry and Tom have relatively similar loveless upbringings, so what is it that gives Harry the limitless capacity to love and Tom the inability to do so? Harry was created out of love whereas Tom's existence is owed wholly to magic; thus for Harry magic is merely an entrance into a world of love, family, and friendship while for Tom magic is everything.
I really like that Tom is handsome and charismatic. It does add to the creep factor as you say but it also makes his character more believable. Tom Riddle is basically a textbook psychopath but with more magic.

V: I completely agree. I'm not reading these books near as closely as I'd planned, but I'm certainly reading them more slowly and closely than I ever have before.

Dumbledore gets a bit of character development in this book as well, though not not in the same way as Voldemort/Tom Riddle. Present Dumbledore is developed in this novel in a way that present Voldemort never can be. We see his personality toward Harry as a child/pupil (albeit his favorite pupil), but there are also some moments that he treats Harry much more like the man he's becoming. I can clearly see Dumbledore shaping and influencing here, and I don't think he's even trying to be subtle, nor do I think he's trying to be harmful or too distant from Harry. I also am certain that Harry knows all this, even if it's not consciously all the time. Seeing how their relationship progresses in this book and knowing how Harry feels about Dumbledore, the insane amount of trust Harry places in him and everything, it's going to make the crumbling of Dumbledore's pedestal all the more moving and emotional in Book 7.

Victoria Reviews: Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Let me get my fangirling out of the way. I really adore both Eleanor and Park and Fangirl. Those two have permanent places on my favorites shelf, and I recommend them to just about anyone who will listen to me for half a second (speaking of which...if you haven’t read them, THEN WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! GO READ THEM). Since it’s an adult novel, I was afraid I wouldn’t love Landline the way I love the other two. I usually prefer YA to adult novels, and this is often because the problems and ideas in YA still apply to me at 21 years old. It’s rare for me to find an adult novel that I can relate to and care about like I do with YA. So I was nervous about starting Landline, worried that the book wouldn’t stand up to my love for Rowell’s YA novels.

Once again, Rainbow Rowell has proven her strange ability to get right at my heart and soul. Landline is definitely an adult novel, but it completely destroyed my fears of being unable to relate to its themes and ideas. Its themes include marriage, regret, first love versus lasting love, and figuring out whether the life you’ve been living for so many years is actually what’s right for you. Rowell has packed this book with so much character, personality, and emotion that it’s nearly overflowing. It’s nearly impossible notto find something to relate to in this book. The characters feel like close friends of yours by the end; you might even fancy calling them up to invite them over for dinner and a game night, if you could just remember their phone number.

The book follows Georgie McCool, a TV comedy writer in Los Angeles, and her husband Neal, the quiet stay-at-home dad and artist. When Georgie tells Neal she can’t go to Omaha with him to spend Christmas with his family, Neal simply packs up the kids and leaves for Omaha without Georgie, leaving her lonely and worried that her marriage is finally over. While staying with her mother over the holidays, Georgie discovers that an old phone in her bedroom has the power to call Neal in the past, back before they ever got married. Georgie has to figure out if she’s supposed to save her marriage or if maybe they would both be happier in the long run if they never got married in the first place.

Georgie is hilarious, sweet, and so busy and caught up in life that she doesn’t always stop to think of everyone around her. She loves her husband, her kids, and her job, but it’s hard for her when any of these things clash together. Neal is quieter and more reserved. Emotion doesn’t radiate off of him constantly like it radiates off of Georgie, and even getting a true smile from him is an achievement. Despite (or perhaps because of) this, Neal is deep and thoughtful. He’s an artist, and though he may not always show his emotion plainly (be it anger or happiness or anything else), there is no doubt that he contains multitudes.

What surprised me most about this novel was that I related to it separately from how I normally relate to YA novels. This is one of the first books I’ve read that related to my life as an adult specifically. I connected very strongly with Georgie, especially with her concerns about being a good wife while still taking care of her own hopes and dreams in life. Though not exactly carefree, she’s still able to really experience and enjoy life, an enviable feat. She’s thoughtful almost to a fault, overthinking just about everything she does, trying to figure out the right thing to do. It’s difficult for her to deny her own happiness, even if the things that make her happy are making her husband unhappy. She cares deeply about her family and her job, and she tries her hardest to be who everyone expects her to be and make everyone else happy. She appealed to me quite deeply, getting at the heart of some of my own fears about adulthood and being a good person. The book is witty and filled with the kind of romantic moments you can’t help but smile at while reading. It manages to be both hilarious and sweet, sometimes in the same moment. It makes you reconsider the importance of love versus happiness in a marriage and in life; if you love someone, what happens if you can’t make them happy? Is it best to let them go or keep trying? Is it better to be unhappy with the one you love or happy with someone you don’t love? Rowell examines these questions thoroughly and beautifully.

Overall, Landline is a Rainbow Rowell book through and through: it makes you feel something, and you aren’t quite the same person by the time you turn the last page.

Collywobbles: Or Our Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Another week down and another book in our Harry Potter readalong has ended. This one is particularly heart wrenching as we are introduced to Messrs. Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail, and Prongs. Here are a few of our thoughts on Book Three... 

 

M: This book is frequently labelled a turning point in the series; while the first two installments are by no means all sunshine and roses, Prisoner of Azkaban lacks even the semblance of lightheartedness found within the first two books. I feel like we get traces of it in places like Hogsmead, but the specter of the dementors pervades almost ever section of the novel.

I think this might be my least favorite book in the series. I love meeting Lupin and going to Hogsmead, but some of the storytelling is a bit clunky. And really, I will never stop thinking about this - why couldn't Lupin tell Harry he was a friend of his parents? Also, McGonagall reveals that she was a teacher of theirs - why has she never taken the time to talk to Harry about them? This is an orphan child that is hungry for stories of his family. He is apparently surrounded by people who knew them...share some stories! 

 

V: I think it's funny that this is your least favorite book. It's my third favorite, and this one (along with maybe book 4) seems to be most people's favorite. Sirius and Lupin are such beloved characters, and people adore this book often for that reason alone. It's interesting to see how different people approach the series. 

It's funny that you mention the parent thing. I've been thinking about that too, but I think Lupin has a pretty decent reason for never discussing James in detail. Since it's well-known that James and Sirius were best friends, and Sirius is on the loose and considered by all to be a mass murderer, it wouldn't really be the most prudent thing for Lupin to discuss that he was friends with James, and therefore Sirius. I'm sure people know they were friends, but as Lupin is already distrusted among Wizard-kind, I can understand him taking the precaution of distancing himself a little from those ties to such a notorious criminal. 

As for people like McGonagall, they probably just haven't thought about it. Harry never asks about his parents (most likely a trained reflex from 11 years with the "no-questions" Dursleys), and I don't think most people realize how little he knows about them. Dumbledore is the only one who seems to recognize Harry's hunger for information, and just about every time he is able to sit and have a conversation with Harry, he tells Harry more about his parents. 

What I found interesting in this book is how it offers the barest hints of information that will become vital later in the series. For instance (without spoiling anything), we get mention of Professor Trelawney having made a previous prediction, as well as the backstory of James and co at school. We also get quite a bit of backstory on Snape, or at least the threads of it, which becomes quite important later on. Even the idea of the dementors not being entirely underMinistry  control is mentioned very briefly. The foreshadowing in Chamber of Secrets was incredibly obvious to someone who knows the end of the series, but the hints in this book are way more subtle and easier to miss. 

A couple of my favorite things about this book: 1) Lupin's constant sass. He does it politely and with a smile, and it's hilarious. 2) The Quidditch Cup. I'm really glad it took Gryffindor three books to win the Cup, because it really built up the tension for that final match against Slytherin. Especially have played and watched Muggle Quidditch, I completely understand the tension involved in the scoring before catching the snitch and everything. 3) Lee Jordan's commentary. I simply love it.

I was most bothered by Harry and Ron's quite unkind treatment of Hermione in this book. I know they're only 13, but what did you think about that??

 

M: At one point after discovering Lupin went to school with his father Harry says "you must have know Sirius Black as well" and Lupin replies "I thought I did." Oh, that part breaks my heart. It does seem that it would have been both difficult and dangerous for Lupin to talk about his old friends. And with Sirius escaping and having Harry thrust into his life you can imagine that the emotions he had been coping with for the last twelve years would be overwhelming. I think this is true for Snape as well...I don't want to delve too far into Snape's backstory considering we don't learn much about it until later in the series, but the resentment and despair of his entire life is personified in Harry Potter then exacerbated by the escape of Black and the position of Lupin at Hogwarts. And he still brews Lupin's much needed potion! I've said before that I am not a Snape apologist, but I am a bit more sympathetic to him this time around.

We both mentioned on Twitter just how complex this series is. The entire history is so fully realized that I cannot help but wonder how much of this world Rowling has in her head that she hasn't shared with us.

As for the trio's many bumps in the road this year I'll say this, I have two siblings (one older and one younger) and I can say from experience that with three close friends alliances build and fall constantly but the three of you are always a unit. When it matters Ron, Hermione, and Harry all come together. It makes sense for them to have falling outs once in a while. Plus, the tension between Ron and Hermione is building. They are weirded out by their attraction to one another and it comes out in their preteen state as anger sometimes.

And finally, I take your joy in Lupin's sass and raise you McGonagall throwing major shade at Trelawney. The Christmas dinner scene is fantastic.

V: Oh I certainly understand the fighting and bickering between friends who almost resemble siblings in a way. I grew up with two brothers myself (also one older and one younger...imagine that), so it's understandable that they fight. It would be unbelievable if they didn't. But Harry and particularly Ron seemed to be just mean to Hermione in this book. The poor girl has so much going on, she's stressed to the max and clearly trying to do more than she can handle (which is kind of nice to read, as it reinforces Hermione's humanity), and she really was just trying to help. They kind of abandon her at her most vulnerable point in the series so far, and Ron especially is kind of cruel about it a couple of times. I just found myself feeling really bad for Hermione and being quite angry at Harry and Ron for their poor treatment of her. I know Hermione didn't exactly start off the series with friends, but the loneliness of being friendless is completely different from the loneliness of your friends ignoring you. I feel for her.

You make an excellent point. McGonagall got some fantastic bits of snark in this one. I also love her Quidditch rivalry with Snape. It's hilarious to me that these two very dignified teachers get really caught up in Quidditch.

 

M: I do think Ron and Harry's treatment of Hermione is meant to be a big deal. Hagrid even talks to them about it, and frankly I love that Hermione goes to Hagrid with her troubles. He really is the most maternal character. 

I'll end out thoughts on Azkaban here with something we haven't spoken about at all - the films. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is in my opinion the best film in the series even if it isn't one of my favorite books, and as Victoria has pointed out on Tumblr it is the film in which Harry looks the most like...well, Harry! That reminds me, are you keeping up with us on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook?

Jiggery Pokery: Or Our Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Victoria and I are still posting away on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook but now that we've finished Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets we wanted to discuss some of our thoughts here more in depth.

V: I enjoyed Chamber of Secrets much more than I anticipated. It's not my favorite HP book, and though I obviously love all of the books in the series, Sorcerer's Stone and Prisoner of Azkaban stand out so much more to me, leaving Chamber of Secrets behind in the dust. But I really liked it this time. I'm much fonder of this book than I thought, and I think this is because I actually slowed down and paid more attention to the book than I normally would have. Have you experienced this with either of the books we've read so far?? I know most people seem to like books 4 and 5 best (which is strange to me because those two are my least favorite), so what's your opinion on these two early books?? Things really start to get darker in Prisoner of Azkaban (as if they weren't dark enough already), so I'm curious to know what you think of the first two books, since they are generally considered to be more lighthearted and are aimed at a younger audience.  The beginning of the series is very special to me because Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all closest to my age in these books (I was 8). However, having finished Chamber of Secrets again and really enjoyed it this much, I might have to reevaluate my long-standing favorites list of Potter books.

M: I've loved both of these books the second time around. Chamber of Secrets was a bit different than Sorcerer's Stone because even though there is plenty of magic it is less magical; maybe that's just me... I was surprised by how dark this book is. As you say, these two early books are the most lighthearted and this one is full of some pretty heavy stuff. I don't recall connecting more heavily with any one book in the series over another. I connect heavily with scenes involving Neville Longbottom of which I think Book Five has the most - so Order of Phoenix all the way! 

My big thing coming out of Chamber of Secrets though is the foreshadowing!! I know that you have been noticing this stuff from the beginning but anyone familiar with later events in the series cannot deny that JK basically knew what was going to go down in the end at this early date. She begins to build on the relationship between Harry and Voldemort in a way that affects the last actions of the series. It's brilliant really.

Then, though I'm hesitant to bring this up, there's the Ron-Hermione thing. Rowling and Emma Watson recently questioned rather or not Ron and Hermione would have ended up together/had a happy life together. First let's take away the fact that they are children when we know them and we know nothing of their adult life experiences and just deal with this - they are twelve years old in this book and Ron is already so dead loyal to Hermione. Something happened between Books One and Two that changed their dynamic. I will say this, Ron is already clearly in love with Hermione and his reactions to her being abused and harmed in this book prove that. And it's heartwarming and adorable and I like to imagine them happy together in their later years even if Hermione is far more accomplished than Ron. Agreed?

V: I completely agree about the foreshadowing and the Ron/Hermione thing 100%. Ron clearly has deep feelings for her, even if at this point they are only friendship-feelings. He works very hard to defend her in this book, and I really loved it. But I also love that no matter how much he defends Hermione, he still treats her like just Hermione. He doesn't put her on a pedestal and refuse to see her flaws or anything. He still finds her annoying sometimes, he still thinks she's silly and weird and reads too much...it's what makes their friendship and later their romantic relationship so normal and believable. Because sure, Ron makes fun of Hermione plenty, but when push comes to shove, he'll support her completely. 

I think you make a very good point about the fact that we don't see these characters fully into their adult lives. I personally think Ron changes a LOT by the end of the series. It's impossible to watch these two 12 year olds and decide whether or not they could succeed romantically. 

I pointed out SO MUCH FORESHADOWING in my copy of the book. It’s all over the place. I don't know if you noticed, but they even mentioned Mundungus Fletcher early on in this book. Chamber of Secrets and Half-Blood Prince are very closely connected books, even JKR said so, and it's obvious and impossible to ignore once you know it's there. I paid special attention to Dumbledore in the closing scenes when Harry hands him Riddle's diary and explains what it did. Because Dumbledore knows a lot more in that scene than he lets on, and you can usually tell. He's quite interested in such an object. 

I also really loved Dobby in this one, though he's changed a little for me. I noticed that Dobby really does only care about keeping Harry safe. Dobby isn't interested in trying to stop the danger or save everyone else, he's interested in keeping Harry safe. This, combined with Dobby's beautiful explanation of what Harry means to the lowly like himself really moved me. Harry literally is Dobby's greatest hope. Harry is the one shining light in a world of darkness for Dobby and other such creatures. It helps explain Firenze's reaction to Harry in Book 1, and it's something that, reading the books mostly from Harry's perspective, we really don't get to see. Just like Harry, we have NO IDEA what the dark days were like. We get some of it by Book 7, but it's not quite the same. We don't really have the benefit of understanding just how much hope and joy Harry brought to the entire Wizarding world. Dobby gives us (and Harry) a little glimpse into that, and I loved it. 

For the record, I super love Lockhart as a character. He's so terrible and over the top that I can't help but love him. Every scene he's in is absolutely hilarious.

M: I totally love Lockhart too! I'm always curious about how that happens - here's this person that anyone would detest upon actually meeting them but the author has molded him into something so gloriously over the top that you can't help but enjoy the scenes that he is in. Gilderoy Lockhart is just beyond and I love it even if it is hard to reconcile the actual havoc he leaves in his wake (not at Hogwarts necessarily but throughout his entire life).
Oh, and Firenze. I am so intrigued by the centaurs and I'm excited to encounter them again later. They embody the sort of beautiful mystery of magic for me. Within Hogwarts we have the actual learning of magic and skills needed to perform it but out there in the Forbidden Forest and beyond we have this wealth of creatures that are in harmony with the magical world - that's very intriguing.
I hadn't really thought about what Harry means to lower lifeforms in the Wizarding world, but I thought a lot about the...should we call it racism? classism? I guess overall prejudice would be the most apt phrasing. Chamber of Secrets is saying a lot about prejudice and judging on merit rather than by blood (or what have you), and what is interesting about that is that Harry completely lacks these prejudices - he has difficulty being unkind to garden gnomes. Growing up Muggle (oh man, that should totally be the title of your memoir by the way) Harry considers all magical creatures equal and equally amazing. As does the reader, which has real world implications. In so many ways this series serves as a morality fable, and like all the best children's literature before it you are so entertained you don't even realize you are learning to be a better person.

V: Exactly! There's just so much! It's what makes these books so magical. There's a whole world out there we never even get to see. The fact that it feels so real that parts that don't even exist in the books can exist in my head is its own kind of magic. I also completely agree about the prejudice ideas you mentioned. That becomes incredibly important in this book and once again foreshadows the development of the rest of the series. Book 2 is the first time Harry has to come to terms with the fact that the Wizarding world is not all magic, wonder, and happiness. There are some really dark things going on, and they don't all stem from Voldemort. 

So that wraps up Chamber of Secrets! We've watched Harry face down He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named twice already, and now it's time to take a turn into the first book in the series that does not feature the series' main villain. We're delving into Prisoner of Azkaban, and I know I certainly can't wait to meet some of my favorite characters in the series once again! Get ready for "double, double, toil and trouble!"