edh's reviews
352 reviews

If you're a fan of Graceling, this companion novel set over the mountains to the east of the seven kingdoms will satisfy. The main narrative starring Fire (a half-human/half-monster young woman) is framed by the story of a particular young Graceling who has the ability to control others completely... you'll recognize the future King Leck immediately. Fire has a similar talent, but because of her monster blood she can actually sense what people are thinking rather than simply order them around. Her distinctive monster hair is all colors of red and orange, mesmerizing and enraging people in turns in this strange land so near and yet so far removed from the kingdoms we grew to know so well in Graceling. Fire's story is wrapped around her changing relationship with childhood friend (now lover) Archer and an impending war in which she must navigate various intrigues, and, eventually, face Leck again.

This book has a LOT more romance/violence/shades of sexuality than I remembered in Graceling. Plenty of interpersonal drama will make this especially appealing to readers who might not otherwise crave high fantasy. Just as Graceling drew fans of Tamora Pierce and her strong female characters, Fire will definitely do the same. Cashore is wonderful at world-building and shows off her talents to best advantage in this follow-up which will be one of the most-requested books of 2009.

The Victorian world is not kind to destitute little red-headed girls, and Ivy is no exception. The titian titular heroine finds the use of laudanum a blessed escape from the grinding poverty of her family (such as it is). After a rather unsuccessful childhood in the mean streets of London, Ivy finds herself sought after by an aspiring pre-Raphaelite painter who wants her to pose as iconic characters Eve and Ophelia. The painter's mother is terribly jealous of her son's newest obsession and plots to take advantage of Ivy's weakness for laudanum - ridding herself once and for all of the budding beauty who threatens to usurp her place in the house. Meanwhile, Ivy would like nothing better than a little less drama among new friends in a dog shelter. I didn't love this more than the Minister's Daughter, and think it will take some effort to find the right reader for this story.

Finding beauty in the everyday - that was my understanding of the wabi sabi concept after reading. Contentment and simple pleasures are certainly well-embodied in the cat protagonist, who moves through the world seeking a definition for her name but who ultimately realizes that she's a feeling/sensibility rather than any concrete definition.

The authors posit that the reason why traditional schooling fails so many is that by nature, the structure of schools encourage standardization rather than customization (and customization is what produces truly effective learning environments). Using available data, they predict that in the next 10-12 years fully half of all high schoolers will attend classes online in order to maximize the marketplace's ability to offer them opportunities not available in the traditional face-to-face format. They predict that this move will accelerate in response to tightening budgets and teacher scarcity - most likely, core courses in math and reading will continue to be taught locally in person... but most "elective" type courses will be begin to be taken online.

Like Hiaasen's other books for youth, there are some unsavory deeds being done by uncaring meanies in the wilds of Florida. This book concerns Nick, Marta, & their crazy biology teacher, who goes missing on a field trip into the swamp. Missing teacher Bunny Starch was last seen trooping back into an apparent wildfire to snag a student's lost inhaler. Initially, the fire and disappearance seem to hang on juvenile delinquent Smoke, whose name indicates his past tendencies to set fire to things. But as Nick and Marta investigate, there seems to be more at stake than a little fire & a missing woman. Like Hoot, Hiassen uses endangered species as a vehicle for the mystery. The greed of developers again puts Floridian settings and people at risk as they attempt to make a quick buck off the rapidly spoiling natural wetlands. As usual, Hiassen expertly weaves young people's lives into the sordid doings of adults to create a story that reveals the impact of human dealings on the natural world and on each other.

Lisa Yee takes a departure from her usual middle grade fare to offer a more mature look at adolescence in Absolutely Maybe. 15 year old Maybe (short for Maybelline) lives in Kissimmee, FL with her mother, Chessy. Chessy is a former beauty queen who now runs a charm school for aspiring pageant winners, and everything she cares about is anathema to Maybe, who would rather wear kohl eyeliner and purple lipstick and Hanes beefy-ts every day than a crown. Chessy's on-again, off-again relationships with men affect Maybe as well - and when her latest boyfriend assaults Maybe, Chessy accuses her of seducing him. This proves to be the last straw, so Maybe runs away with best friends Hollywood and Ted to LA, where Hollywood will go to film school. Ted meets with swift success in finding a job when an aging film star hires him to be her chauffeur, and Hollywood is settling into school quite nicely. After Maybe's purse is stolen, she must start from scratch and find a place to live before the campus police report her - but who should she turn to?

This book was a great mix of excellent characters, vivid settings, and a tight plot. Just when you think Maybe is out of one mess, she's into another and must think on her feet to find a solution. The twin themes of family trauma and finding a place to belong kept the narrative on track nicely. You'll find yourself rooting not just for Maybe, but for everyone she meets on her journey.

I was a big fan of Tatulli's Heart of the City, and although his Lio character is the polar opposite of the girly Heart I have come to love him. Lio is a much darker character whose Little Orphan Annie eyes are a window to the unreal. Lio's been compared to Calvin, but where Bill Watterson's characters explored life, the universe, and everything through dialogue, Lio has none. Nearly every strip depends on sight gags and visual inferences with zero speech bubbles. Lio straddles the edge of reality with creepy crawly creatures, zombies, and all manner of ghouls - this strip's wry and edgy humor will hold appeal for all ages.