Writer's Camp

Right now, I'm at writing camp - I'm having a lot of fun, and I hope I can manage to write more blog posts. I was planning to post pictures of my midwest trip, but I don't have my camera with me. Maybe I'll write a "this summer" post at the beginning of the school year, and post pictures of everything I've done.

I promised you a post with reviews of historical fiction and classics, but I haven't been able to read much lately, and no books immediately come to mind. Frankly, as I believe I've said before, historical fiction is not my favorite genre - so I don't read much of it. I like classics, though, and I think I'll be able to make a decent list later... maybe when I come home. I'm super stoked for a C. S. Lewis book I checked out of the library - not one of the Narnia books, I think it's more mature and philosophical. I'm also reading a sci-fi novel called Congo, which I also reccomend if sci-fi is your thing. 

Book List!

          I'm very sorry I've taken so long with this post. I would tell you that I've been busy, but that's a pathetic excuse, and besides, "I've been lazy" would be more accurate. To make up for my laziness, I'm going to write a whole lot of mini-reviews on the books I've been reading lately.

Sphere, by Michael Crichton:

 I have to admit, I love science fiction. Michael Crichton, who wrote the original Jurassic Park novel, is terrific. Sphere is engrossing, creepy, and thought provoking: exactly what a good sci-fi novel should be. I love the premise, too - the military ships a group of scientists down to a research station in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where an unmanned spaceship encrusted with centuries of coral was discovered. It's not the spaceship itself they have to worry about, though, it's the mysterious and otherworldly sphere they find inside. 

   

Grendel by John Gardner and Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney:

Frankly, I expected Beowulf to be dry and incomprehensible (I had to read it for school), but Seamus Heaney's brilliant translation proved me wrong. It definitely wasn't an altogether easy read, but the poetry was so deliciously rich that I couldn't help but enjoy it. John Gardner's modern novel, Grendel, takes the monster antagonist of Beowulf  and digs into his thoughts. It's completely different from the original epic - it focuses on the psychology and emotion of the monster, whereas Beowulf only highlights heroism. 

The Diviners, by Libba Bray

I have a weak spot for all things 20's. Louise Brooks, art deco,  and those beautiful dresses... can anyone lend me a time machine?

The Diviners takes place in 1926, so when I saw it at the library, I had to get it. It's a dark and spooky book filled with serial killers, cults, magic, and flappers. I especially liked the characters - the author gives you plenty of details about each one, and allows you into their heads. The second book in the series should come out sometime next year.

Be forewarned, though, it's pretty hefty! 

The Red Necklace, by Sally Gardner

This book was, frankly, a disappointment. I read I, Coriander - another book by Sally Gardner - a few years ago, and I liked it. The Red Necklace has promise, but I found it seriously lacking. Though the plot moved at a quick pace and the idea was brilliant, it left me feeling bland. What even happened? Admittedly, I haven't read the book's sequel, but I expected more out of 384 pages than I got.
What the plot lacked, though, was made up by the beauty of the writing and characters. Set during the french revolution, The Red Necklace is the story of orphaned gypsy Yann and aristocratic Sido. Yann and Sido meet when the villainous Count Kalliovski hires Yann and the rest of his acting troupe to perform at a party. When Count Kalliovski kills Yann's mentor, Sido helps Yann escape unharmed, and they remember each other until they meet again, two years later. As their country crumbles around them, Yann uses his developing magical powers to save Sido and himself and to fight Count Kalliovski. I'm not a fan of historical fiction,* but I really wanted to like this book. I found it worth the read, but not exceptional.


*I'm sure I'll rant about that sometime, lucky you!