Here is the third production video/making-of documentary, originally uploaded by the production team of THE HOBBIT!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Review - THE FAERIE RING
The Faerie Ring - Kiki Hamilton
Genre: Young Adult historical fantasy
# of pages: 363 (ARC)
Publisher: Tor Teen (Macmillan)
The Faerie Ring @ Parental Book Reviews
Recommended for: All Ages
In an effort to crack down on in depth-but-rambling reviews, I'm going to structure this by pros & cons
Pros
Premise: The Faerie Ring has a lot of positive qualities. For one thing, Tor Teen knows how to write a synopsis that draws in a reader: "Prince, pauper, thief...all must work together to secure the treaty..." As soon as I read this last sentence, I was hooked. I had to get my hands on this book. And the premise was very interesting. I'm sure we've all read faerie books before, but I can't name another one off the top of my head that takes place in Victorian London and attempts to create a shaky relationship between the British crown and the faerie courts. I would say that the story's setup was rather original (no modern-day teenage girl finding out she's a faerie princess, in other words). In fact, the whole setup was very promising and I was resolved, no matter what, to see this story through to the end. More on this later.
Readability: In addition to a genuinely interesting plot, The Faerie Ring has what I'd call a good readability factor. It's the kind of book that I can easily recommend to a wide variety of readers: middle school and high school alike, as well as adults. For me, that is a huge deal and a big plus in this novel's favor. I like books with zero content, and not because I'm a rigid prude or anything like that, but it is always good to have books that I can easily recommend. And it's not just a content issue: The Faerie Ring had enough action and suspense and very little romance that I think boys and action/adventure-preferring girls will be able to enjoy this novel as well
Cons
Plot issues: The more I delved in to this, the more convoluted and "messy" the plot became. About 100 pages from the end, I had no idea who had this dadgum ring that everybody's chasing around, and I didn't really care, either. I just wanted it to end.
...
That's rarely a good thing for a reader to say: "I just wanted it all to be over." And yet that's how I felt. It's hard to describe without going into spoilery details, but it seemed like the characters - heroine Tiki in particular - just started taking 1 chapter to do something that she could've done in 1 page's worth of time.
Believability: But the main thing about the plot had to do with believability. I just couldn't totally climb on board with a lot of things that happened in this novel because they seemed so far-fetched.
Tiki is a barrister's daughter who knows how to read (at a high reading level, I might add) and dance and is skilled in etiquette, yet through totally random circumstances she finds herself a street urchin pick-pocketing with a family of other orphans to make ends meet. I never felt enough desperation for her circumstances. They always made stole just enough money, had just enough food...they seemed like a very functional family. I argue that among street urchins in Victorian London, 'functional' might not be desired result. At one point, the orphans find a dress so that Tiki can 'go undercover' (for lack of a better phrase) at a royal ball held at Buckingham Palace. With a bath, a cute hairdo, and a dress that's been hemmed just right, Tiki manages to fool everybody (including two princes) into thinking she's part of the landed gentry. Um, really...?
So much of this 300+ page novel just seemed like a stretch to believe. Everything was a little too easy, a little too convenient.
And while I wasn't moved by the love story element, there wasn't really wrong with it, either. Same old scenario: girl holds the guy at arms length and basically acts crabby until 2/3 of the way in, then decides she's in love and has been all along! Okay, I guess. It's better than having a content issue.
But that's me. I've lost count of how many books I've read since August 2008 when all this started. I feel like I've read it all before, and as a result, it takes way more to make an impression on me. So would I recommend The Faerie Ring?
Absolutely. There's nothing particularly wrong with it - it just didn't hold my attention.
But I'm older, I'm pickier, and I'm just ADD-enough that unless there genuinely well-written dialogue, or a fight scene involving a sword, or SWEET romance (not inappropriate and not clean-but-crabby) or talking mice...I get distracted.
In-a-sentence:
Although The Faerie Ring didn't end up holding my attention for a number of reasons, I'm almost positive that you won't be as picky or easily-distracted as I am, so give it a go. It's a quick read that is fairly original and good enough for all 11+ages.
Genre: Young Adult historical fantasy
# of pages: 363 (ARC)
Publisher: Tor Teen (Macmillan)
The Faerie Ring @ Parental Book Reviews
Recommended for: All Ages
In an effort to crack down on in depth-but-rambling reviews, I'm going to structure this by pros & cons
Pros
Premise: The Faerie Ring has a lot of positive qualities. For one thing, Tor Teen knows how to write a synopsis that draws in a reader: "Prince, pauper, thief...all must work together to secure the treaty..." As soon as I read this last sentence, I was hooked. I had to get my hands on this book. And the premise was very interesting. I'm sure we've all read faerie books before, but I can't name another one off the top of my head that takes place in Victorian London and attempts to create a shaky relationship between the British crown and the faerie courts. I would say that the story's setup was rather original (no modern-day teenage girl finding out she's a faerie princess, in other words). In fact, the whole setup was very promising and I was resolved, no matter what, to see this story through to the end. More on this later.
Readability: In addition to a genuinely interesting plot, The Faerie Ring has what I'd call a good readability factor. It's the kind of book that I can easily recommend to a wide variety of readers: middle school and high school alike, as well as adults. For me, that is a huge deal and a big plus in this novel's favor. I like books with zero content, and not because I'm a rigid prude or anything like that, but it is always good to have books that I can easily recommend. And it's not just a content issue: The Faerie Ring had enough action and suspense and very little romance that I think boys and action/adventure-preferring girls will be able to enjoy this novel as well
Cons
Plot issues: The more I delved in to this, the more convoluted and "messy" the plot became. About 100 pages from the end, I had no idea who had this dadgum ring that everybody's chasing around, and I didn't really care, either. I just wanted it to end.
...
That's rarely a good thing for a reader to say: "I just wanted it all to be over." And yet that's how I felt. It's hard to describe without going into spoilery details, but it seemed like the characters - heroine Tiki in particular - just started taking 1 chapter to do something that she could've done in 1 page's worth of time.
Believability: But the main thing about the plot had to do with believability. I just couldn't totally climb on board with a lot of things that happened in this novel because they seemed so far-fetched.
Tiki is a barrister's daughter who knows how to read (at a high reading level, I might add) and dance and is skilled in etiquette, yet through totally random circumstances she finds herself a street urchin pick-pocketing with a family of other orphans to make ends meet. I never felt enough desperation for her circumstances. They always made stole just enough money, had just enough food...they seemed like a very functional family. I argue that among street urchins in Victorian London, 'functional' might not be desired result. At one point, the orphans find a dress so that Tiki can 'go undercover' (for lack of a better phrase) at a royal ball held at Buckingham Palace. With a bath, a cute hairdo, and a dress that's been hemmed just right, Tiki manages to fool everybody (including two princes) into thinking she's part of the landed gentry. Um, really...?
So much of this 300+ page novel just seemed like a stretch to believe. Everything was a little too easy, a little too convenient.
And while I wasn't moved by the love story element, there wasn't really wrong with it, either. Same old scenario: girl holds the guy at arms length and basically acts crabby until 2/3 of the way in, then decides she's in love and has been all along! Okay, I guess. It's better than having a content issue.
But that's me. I've lost count of how many books I've read since August 2008 when all this started. I feel like I've read it all before, and as a result, it takes way more to make an impression on me. So would I recommend The Faerie Ring?
Absolutely. There's nothing particularly wrong with it - it just didn't hold my attention.
But I'm older, I'm pickier, and I'm just ADD-enough that unless there genuinely well-written dialogue, or a fight scene involving a sword, or SWEET romance (not inappropriate and not clean-but-crabby) or talking mice...I get distracted.
In-a-sentence:
Although The Faerie Ring didn't end up holding my attention for a number of reasons, I'm almost positive that you won't be as picky or easily-distracted as I am, so give it a go. It's a quick read that is fairly original and good enough for all 11+ages.
Book Quote of the Week!
Book Quote of the Week
"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."
From: The Four Loves
Author: C.S. Lewis
Genre: Adult nonfiction (apologetics)
"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."
From: The Four Loves
Author: C.S. Lewis
Genre: Adult nonfiction (apologetics)
Friday, January 6, 2012
2 weeks till ALA Midwinter!
It's just 2 short weeks till ALA Midwinter in Dallas, TX!
I am so stoked that a major literary event will be taking place only a few hours from where I live! Most major book events, it seems, are either in Houston or Austin, so I'm glad Dallas got to have the spotlight, too. Way to go, METROPLEX! (Now about those Mavs...)
Because this will be my first time at an ALA event, I'm not entirely sure what to expect. I know they have an exhibit hall like at BEA, but I also understand that there are way more conferences. One of my friends who attended last year said that ALA is (because of the name) more of a librarian-oriented event (which will be really cool because I'm now training to be a librarian!) rather than a blogger-heavy event like BEA, and if so, then that's just swell (BEA got to be a wee bit too crowded for my Adrian Monkish personality)...
I know that my good friend Christie from The Fiction Enthusiast will be there, but is there anybody else who will be attending? I'd love to meet you!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Unfinished and Abandoned books [2]
Unfinished/Abandoned books is a semi-regular feature where I attempt to be as brief as I'm able and give mini-reviews for books I haven't technically finished. Sort of like a self-progress-report.
In this case, all of these books are in the 'unfinished' category, because I have every intention of finishing them - someday. I've just had to put these aside and try something different.
The Name of the Star - Maureen Johnson
Release:
Last page read: 146/370 (ARC)
For about 100 pages, I was completely absorbed. Then something happened and I got tired of the story. Not enough action (for a book about Jack the Ripper, there sure was a lot of talking and sneaking out and general 'teens behaving stupidly' and not a lot of plot progression). I just felt like the whole story was floating in stagnate water. Basically the 'teens behaving stupidly' label covers all of the little points I was going to make about this book. I just don't have the patience or the interest to read about kids who do stupid things, like run around London when there's a serial killer on the loose, or a character who has random make-out encounters with a boy with a bordering-on-disturbing fascination with the Ripper murders. It must be the accent, right? Right. Actually, it's more the completely random 'relationship' factor that made me lose interest. And to be honest, I just got tired of waiting around for something to happen.
Anyway, I still want to know what happens, so I have nothing against attempting to pick it up again and skim.
The Carrier of the Mark - Leigh Fallon
Release: October 4, 2011
Last page read: 109/343 (ARC)
I haven't picked this up since August. I don't know why I had such high expectations for this book, but now that I think about it, I believe they were rather unrealistic expectations. Maybe it's because, in a weird way, I hold foreign authors in higher regard, so I expect more out of their books...?
I actually want to give myself credit for trying. I tried harder to stay interested in Carrier than I think I have ever tried for any other book. You know, I like Meghan. I even like Adam. And I have been yearning (yes, *yearning*) for a decent book about elemental forces like air, wind, fire, and water. This seemed like such a winner. But Carrier ended up being a little too 'stereotypical YA' for my taste. And while Meghan isn't an idiot in the obvious way that Rory is in The Name of the Star, she didn't really say 'unique' to me. And I'm one of those pesky readers who is not impressed when characters are 'mysteriously drawn to' the love interest. See, I was the girl who - in my sociology & family studies class - wrote my essay about why Renee Zellweger's character from Jerry Maguire was a codependent mess for that whole 'I love him for the man he almost is' declaration.
So I'm coming out and identifying myself as someone who is NOT impressed by high physical-attraction/inexplicable romances. I want my characters to be fully aware of why they are attracted to the love interest. Girls who are 'inexplicably drawn to' the love interest do not impress me, and neither do romances where the characters spend 80% or more of their time together smooching. Not impressive, either. Were there other meritorious parts to this novel? Definitely. I do want to make it clear that there appears to be more to Carrier of the Mark than a rather formulaic, emotion-based romance. But it got a little hard to me to see the other stuff because I was so distracted by the romance angle.
So basically, Carrier just felt like the kind of novel I've read so many times before.
Does that mean I hated it? No, actually. I still think Carrier is alright, and I think that when the summer rolls around and I have more time at my disposal, I'll pick this up again and finish. I still think Leigh Fallon (and her accent) are grand!
But it was a little slow and familiar.
Weekly HOBBIT video #2
Here is the second production video/making-of documentary originally uploaded by the production team of THE HOBBIT!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Quote of the week is BACK!
For 2012, I'm going to begin resurrecting my 'Quote of the Week' feature that I started way back in 2010. Only this time, the quotes are all going to come from novels (as opposed to random-but-inspiring quotes)
Book Quote of the Week
"It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
From: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
What better way to usher in the new year than with some words of wisdom from good ol' Dumbledore?
Book Quote of the Week
"It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities"
From: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
What better way to usher in the new year than with some words of wisdom from good ol' Dumbledore?
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