I can say, with a positive mindset, that 2014 has been an awful year in nearly every way imaginable. But there have also been a great many people who care enough to try making life happier and prouder for everyone.
We can learn a lot from the past twelve months, to ensure 2015 might be better. And more hopeful. For every year is a new beginning.
To everyone all around, have a Happy and Fantastical New Year :)
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
Tuesday, 30 December 2014
Book Review - 'The Secret of Platform 13' by Eva Ibbotson
Salutations!
Victorious!
It's my 200th book review!
And just before the end of 2014!
Better make an effort then.
'The Secret of Platform 13' is a fun, magical children's tale by an acclaimed author, the late great Eva Ibbotson. Unlike all the other books I'd borrowed from my school library, I got this one before the start of the holidays.
I remember it well. It's creative, sweet, funny, quirky, and all around entertaining, like a little music box.
I'd heard that 'The Secret of Platform 13' was possibly one of the inspirations for J.K. Rowling when writing her first 'Harry Potter' book. There are similarities: A magic world with a portal to the real world - to a train station platform in London; a spoilt, overweight and noisy little boy who bullies another, much nicer boy; and a cast of wacky, colourful fantasy characters and creatures.
The Island is home to wizards, ogres, hags, centaurs, foul-smelling harpies, and an array of fey in all shapes and sizes. Mist makers, with the appearance of cute little seals, help to conceal the existence of the Island from the rest of the world. This enchanted kingdom is ruled by a beloved King and Queen, who have a newborn prince. Every nine years for nine days a "Gump" opens, allowing access to modern society through London Station, Platform 13.
Three young sister nurses (who were originally from London) are entrusted with the prince on a trip to the big city. Disaster strikes when they suddenly lose the infant. The rich and childless Mrs Trottle has kidnapped him! This is just before the Gump closes to the Island, so a rescue party cannot be dispatched until nine years later...
The guilt-ridden sisters are now starving themselves as hermits in a cave. The prince's rescue party consists of the elder wizard Cornelius, the fey Gurkintrude, the giant Hans, and the young hag Odge (not the most reliable bunch, but it's a children's book so this can be forgiven). The delightful group of oddballs find Mrs Trottle's mansion and discover Raymond Trottle, a ghastly, extremely fat and spoilt boy of nine years old. Could he seriously be the missing prince? The quest grows more complicated by the day, and there are only nine days for which to bring the prince back to the Island and his true parents...
The downsides which cause me to rate 'The Secret of Platform 13' three stars out of five are:
1. The way the story will go is fairly predictable, even for five-year-olds, once we meet Ben the servant boy.
2. Despite me calling the rescue group "delightful", Odge, who out of all in the group has the most written about her, is not a pleasant character to read about. For an underdog heroine, Odge comes across as being as cold-hearted, nasty and mean-spirited as the Trottles. At one point she suggests to the team that they murder Raymond because he's not fit to be a prince. Even if it is meant as a joke, I didn't like her at all after that.
3. Ben is far too good and formal for a young boy. And too happy for an abused child servant. In a book featuring fantasy creatures and a hidden magical kingdom, Ben's ridiculously polite presence is enough to make my suspension of disbelief disappear like mist. He's like a little human C3-PO with all the things that make him entertaining sucked out of him.
4. And the ending, after a dark and intense climax, is abrupt. It even uses the cliché of having letters written between the characters explain what occurred after the final confrontation - instead of showing us what the heck happened.
All these things keep what could have been a true treasure chest of biblio-magic from achieving great charm. It's a little weak as both a coming-of-age journey (there is no clear, single main character from what I can remember), and as an adventure narrative, mostly because of how predictable the plot twists are.
But this is all my opinion, and nevertheless I highly recommend 'The Secret of Platform 13'. It's not only for 'Harry Potter' fans. It is unforgettable in its own right; in its own fanciful, Disneyland-ish flight.
R.I.P. Eva Ibbotson.
Final Score: 3/5
Victorious!
It's my 200th book review!
And just before the end of 2014!
Better make an effort then.
'The Secret of Platform 13' is a fun, magical children's tale by an acclaimed author, the late great Eva Ibbotson. Unlike all the other books I'd borrowed from my school library, I got this one before the start of the holidays.
I remember it well. It's creative, sweet, funny, quirky, and all around entertaining, like a little music box.
I'd heard that 'The Secret of Platform 13' was possibly one of the inspirations for J.K. Rowling when writing her first 'Harry Potter' book. There are similarities: A magic world with a portal to the real world - to a train station platform in London; a spoilt, overweight and noisy little boy who bullies another, much nicer boy; and a cast of wacky, colourful fantasy characters and creatures.
The Island is home to wizards, ogres, hags, centaurs, foul-smelling harpies, and an array of fey in all shapes and sizes. Mist makers, with the appearance of cute little seals, help to conceal the existence of the Island from the rest of the world. This enchanted kingdom is ruled by a beloved King and Queen, who have a newborn prince. Every nine years for nine days a "Gump" opens, allowing access to modern society through London Station, Platform 13.
Three young sister nurses (who were originally from London) are entrusted with the prince on a trip to the big city. Disaster strikes when they suddenly lose the infant. The rich and childless Mrs Trottle has kidnapped him! This is just before the Gump closes to the Island, so a rescue party cannot be dispatched until nine years later...
The guilt-ridden sisters are now starving themselves as hermits in a cave. The prince's rescue party consists of the elder wizard Cornelius, the fey Gurkintrude, the giant Hans, and the young hag Odge (not the most reliable bunch, but it's a children's book so this can be forgiven). The delightful group of oddballs find Mrs Trottle's mansion and discover Raymond Trottle, a ghastly, extremely fat and spoilt boy of nine years old. Could he seriously be the missing prince? The quest grows more complicated by the day, and there are only nine days for which to bring the prince back to the Island and his true parents...
The downsides which cause me to rate 'The Secret of Platform 13' three stars out of five are:
1. The way the story will go is fairly predictable, even for five-year-olds, once we meet Ben the servant boy.
2. Despite me calling the rescue group "delightful", Odge, who out of all in the group has the most written about her, is not a pleasant character to read about. For an underdog heroine, Odge comes across as being as cold-hearted, nasty and mean-spirited as the Trottles. At one point she suggests to the team that they murder Raymond because he's not fit to be a prince. Even if it is meant as a joke, I didn't like her at all after that.
3. Ben is far too good and formal for a young boy. And too happy for an abused child servant. In a book featuring fantasy creatures and a hidden magical kingdom, Ben's ridiculously polite presence is enough to make my suspension of disbelief disappear like mist. He's like a little human C3-PO with all the things that make him entertaining sucked out of him.
4. And the ending, after a dark and intense climax, is abrupt. It even uses the cliché of having letters written between the characters explain what occurred after the final confrontation - instead of showing us what the heck happened.
All these things keep what could have been a true treasure chest of biblio-magic from achieving great charm. It's a little weak as both a coming-of-age journey (there is no clear, single main character from what I can remember), and as an adventure narrative, mostly because of how predictable the plot twists are.
But this is all my opinion, and nevertheless I highly recommend 'The Secret of Platform 13'. It's not only for 'Harry Potter' fans. It is unforgettable in its own right; in its own fanciful, Disneyland-ish flight.
R.I.P. Eva Ibbotson.
Final Score: 3/5
Book Review - 'Inkheart' by Cornelia Funke, Anthea Bell (Translator)
2023 REREAD: I was really into 'Inkheart' at first - which I haven't read since I was a kid - and I was prepared to admit that I had been wrong about it since then. Sadly, over halfway through its flaws become more apparent. Messy, unfocused, dragging, overly-long, the characters being less likeable by the chapter, and the completely uncommented-on sexism (there are many examples I can give - don't get me started on Capricorn's female slaves - but the one I've chosen for this review is when Elinor can't name any female heroes from books, which Meggie can compare herself to. A woman who is an avid book collector and has read thousands upon thousands of books her whole life can't name a single female hero. Even in a moment of crisis, WTF?!). Meggie is kind of believable for a twelve-year-old, but her heartlessness towards her missing mother, an old man, and a toddler made me stop rooting for her.
I stopped enjoying the book 320 pages in.
'Inkheart' is a story full of fantastic ideas, and good writing most of the time. It's such a shame that its execution, its writing which got sloppier the further it went on, couldn't keep my attention for long. It really could have done with being shorter, too.
It's still better than its sequel.
Both copies I read as both a child and an adult are library copies. I love libraries.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
A children's fantasy with an epic, original premise.
Mortimer "Mo" Folchart and his twelve-year-old daughter Meggie have the inherent gift of conjuring book characters into the real world whenever they read out loud from said book. They can also send real people into the book's world, with no guarantee of “reading” them back. Their gift is not to be used lightly, for it could easily be a curse. It is because of this ability that the tortured Mo, who also happens to be a book-repairman, is referred to as Silvertongue by the very fictional characters he brought to life. Unfortunately these characters are baddies, and people with a grey morality who might find every opportunity to betray those who will help them.
Story time has never been so whimsical and scary!
'Inkheart' has the makings of a classic, even the potential to rival 'Harry Potter'. However I think there are a number of factors that hinder it in the execution field.
There is its length. 550 pages is too long: too many chapters contain lots of meandering and wandering around which could have been removed on the editing board. And maybe it’s just the German-to English translation I read, but 'Inkheart' does feel like it desperately needs an editor or at least more editing done to it. The writing isn't bad, it's just very wordy with bouts of over-description and not much action.
The secondary characters, such as Dustfinger and Elinor the aunt, are far more interesting than Mo and Meggie, who mostly seem to be doing the rounds depending on where the story needs them to go - from point A to B. Mo is Meggie's father, however he is written like a big-brother (Meggie even calls him Mo instead of Dad or Papa or something like that) and he keeps making irresponsible choices that threaten to endanger his daughter. Mo has no reason to be as careless as he is, when looking at his past.
Despite some genuine moments of perspective clarity about the world no longer being normal in her eyes, Meggie doesn't react much to what happens around her. She is the everygirl, the one the reader is meant to follow and relate to. But the most she expresses is annoyance akin to a buzzing fly as opposed to helpless, confused horror that storybook bandits are hunting her and her family down. She even vilifies an old author and an innocent child at one point - an inkheart indeed! She doesn’t seem to care much about her missing mother either, even after finding out she didn’t abandon Meggie on purpose.
I felt little emotion and investment from Mo and Meggie, even though they have every incentive to be emotional and sympathetic given their circumstances. They are just there, with not much personality or substance to them, especially in their decision-making. How ironic that the literal book characters in 'Inkheart' feel more real and more charismatic than the actual real-world people, with the exception of Elinor, who at least expresses more than a written equivalent of dull surprise.
And the romance between Meggie and Farid, an 'Arabian Nights' character, has no development whatsoever. It happens because the book says so, and because the two are opposite genders and are close in age. It is completely unnecessary.
Still, Tinker Bell appears briefly in 'Inkheart', as do brownies and other fairy tale creatures from books. So there is a lot to like and even love here. There is the idea of literary villains wanting to live in the real world because that's where there is no author to pull the strings and decide who lives and dies, and where the good guys don't always win. This is brilliant. Again, too bad it wasn't explored more.
For what it is, 'Inkheart' isn't a total waste of potential. At best it's a nice albeit long book about books for book lovers (mainly of fantasy). It reads like an old, dog-eared book with a sprinkle of fairy dust around the rough edges, which was perhaps intentional. But that's just me.
Final Score: 3/5
I stopped enjoying the book 320 pages in.
'Inkheart' is a story full of fantastic ideas, and good writing most of the time. It's such a shame that its execution, its writing which got sloppier the further it went on, couldn't keep my attention for long. It really could have done with being shorter, too.
It's still better than its sequel.
Both copies I read as both a child and an adult are library copies. I love libraries.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
A children's fantasy with an epic, original premise.
Mortimer "Mo" Folchart and his twelve-year-old daughter Meggie have the inherent gift of conjuring book characters into the real world whenever they read out loud from said book. They can also send real people into the book's world, with no guarantee of “reading” them back. Their gift is not to be used lightly, for it could easily be a curse. It is because of this ability that the tortured Mo, who also happens to be a book-repairman, is referred to as Silvertongue by the very fictional characters he brought to life. Unfortunately these characters are baddies, and people with a grey morality who might find every opportunity to betray those who will help them.
Story time has never been so whimsical and scary!
'Inkheart' has the makings of a classic, even the potential to rival 'Harry Potter'. However I think there are a number of factors that hinder it in the execution field.
There is its length. 550 pages is too long: too many chapters contain lots of meandering and wandering around which could have been removed on the editing board. And maybe it’s just the German-to English translation I read, but 'Inkheart' does feel like it desperately needs an editor or at least more editing done to it. The writing isn't bad, it's just very wordy with bouts of over-description and not much action.
The secondary characters, such as Dustfinger and Elinor the aunt, are far more interesting than Mo and Meggie, who mostly seem to be doing the rounds depending on where the story needs them to go - from point A to B. Mo is Meggie's father, however he is written like a big-brother (Meggie even calls him Mo instead of Dad or Papa or something like that) and he keeps making irresponsible choices that threaten to endanger his daughter. Mo has no reason to be as careless as he is, when looking at his past.
Despite some genuine moments of perspective clarity about the world no longer being normal in her eyes, Meggie doesn't react much to what happens around her. She is the everygirl, the one the reader is meant to follow and relate to. But the most she expresses is annoyance akin to a buzzing fly as opposed to helpless, confused horror that storybook bandits are hunting her and her family down. She even vilifies an old author and an innocent child at one point - an inkheart indeed! She doesn’t seem to care much about her missing mother either, even after finding out she didn’t abandon Meggie on purpose.
I felt little emotion and investment from Mo and Meggie, even though they have every incentive to be emotional and sympathetic given their circumstances. They are just there, with not much personality or substance to them, especially in their decision-making. How ironic that the literal book characters in 'Inkheart' feel more real and more charismatic than the actual real-world people, with the exception of Elinor, who at least expresses more than a written equivalent of dull surprise.
And the romance between Meggie and Farid, an 'Arabian Nights' character, has no development whatsoever. It happens because the book says so, and because the two are opposite genders and are close in age. It is completely unnecessary.
Still, Tinker Bell appears briefly in 'Inkheart', as do brownies and other fairy tale creatures from books. So there is a lot to like and even love here. There is the idea of literary villains wanting to live in the real world because that's where there is no author to pull the strings and decide who lives and dies, and where the good guys don't always win. This is brilliant. Again, too bad it wasn't explored more.
For what it is, 'Inkheart' isn't a total waste of potential. At best it's a nice albeit long book about books for book lovers (mainly of fantasy). It reads like an old, dog-eared book with a sprinkle of fairy dust around the rough edges, which was perhaps intentional. But that's just me.
Final Score: 3/5
Book Review - 'Blood Wedding' by Federico García Lorca, Ted Hughes (Translator)
Studied this play in Drama and Theatre studies (or was it English? In my school - and my whole educational criteria - it was easy to get the two subjects mixed up). 'Blood Wedding' is a very weird and beautiful Spanish story about a wedding (duh), family feuds, regrets, murder, getting lost in the woods, bloody knives, and how we are all foolhardy when we are young and are unable to learn from our mistakes.
There's a sort of Highwayman, silver-lining vibe to the atmosphere of this tragic, magical realism and human tale. The "charming" swine Leonardo, who whisks the bride away on her wedding night, is the only character who's given a name. Go figure. Oh and the moon talks.
Themes include: Desire; breaking away from the old, safe rituals when it comes to getting married; and karmic deaths of the next generation.
'Blood Wedding' is very much reminiscent of a Greek tragedy. A human ordeal of great misfortune and heartbreak. Back at school I didn't feel as connected to it as I did with 'Women of Troy' - for I thought a lot of the characters were either bland or merely idiots for the sake of the plot - but it is a surrealist fantasy I have not forgotton. It's a bit like an old black-and-white avant garde film in written form.
Maybe my fellow young students have not forgotten it so easily as well, no matter how much they might have hated insipidly studying the classics; taking it apart piece by piece until there is almost nothing of it left to like but an empty skeleton.
Final Score: 3/5
There's a sort of Highwayman, silver-lining vibe to the atmosphere of this tragic, magical realism and human tale. The "charming" swine Leonardo, who whisks the bride away on her wedding night, is the only character who's given a name. Go figure. Oh and the moon talks.
Themes include: Desire; breaking away from the old, safe rituals when it comes to getting married; and karmic deaths of the next generation.
'Blood Wedding' is very much reminiscent of a Greek tragedy. A human ordeal of great misfortune and heartbreak. Back at school I didn't feel as connected to it as I did with 'Women of Troy' - for I thought a lot of the characters were either bland or merely idiots for the sake of the plot - but it is a surrealist fantasy I have not forgotton. It's a bit like an old black-and-white avant garde film in written form.
Maybe my fellow young students have not forgotten it so easily as well, no matter how much they might have hated insipidly studying the classics; taking it apart piece by piece until there is almost nothing of it left to like but an empty skeleton.
Final Score: 3/5
Monday, 29 December 2014
Book Review - 'Nightmare Academy' by Dean Lorey
'Nightmare Academy' - One of the more fun, dramatic and creative 'Harry Potter' rip-offs I'd picked up in the once humble abode of my school library.
Premise: Some kids - very imaginative kids - possess the gift to create portals while they sleep, through which nightmare monsters come into the real world. So the children are sent by the Nightmare Division to Nightmare Academy, which is a giant tree (come to think of it, the whole book does read like a bizarre dreamworld). Charlie Benjamin is the outcast, more-powerful-than-anyone-has-ever-known protagonist, and with the help of his new friends Theodore and Violet (why hello Ron and Hermione and the cast of 'The Shapeshifter' series), he fights monsters in the Netherworld, where nightmares that go bump in the night come from.
Issues of sexism are addressed in a surprisingly mature way; indeed the female characters have as much spunk as the predominantly male cast, and the (woman) headmaster is awesome. Also parents play a major role in this story, and not just for the main hero. For adults are scared of nightmares and loss as well...
Overall I remember really enjoying 'Nightmare Academy', despite its obvious flaws concerning originality. It's a shame my library didn't have any of the sequels when I was a student. It is colourful, intense, and it goes to highly macabre places for a children's book, though it can still be goofy and silly at times. The humour and drama are equally well done, the characters are likable, and the world building has consistent rules and imaginative content.
If you can ignore the many similarities to 'Harry Potter' and appreciate 'Nightmare Academy' for when it does try new things, you might enjoy the book, especially if you're a child at heart.
Final Score: 3/5
Premise: Some kids - very imaginative kids - possess the gift to create portals while they sleep, through which nightmare monsters come into the real world. So the children are sent by the Nightmare Division to Nightmare Academy, which is a giant tree (come to think of it, the whole book does read like a bizarre dreamworld). Charlie Benjamin is the outcast, more-powerful-than-anyone-has-ever-known protagonist, and with the help of his new friends Theodore and Violet (why hello Ron and Hermione and the cast of 'The Shapeshifter' series), he fights monsters in the Netherworld, where nightmares that go bump in the night come from.
Issues of sexism are addressed in a surprisingly mature way; indeed the female characters have as much spunk as the predominantly male cast, and the (woman) headmaster is awesome. Also parents play a major role in this story, and not just for the main hero. For adults are scared of nightmares and loss as well...
Overall I remember really enjoying 'Nightmare Academy', despite its obvious flaws concerning originality. It's a shame my library didn't have any of the sequels when I was a student. It is colourful, intense, and it goes to highly macabre places for a children's book, though it can still be goofy and silly at times. The humour and drama are equally well done, the characters are likable, and the world building has consistent rules and imaginative content.
If you can ignore the many similarities to 'Harry Potter' and appreciate 'Nightmare Academy' for when it does try new things, you might enjoy the book, especially if you're a child at heart.
Final Score: 3/5
Book Review - 'Rise of the Heroes (Hero.Com, #1)' by Andy Briggs
A fun bit of school library nostalgia, indulged in my never-ending superhero-loving phase.
Four kids receive random superpowers from a website, Hero.com. As it turns out, supervillains and superheroes exist in secret, and they live and die fighting each other. In the mission of 'Rise of the Heroes' - the kids' first foray as heroes - the fighting is over a weather-controlling machine, a kidnapped mum, and a silly world-domination plot.
The distinctive, diverse characters are realistic, but the concept and situations are not. That's where the fun and engagement lies. Even the main villain, who is the textbook definition of mad scientist, has his backstory explained and explored; similiar to Captain Hook's arc in 'Peter Pan'.
'Rise of the Heroes' also features an aspect of sibling rivalry which is truthful and touching, as part of the round circle in a complex family dynamic. In addition there is a diabetic character, whose condition helps to create tension and urgency in the plot.
Overall, this is a light, cool children's superhero book. Not quite up there with Mark Walden's 'H.I.V.E.' series, or indeed all the major blockbuster superhero films, but it's action-packed, funny and wholly accessible for everyone. A CBBC after-school television programme with much higher stakes.
Final Score: 3/5
Four kids receive random superpowers from a website, Hero.com. As it turns out, supervillains and superheroes exist in secret, and they live and die fighting each other. In the mission of 'Rise of the Heroes' - the kids' first foray as heroes - the fighting is over a weather-controlling machine, a kidnapped mum, and a silly world-domination plot.
The distinctive, diverse characters are realistic, but the concept and situations are not. That's where the fun and engagement lies. Even the main villain, who is the textbook definition of mad scientist, has his backstory explained and explored; similiar to Captain Hook's arc in 'Peter Pan'.
'Rise of the Heroes' also features an aspect of sibling rivalry which is truthful and touching, as part of the round circle in a complex family dynamic. In addition there is a diabetic character, whose condition helps to create tension and urgency in the plot.
Overall, this is a light, cool children's superhero book. Not quite up there with Mark Walden's 'H.I.V.E.' series, or indeed all the major blockbuster superhero films, but it's action-packed, funny and wholly accessible for everyone. A CBBC after-school television programme with much higher stakes.
Final Score: 3/5
Book Review - 'Jinx' by Meg Cabot
I read 'Jinx' ages ago. While I was never a fan of Meg Cabot, I remember thinking it was okay. It had a red-haired heroine, a decent love interest (meaning: he's not an idiot or a jerk), and a cousin who's an absolute psychopath.
In the beginning I'd thought it was a slice-of-life, contemporary YA book, but then it suddenly started mentioning witches and magic spells, which was weird and kind of unnecessary. Another reviewer on Goodreads has speculated that the witch element might have been suggested by Meg Cabot's editor because paranormal romances were popular then (and, disappointingly, still are). I love me some fantasy mixed with realism, but in the case of 'Jinx' it did seem forced. It even referenced 'Charmed' of all things. Nothing really naturally linked magic to the ordinary events happening throughout the book.
Also, Jean, the protag, didn't have much of a personality outside of being a "good girl" in comparison to her Gothically-dressed cousin Tory (yes, judging someone to be good or bad based on what clothes they wear is seriously insulting), even if she does have a past in dabbling in the dark arts for selfish reasons. Her bad luck "curse" - thus her nickname "Jinx" - barely contributed much to her character, or to the story for that matter, especially in the last third of the book. And the mean girls cliché is demeaning no matter the decade (though Jean did have a few female friends, thank goodness).
However, in spite of its flaws and the clichés which would become paramount and obliging in nearly all YA novels, 'Jinx' was a cute, harmless read for me as a growing teen. There was a sweet little romance, and Tory was entertaining in just how over-the-top maniacal she could be. The vaguely-there magic stuff made no sense, but the New York setting had atmosphere and the group interactions were fun and humble.
Final Score: 3/5
In the beginning I'd thought it was a slice-of-life, contemporary YA book, but then it suddenly started mentioning witches and magic spells, which was weird and kind of unnecessary. Another reviewer on Goodreads has speculated that the witch element might have been suggested by Meg Cabot's editor because paranormal romances were popular then (and, disappointingly, still are). I love me some fantasy mixed with realism, but in the case of 'Jinx' it did seem forced. It even referenced 'Charmed' of all things. Nothing really naturally linked magic to the ordinary events happening throughout the book.
Also, Jean, the protag, didn't have much of a personality outside of being a "good girl" in comparison to her Gothically-dressed cousin Tory (yes, judging someone to be good or bad based on what clothes they wear is seriously insulting), even if she does have a past in dabbling in the dark arts for selfish reasons. Her bad luck "curse" - thus her nickname "Jinx" - barely contributed much to her character, or to the story for that matter, especially in the last third of the book. And the mean girls cliché is demeaning no matter the decade (though Jean did have a few female friends, thank goodness).
However, in spite of its flaws and the clichés which would become paramount and obliging in nearly all YA novels, 'Jinx' was a cute, harmless read for me as a growing teen. There was a sweet little romance, and Tory was entertaining in just how over-the-top maniacal she could be. The vaguely-there magic stuff made no sense, but the New York setting had atmosphere and the group interactions were fun and humble.
Final Score: 3/5
Book Review - 'Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty' by Christine Heppermann
2022 EDIT: WTF?
What a confusing, meandering, random, outlandish mess, bordering on pretentious. Somewhat meanspirited, too, that has nothing to do with its "dark fairy tale retellings" aesthetic.
Maybe for 2014, 'Poisoned Apples' just hasn't aged that great*, but it's hard to get a grasp on these "feminist fairy tale" poems, let alone feel anything for them. Reading them, I hardly knew what was going on, and what exactly the point was. Some of them even have nothing to do with fairy tales. It is a bizarre combination of being overly simple and yet grossly convoluted.
Still, 'Sleeping Beauty's Wedding Day', 'If Tampons Were for Guys', '"Sweet Nothings"', 'Runaway', 'Thumbelina's Get-Tiny Cleanse--Tested', 'The Little Mermaid', 'Transformation', 'Nature Lesson', and 'Life Among the Swans' are the strongest, best poems, in my opinion. They get their feminist points across better, and remain good even when they're not themed around specific fairy tales.
*Speaking of, 'Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty' is pretty much all about white feminism. Straight white feminism.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
"You can lose your way anywhere."
This is a strange yet intriguing collection of poems; poems about the issues women face up to and struggle to deal with still, put in the context of classic fairy tales.
Eating disorders. Body change and control by others. "Thinning up" and "juicing up" for others' benefit and not for the woman's own. Photoshopped models. Confidence in self. Rape. Trust in men. The soul-crushing boredom and emptiness of being in the "appropriate" society. The virgin/purity myth. Double standards. And how come women have to bleed and be bruised to show how worthy they are? And why is sex and safe sex not taught properly, with facts, in the majority of schools in America, which stubbornly drill in abstinence-only education? (Some schools won't even allow sex ed teachers to say the word "condom". What. The. Fuck?)
Within this dark poetry corner is an uncomfortable truth that women and young girls are still seen as property to some extent. Their worth is their relationships with men, and their looks - pressured to suit a socially-accepted notion of beauty. These standards of beauty are in fact impossible, for real women don't look like that, but real women are continuously told to strive to achieve the "perfect", thin, cake-like mould anyway.
I think the poem I'll remember the most is 'If Tampons Were For Guys', because it shows exactly what would happen if guys had menstruation cycles - funny and sadly true at the same time. And there is a poem about the sordid school dress code that seems focused on shaming girls for showing skin, and offending boys by basically comparing them to animals in constant heat. If boys fail academically, it's the girl's fault. If girls fail academically, it's their own fault. Because... they exist. And the poem beautifully states that there are no other words, no excuses, for this sexist mindset that seriously needs to grow up and move on from the dark ages.
And 'Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty' is pretty dark.
Some of the poems are a little vague and confusing for those unfamiliar with most poetry. But the little book is not always sombre, and is overall well-written and witty. The black-and-white photos accompanying the poems also help set the mood and atmosphere, depending on the poem.
Christine Heppermann is a talented and informative poet who knows exactly what she writes. Fairy tales are more mature and more revealing about the state of women in society than we might realise, and through this perspective 'Poisoned Apples' speaks volumes about how these tales are relevant in modern times. Although poems about abortion rights and child beauty pageants would have been nice as well.
Gothic and beautiful for its intellect rather than for pretty, pretentious phrases and purple prose, 'Poisoned Apples' is worth the read for any feminist. Meaning for everyone.
Fairy tales show us how far we have come as a society, and how far we have left to go to be better still.
Here is the introductory blurb:
Once upon a time...
you were a princess,
or an orphan.
A wicked witch,
fairy godmother,
prom queen,
valedictorian,
team captain,
Big Bad Wolf,
Little Bo Peep.
But you are more than just a hero or
a villain, cursed or charmed. You are
everything in between.
You are everything.
Yes, yes you are. We all are.
Final Score: 4/5
What a confusing, meandering, random, outlandish mess, bordering on pretentious. Somewhat meanspirited, too, that has nothing to do with its "dark fairy tale retellings" aesthetic.
Maybe for 2014, 'Poisoned Apples' just hasn't aged that great*, but it's hard to get a grasp on these "feminist fairy tale" poems, let alone feel anything for them. Reading them, I hardly knew what was going on, and what exactly the point was. Some of them even have nothing to do with fairy tales. It is a bizarre combination of being overly simple and yet grossly convoluted.
Still, 'Sleeping Beauty's Wedding Day', 'If Tampons Were for Guys', '"Sweet Nothings"', 'Runaway', 'Thumbelina's Get-Tiny Cleanse--Tested', 'The Little Mermaid', 'Transformation', 'Nature Lesson', and 'Life Among the Swans' are the strongest, best poems, in my opinion. They get their feminist points across better, and remain good even when they're not themed around specific fairy tales.
*Speaking of, 'Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty' is pretty much all about white feminism. Straight white feminism.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
"You can lose your way anywhere."
This is a strange yet intriguing collection of poems; poems about the issues women face up to and struggle to deal with still, put in the context of classic fairy tales.
Eating disorders. Body change and control by others. "Thinning up" and "juicing up" for others' benefit and not for the woman's own. Photoshopped models. Confidence in self. Rape. Trust in men. The soul-crushing boredom and emptiness of being in the "appropriate" society. The virgin/purity myth. Double standards. And how come women have to bleed and be bruised to show how worthy they are? And why is sex and safe sex not taught properly, with facts, in the majority of schools in America, which stubbornly drill in abstinence-only education? (Some schools won't even allow sex ed teachers to say the word "condom". What. The. Fuck?)
Within this dark poetry corner is an uncomfortable truth that women and young girls are still seen as property to some extent. Their worth is their relationships with men, and their looks - pressured to suit a socially-accepted notion of beauty. These standards of beauty are in fact impossible, for real women don't look like that, but real women are continuously told to strive to achieve the "perfect", thin, cake-like mould anyway.
I think the poem I'll remember the most is 'If Tampons Were For Guys', because it shows exactly what would happen if guys had menstruation cycles - funny and sadly true at the same time. And there is a poem about the sordid school dress code that seems focused on shaming girls for showing skin, and offending boys by basically comparing them to animals in constant heat. If boys fail academically, it's the girl's fault. If girls fail academically, it's their own fault. Because... they exist. And the poem beautifully states that there are no other words, no excuses, for this sexist mindset that seriously needs to grow up and move on from the dark ages.
And 'Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty' is pretty dark.
Some of the poems are a little vague and confusing for those unfamiliar with most poetry. But the little book is not always sombre, and is overall well-written and witty. The black-and-white photos accompanying the poems also help set the mood and atmosphere, depending on the poem.
Christine Heppermann is a talented and informative poet who knows exactly what she writes. Fairy tales are more mature and more revealing about the state of women in society than we might realise, and through this perspective 'Poisoned Apples' speaks volumes about how these tales are relevant in modern times. Although poems about abortion rights and child beauty pageants would have been nice as well.
Gothic and beautiful for its intellect rather than for pretty, pretentious phrases and purple prose, 'Poisoned Apples' is worth the read for any feminist. Meaning for everyone.
Fairy tales show us how far we have come as a society, and how far we have left to go to be better still.
Here is the introductory blurb:
Once upon a time...
you were a princess,
or an orphan.
A wicked witch,
fairy godmother,
prom queen,
valedictorian,
team captain,
Big Bad Wolf,
Little Bo Peep.
But you are more than just a hero or
a villain, cursed or charmed. You are
everything in between.
You are everything.
Yes, yes you are. We all are.
Final Score: 4/5
Graphic Novel Review - 'Rat Queens, Vol 1: Sass & Sorcery' by Kurtis J. Wiebe (Writer), Roc Upchurch (Artist)
2023 EDIT:
Reread: Nothing has changed - everything I said in my original review still stands - except maybe 'Rat Queens, Vol 1: Sass & Sorcery' is even more awesome than I remember it. If you want a quick comic book read about four strong, powerful, three-dimensional, individual, badass, violent, stabby, sweary, battling, partying, sex-and-boozy, high-chasing, and funny as fucking hell women, then this is for you.
Read it, you won't regret it.
I'm still waiting for an animated TV adaptation to be made.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
Gosh golly gumdrops - what fun!
A fantasy comic book about four powerful women - who could not be more different from each other but are the best of bosom buds - fighting monsters and assassins while making brilliantly funny quips? It must be the Yuletide season!
The Graphic Novel world would proudly like us to meet: Betty, Dee, Hannah, and Violet. Together they are the titular Rat Queens!
It really is hard for me to pick a favourite character. Throughout 128 pages, little by little, the Rat Queens are each given their own panel time and space to establish personalities and backgrounds, and to develop towards the climactic battle. But if pressured, I think I'd go with Hannah.
In the mainstream media, you do not get to see a lot of badass, foulmouthed women who are confident with their sexuality and are not shamed or punished for it. Hannah the Elven Mage is a hoot; she is sexy but not sexualised, as she clearly has her own leisure and agency to be and act however the hell she wants. She can swear up a storm and no fucks would be given. In these aspects she reminds me pleasantly of Revy from the anime 'Black Lagoon'.
Hannah’s relationship with Captain Sawyer Silver (a hunky, non-white male lead) is very interesting. They have a long history together, yet their connection develops at a steady pace so as not to detract from their lone individual character arcs.
Each of the Rat Queens could be called an antiheroine in her own right. The only thing they seem to share in common is that they view sex and violence like a party to get drunk and high at (except maybe Dee, who is the most responsible). But Hannah expresses and embraces this term to the fullest, and loves it. Women come in all shapes and sizes, just like men; and Hannah - and indeed 'Rat Queens, Vol 1' as a whole - illustrates this sadly overlooked fact. It’s for this reason also that Braga is my favourite secondary character.
I love the artwork - I can already picture the comic as a direct-to-DVD adult cartoon film. Be warned, as well as featuring strong language, 'Rat Queens, Vol 1' is exceedingly violent and gory. Not all of the time, but the blood is there, gushing from mutilations and disembowelments. So for newcomers into this graphic novel experience, be prepared if you are in any way squeamish. Other than that it's all oddly adorable, with a great fantasy setting – abundant in trolls, dwarves, orcs, elves, smidgens, bankers, shop owners and priests.
The only downsides in my opinion are: the huge monster on the cover is not in this volume; the Rat Queens don't actually loot anything except bank details; and while I liked all the characters, Dee needed alone time dedicated to fleshing her out more, which is hinted to come in the next issue.
'Rat Queens, Vol 1: Sass & Sorcery' is awesome, with an explicit same-sex romantic relationship thrown into the magical mix. Hilarious, action-packed, engaging, and not a single rape-as-plot-device in sight. I do believe I might read the next volume, just to see these wonderful, three-dimensional characters again, plus the colourful artistry.
Final Score: 4/5
Reread: Nothing has changed - everything I said in my original review still stands - except maybe 'Rat Queens, Vol 1: Sass & Sorcery' is even more awesome than I remember it. If you want a quick comic book read about four strong, powerful, three-dimensional, individual, badass, violent, stabby, sweary, battling, partying, sex-and-boozy, high-chasing, and funny as fucking hell women, then this is for you.
Read it, you won't regret it.
I'm still waiting for an animated TV adaptation to be made.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
Gosh golly gumdrops - what fun!
A fantasy comic book about four powerful women - who could not be more different from each other but are the best of bosom buds - fighting monsters and assassins while making brilliantly funny quips? It must be the Yuletide season!
The Graphic Novel world would proudly like us to meet: Betty, Dee, Hannah, and Violet. Together they are the titular Rat Queens!
It really is hard for me to pick a favourite character. Throughout 128 pages, little by little, the Rat Queens are each given their own panel time and space to establish personalities and backgrounds, and to develop towards the climactic battle. But if pressured, I think I'd go with Hannah.
In the mainstream media, you do not get to see a lot of badass, foulmouthed women who are confident with their sexuality and are not shamed or punished for it. Hannah the Elven Mage is a hoot; she is sexy but not sexualised, as she clearly has her own leisure and agency to be and act however the hell she wants. She can swear up a storm and no fucks would be given. In these aspects she reminds me pleasantly of Revy from the anime 'Black Lagoon'.
Hannah’s relationship with Captain Sawyer Silver (a hunky, non-white male lead) is very interesting. They have a long history together, yet their connection develops at a steady pace so as not to detract from their lone individual character arcs.
Each of the Rat Queens could be called an antiheroine in her own right. The only thing they seem to share in common is that they view sex and violence like a party to get drunk and high at (except maybe Dee, who is the most responsible). But Hannah expresses and embraces this term to the fullest, and loves it. Women come in all shapes and sizes, just like men; and Hannah - and indeed 'Rat Queens, Vol 1' as a whole - illustrates this sadly overlooked fact. It’s for this reason also that Braga is my favourite secondary character.
I love the artwork - I can already picture the comic as a direct-to-DVD adult cartoon film. Be warned, as well as featuring strong language, 'Rat Queens, Vol 1' is exceedingly violent and gory. Not all of the time, but the blood is there, gushing from mutilations and disembowelments. So for newcomers into this graphic novel experience, be prepared if you are in any way squeamish. Other than that it's all oddly adorable, with a great fantasy setting – abundant in trolls, dwarves, orcs, elves, smidgens, bankers, shop owners and priests.
The only downsides in my opinion are: the huge monster on the cover is not in this volume; the Rat Queens don't actually loot anything except bank details; and while I liked all the characters, Dee needed alone time dedicated to fleshing her out more, which is hinted to come in the next issue.
'Rat Queens, Vol 1: Sass & Sorcery' is awesome, with an explicit same-sex romantic relationship thrown into the magical mix. Hilarious, action-packed, engaging, and not a single rape-as-plot-device in sight. I do believe I might read the next volume, just to see these wonderful, three-dimensional characters again, plus the colourful artistry.
Final Score: 4/5
Monday, 22 December 2014
Sunday, 21 December 2014
Friday, 19 December 2014
Graphic Novel Review - 'Batgirl, Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection' by Gail Simone (Writer), Ardian Syaf (Artist), Vicente Cifuentes (Artist)
Another venture into the comic book world courtesy of my library, this time a look at one of DC's heroines, as written by acclaimed writer Gail Simone.
'Batgirl, Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection' is awesome. Batgirl is bloody awesome. Really, there is not much to say other than this whole book - my first real look at Batgirl as a character in her own story - BANG! nails it. Just read it. 'cause did I mention that it's KICKING awesome?
But I suppose I should elucidate the reasons for why I think this. In PUNCHING bullet points:
- Barbara Gordon is great. Instantly relatable and able to carry the story all by herself. She is just regaining the use of her legs after being shot by the Joker three years previously (an incident that, I believe, may have crippled her but from there she'd adopted a new alter ego, the Oracle, and enhanced her phenomenal computer skills). Once again Barbara wants to fight crime in Gotham as Batgirl, to regain her old life and sense of justice and self. Extremely smart and reasonable, she also has a vulnerable side which helps readers to connect with her as both a competent hero and as a human being. Barbara doesn't want to believe in miracles, and is aware of how lucky she is compared to most other disabled people in the world. Not wanting to waste her mind and body from lack of exercise for much longer, this Batgirl uses her hard-earned talents to save people from serial killers and terrorists, despite her PTSD and lingering limitations. With every success she manages on her own, failures persist, and she suffers an identity crisis nightmare. A multilayered and sympathetic lead all around.
- The moments with Barbara's father Commissioner Gordon, and with her new female roommate, are very well done. Even the brief moments with her estranged mother help to lend nuance to her already heartfelt character study. They bring to light the importance of Bab's everyday life with the emotional resonance needed to further develop her ever-changing character. She sees something of herself in everyone she exchanges dialogue with.
- There's a somewhat filler scene near the middle of the book where Batgirl "dances" all over Gotham with Nightwing, aka Richard "Dick" Grayson, the former Robin. Ahhh Nightwing, a boy wonder after my own heart. Barbara still goes out with men in her normal life during the daytime, and admits in her narration boxes that she has a little crush on her old crime fighting partner and friend. And really, who can blame her? This is the only scene in the book that features Nightwing, and it isn't especially important to the plot. It’s there to show how Batgirl used to be in her bright-eyed youthfulness before she was shot, and that there are people left who care and worry about her. And she is the one in control of the two past sidekicks’ game of tag. Beautiful in its own right.
- Terrific artwork and costumes, even if Barbara in her civilian form does look like every other red-haired woman in nearly every graphic novel ever. A mixture of darkness and adult cartoons.
- Gail Simone is a writer deserving of her praise, and not just for her female characters. The narrative structure of each plotline is very strongly realised and the twists are executed excellently. Not every location of each subsequent scene is the same as the one before it – everything moves at a steady yet urgent pace.
- Batman shows up, but only in the last quarter of this volume. He is the great heroic badass we all known him to be without overshadowing Batgirl. What I'm most impressed by is his unwavering trust in Barbara's abilities as a strategist. Even after she was critically injured, Bruce Wayne still has total faith in her as Batgirl. He listens to her when she asks things of him, even when her suggestions might sound more sentimental than logical. Without Bruce having to say a word to her, Barbara knows he loves her like a daughter, but he does not replace her real father, who always tries to be there for her.
Yep that's about it.
‘Batgirl, Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection’ is a great, exciting first volume; accessible even for people unfamiliar with any of the ‘Batman’ comics, or the cartoons or movies.
Final Score: 5/5
'Batgirl, Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection' is awesome. Batgirl is bloody awesome. Really, there is not much to say other than this whole book - my first real look at Batgirl as a character in her own story - BANG! nails it. Just read it. 'cause did I mention that it's KICKING awesome?
But I suppose I should elucidate the reasons for why I think this. In PUNCHING bullet points:
- Barbara Gordon is great. Instantly relatable and able to carry the story all by herself. She is just regaining the use of her legs after being shot by the Joker three years previously (an incident that, I believe, may have crippled her but from there she'd adopted a new alter ego, the Oracle, and enhanced her phenomenal computer skills). Once again Barbara wants to fight crime in Gotham as Batgirl, to regain her old life and sense of justice and self. Extremely smart and reasonable, she also has a vulnerable side which helps readers to connect with her as both a competent hero and as a human being. Barbara doesn't want to believe in miracles, and is aware of how lucky she is compared to most other disabled people in the world. Not wanting to waste her mind and body from lack of exercise for much longer, this Batgirl uses her hard-earned talents to save people from serial killers and terrorists, despite her PTSD and lingering limitations. With every success she manages on her own, failures persist, and she suffers an identity crisis nightmare. A multilayered and sympathetic lead all around.
- The moments with Barbara's father Commissioner Gordon, and with her new female roommate, are very well done. Even the brief moments with her estranged mother help to lend nuance to her already heartfelt character study. They bring to light the importance of Bab's everyday life with the emotional resonance needed to further develop her ever-changing character. She sees something of herself in everyone she exchanges dialogue with.
- There's a somewhat filler scene near the middle of the book where Batgirl "dances" all over Gotham with Nightwing, aka Richard "Dick" Grayson, the former Robin. Ahhh Nightwing, a boy wonder after my own heart. Barbara still goes out with men in her normal life during the daytime, and admits in her narration boxes that she has a little crush on her old crime fighting partner and friend. And really, who can blame her? This is the only scene in the book that features Nightwing, and it isn't especially important to the plot. It’s there to show how Batgirl used to be in her bright-eyed youthfulness before she was shot, and that there are people left who care and worry about her. And she is the one in control of the two past sidekicks’ game of tag. Beautiful in its own right.
- Terrific artwork and costumes, even if Barbara in her civilian form does look like every other red-haired woman in nearly every graphic novel ever. A mixture of darkness and adult cartoons.
- Gail Simone is a writer deserving of her praise, and not just for her female characters. The narrative structure of each plotline is very strongly realised and the twists are executed excellently. Not every location of each subsequent scene is the same as the one before it – everything moves at a steady yet urgent pace.
- Batman shows up, but only in the last quarter of this volume. He is the great heroic badass we all known him to be without overshadowing Batgirl. What I'm most impressed by is his unwavering trust in Barbara's abilities as a strategist. Even after she was critically injured, Bruce Wayne still has total faith in her as Batgirl. He listens to her when she asks things of him, even when her suggestions might sound more sentimental than logical. Without Bruce having to say a word to her, Barbara knows he loves her like a daughter, but he does not replace her real father, who always tries to be there for her.
Yep that's about it.
‘Batgirl, Vol. 1: The Darkest Reflection’ is a great, exciting first volume; accessible even for people unfamiliar with any of the ‘Batman’ comics, or the cartoons or movies.
Final Score: 5/5
Graphic Novel Review - 'Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal' by G. Willow Wilson (Writer), Adrian Alphona (Artist)
I spotted this in my local library one day and, after a morning of creative writing class, I just sat down and read it. I may not generally be into comic books - Marvel and DC - despite loving superheroes, but how often do I come across one with a female lead and which has received great praise for being progressive and a real game changer in reaching a much wider audience than the typical straight white male demographic? None. So I just grabbed at the chance to be in the know.
I devoured 'Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal' in one hour. Its hype is founded. It is really, surprisingly enjoyable, so much so that I find I’m wishing to read and give more superheroine comics a chance.
Kamala Khan, the new Ms. Marvel, is a Muslim teenager living in New Jersey. What makes her so remarkable or "new age" is not necessarily her nationality or religion; it is how human and relatable she is, something perhaps not seen since Peter Parker as Spider Man. Comic book readers of any ethnicity and background can identify with Kamala's fascination with superheroes; her wish to be accepted and included in the privileged masses; her wish to understand the world plus her unconscious want to understand her restrictive parents better; and maybe her love of fan fiction (in her case it’s ‘Avengers’ fan fiction she writes). She is a geek, not conventionally attractive, not always on top of things, and her powers are given to her, not born within her.
Kamala is a normal teenage girl, searching for an identity (or two or three) she is most comfortable with, and for her right place in life, making mistakes along the way. A true coming-of-age chronicle.
Among all the teenage angsting and superhero action, Kamala's religion and culture is presented in a truthful and respectable light. It is neither undermined nor treated as merely something that's in the protagonist's way; something that's preventing her from her "normal" goals and ambitions. Sure there are a few white people around Kamala who can be ignorant, patronising and who mean "no offense" (where there's always a "but" afterwards, rendering it moot), but it's not a main thing in Kamala’s journey, and given the setting it adds a modern realism to a world where superheroes are the norm. Kamala isn't reduced to just being an unhappy Muslim girl with high expectations placed upon her, even when she tries to rebel and make compromises. While she does clearly feel the pressures (intensified once she gets superpowers), she respects her religion and loves her family and friends dearly.
In the beginning, Kamala’s wish is to be special and accepted among her high school peers. This is put to reality when, after experiencing a bizarre dream sequence befitting comic books, she receives Ms. Marvel's powers. At first she glamours herself as having blonde hair, white skin, and big breasts – the traditional Ms. Marvel. With super-stretching, sizing and shapeshifting abilities, she can look however others expect her to. But what about her true self? Trying to be someone else is exhausting, draining, not fun, as she very quickly realises. Even as a superhero with a secret identity to maintain, and with a responsibility to save and protect people, Kamala Khan does not want to project herself as the old campy Ms. Marvel. In the end, she discovers more uses of her powers and fights crime as her own lovable self in her own original costume. The world can now accept a Middle Eastern Ms. Marvel.
The artwork is easy on the eyes and only cartoony when it cuts corners – especially on background characters – but overall it is colourful and expressive, highlighted in the more emotional scenes such as when Kamala is talking with her parents. The action and rescue scenes are fun and satisfactory. And haters of fanservice in regards to female characters can relax as there is none on display here, at least not overtly.
Despite being a "revolutionary" superhero story, there is still the cliché of the heroine having a male partner who helps her in her crime fighting endeavours. But at least he doesn't get involved in the actual fighting and Kamala is left to kick butt all by herself. (And she has a friend, Nakia, in her civilian life who is also a Muslim girl). It is also best to read the volume as a whole rather than in the individual issues, some of which are slower than others in terms of plot and character development.
'Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal' is funny, witty, touching, identifiable, and a pleasure, even for a comics newbie such as myself. Story and art, about a modern female non-white superhero, are extremely well executed, in my opinion.
Kamala Khan - Superhero, Teenager, Muslim: she is all of these things and more. Each aspect of her reflects her needs and wants as a person; as someone with no one identity, but who is a complexity. Talk about three-dimensional.
I may look at future volumes, if my library will commission them soon.
Final Score: 4/5
I devoured 'Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal' in one hour. Its hype is founded. It is really, surprisingly enjoyable, so much so that I find I’m wishing to read and give more superheroine comics a chance.
Kamala Khan, the new Ms. Marvel, is a Muslim teenager living in New Jersey. What makes her so remarkable or "new age" is not necessarily her nationality or religion; it is how human and relatable she is, something perhaps not seen since Peter Parker as Spider Man. Comic book readers of any ethnicity and background can identify with Kamala's fascination with superheroes; her wish to be accepted and included in the privileged masses; her wish to understand the world plus her unconscious want to understand her restrictive parents better; and maybe her love of fan fiction (in her case it’s ‘Avengers’ fan fiction she writes). She is a geek, not conventionally attractive, not always on top of things, and her powers are given to her, not born within her.
Kamala is a normal teenage girl, searching for an identity (or two or three) she is most comfortable with, and for her right place in life, making mistakes along the way. A true coming-of-age chronicle.
Among all the teenage angsting and superhero action, Kamala's religion and culture is presented in a truthful and respectable light. It is neither undermined nor treated as merely something that's in the protagonist's way; something that's preventing her from her "normal" goals and ambitions. Sure there are a few white people around Kamala who can be ignorant, patronising and who mean "no offense" (where there's always a "but" afterwards, rendering it moot), but it's not a main thing in Kamala’s journey, and given the setting it adds a modern realism to a world where superheroes are the norm. Kamala isn't reduced to just being an unhappy Muslim girl with high expectations placed upon her, even when she tries to rebel and make compromises. While she does clearly feel the pressures (intensified once she gets superpowers), she respects her religion and loves her family and friends dearly.
In the beginning, Kamala’s wish is to be special and accepted among her high school peers. This is put to reality when, after experiencing a bizarre dream sequence befitting comic books, she receives Ms. Marvel's powers. At first she glamours herself as having blonde hair, white skin, and big breasts – the traditional Ms. Marvel. With super-stretching, sizing and shapeshifting abilities, she can look however others expect her to. But what about her true self? Trying to be someone else is exhausting, draining, not fun, as she very quickly realises. Even as a superhero with a secret identity to maintain, and with a responsibility to save and protect people, Kamala Khan does not want to project herself as the old campy Ms. Marvel. In the end, she discovers more uses of her powers and fights crime as her own lovable self in her own original costume. The world can now accept a Middle Eastern Ms. Marvel.
The artwork is easy on the eyes and only cartoony when it cuts corners – especially on background characters – but overall it is colourful and expressive, highlighted in the more emotional scenes such as when Kamala is talking with her parents. The action and rescue scenes are fun and satisfactory. And haters of fanservice in regards to female characters can relax as there is none on display here, at least not overtly.
Despite being a "revolutionary" superhero story, there is still the cliché of the heroine having a male partner who helps her in her crime fighting endeavours. But at least he doesn't get involved in the actual fighting and Kamala is left to kick butt all by herself. (And she has a friend, Nakia, in her civilian life who is also a Muslim girl). It is also best to read the volume as a whole rather than in the individual issues, some of which are slower than others in terms of plot and character development.
'Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal' is funny, witty, touching, identifiable, and a pleasure, even for a comics newbie such as myself. Story and art, about a modern female non-white superhero, are extremely well executed, in my opinion.
Kamala Khan - Superhero, Teenager, Muslim: she is all of these things and more. Each aspect of her reflects her needs and wants as a person; as someone with no one identity, but who is a complexity. Talk about three-dimensional.
I may look at future volumes, if my library will commission them soon.
Final Score: 4/5
Monday, 15 December 2014
Friday, 12 December 2014
Book Review - 'The Mermaid's Madness (Princess, #2)' by Jim C. Hines
Hooray for more action and adventure for the girls! Hooray for more feminist fairy tale retellings! Sequels seldom achieve five stars for me, but I'm pumped over this. 'The Mermaid's Madness', the sequel to 'The Stepsister Scheme', is a hydraulic blast, and really clever storytelling. This is definitely a series I'll be continuing.
And to show I'm not a lazy motha*%^*$*er, I'll also skip the synopsis of the plot ('The Little Mermaid' reimagined with the subversive, ingenious skill I've come to expect from Jim C. Hines), and plunge down into the cold, mysterious ocean that leaves ripples of my initial thoughts of the book, before resurfacing - hair flipped back and all - to the character studies (okay that's all of the mermaid metaphors in this review, promise).
I've always loved mermaids as a mythical creature. Their fascinating mystery, their relationship with water and swimming, their hybrid nature that signifies the complicated, doubled struggles of their world, their identity; everything about them holds such amazing potential for stories of all kinds. I even wrote a mermaid story for my final year at university: about a positive love between a human and a mermaid with a homosexual twist.
But despite this, I could never find an existing mermaid story I liked (and I wanted to see a lesbian mermaid love story). Even as a kid, Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' didn't leave an impact on me, except for disappointment and confusion. I loved that Ariel was a mermaid and had red hair, but I hated that she gave up everything, changed everything she was, for a guy she hadn't even talked to before making her foolish-yet-ultimately-rewarded sacrifice for married life as a girl with skinny, unscathed, pretty legs. Ariel doesn't achieve much on her own plotwise, and even the equivalent of her selling her soul to the devil is without consequence. This little mermaid gets her happily ever after despite learning nothing and not growing as the "hero" in her own movie (this could not have been lost on Hines either; I mean, the tragic little mermaid in his book is named Lirea, an anagram for Ariel, for crying out loud). I don't dislike a Disney film easily, but 'The Little Mermaid' continues to make me groan. I prefer the original Hans Christian Andersen story, which I interpret as a cautionary tale for giving up who you are for a man you barely know.
Andersen's tragedy fairy tale may have a bittersweet ending in that the little mermaid finds peace with earning a soul upon her death, but Jim C. Hines' take on it looks at the mermaid's choices (or lack of) as merely a tragedy, and our three princess heroes, Danielle (Cinderella), Talia (Sleeping Beauty) and Snow (White), get swept up in the outcome. Just like in the princess's original fairy tales, all is not what it seems or has been reputed in 'The Little Mermaid'.
'The Mermaid's Madness' features the mermaid losing her mind as she hears mocking voices telling her what a failure she is; a cursed knife which traps its victim's soul; a little sister mermaid (sisterhood is important in this tale, another plus); and a mermaid - or undine as they are called in this book's world - matriarchy with separate clans threatening war on the kingdom of Lorindar (when they're not in mating season, of course). Lorindar is where Danielle is the princess-by-marriage, and where the other princesses are servants to the awesome Queen Beatrice.
Throughout the beginning and middle of 'The Mermaid's Madness', Lirea the mermaid is set up to be the main villain. Her POV segments offer the reader a clear - and well-written - understanding of her fragile state of mind and her grip on reality. This way she is made somewhat sympathetic, to a point, considering that she still kills people, including her father and one of her sisters. What's also worth remembering is she's only a child, and one of priviledged royalty at that, so facing the consequences of pursuing a man she just met - who had used and betrayed her trust and love - was the first of the many blows to her damaged psyche and self-esteem. Lirea might in fact be more of a victim than anything else.
Danielle Whiteshore is less of a main character in this instalment, as we get more chapters from the POVs of Talia and Snow, but she is still significant. The "humble" and "clean" one of the trio (I love her compulsory habit of cleaning things, especially when she's nervous), purehearted Danielle wants to see the good in everyone, having the most sympathy for others. Less naive than in 'The Stepsister Scheme' (as she should be), she is always improving her swordplay, and knows when to be assertive and even ruthless in situations where it's necessary; she is a future queen after all, as Queen Bea reminds her. Her ability to talk to animals is a very useful skill and a major asset in 'The Mermaid's Madness', as she communicates with sea creatures when on the ship she sails (while also fighting seasickness a lot of the time). A real woman with a great heart and sense of justice, I adore Danielle.
Even being a wife and mother does not hinder her one bit from going on dangerous adventures, although she does worry about being distant from her family, and fears the prospect of her son growing up without her. Her relationship with Prince Armand is much better handled and more believable than in her first adventure, probably because there are more scenes in which they are together. They spend as much time with each other as they can, and Armand isn't just waiting on the sidelines as Danielle goes out to sea. He is strong and brave but a sweetheart with real anxieties. The couple are truly charming, and their baby son Jakob (lovely name, lovely spelling) is sweet if not a little creepy for someone barely a toddler. Not much time is devoted to him, at least, but I'm willing to bet he will play an important part in the subsequent books.
Talia is the same old tough-as-nails, first-class fighter and ninja, with nothing about her that attributes to the conventional, stereotypically-feminine notions of how a princess should be. Those traditions regarding gender and power and control are what ruined the life of this rape survivor, and she will not have that happen again (indeed, the truth about her fairy tale is absolutely devastating). The formidable Talia loses battles in 'The Mermaid's Madness' and hates herself for it. But she never gives up and is smart, even offering Danielle insightful observations and useful advice. Literally sleepless, cynical, wonderfully sarcastic, and yet she is not so stoic as the reader gets a glimpse of her maternal instincts when it comes to little Jakob (she sneaks through his window at night sometimes to sing to him). She has a soft spot for childhood innocence and is rightfully indignant of people who use magic to "improve" their children.
Thought to be dead inside, Princess Talia Malak-el-Dahshat at one point tells Danielle more of her backstory of how she arrived in Lorindar and met Queen Beatrice and Snow. And how she fell in love. Talia's feelings for Snow are explored a lot more here, and I can't wait to see how it develops further in the next book.
Snow is the true star of 'The Mermaid's Madness'. It is she who wins the award for the most well-developed, complex princess ever, so much so that she might be replacing Talia as my new favourite character. A flirtatious, buxom, promiscuous sorceress who isn't dumb and whose sex life is NOT a plot point or a cause for concern? How often do we see anything like that? Snow's the bookworm and academic of the trio. Her priorities may be slightly skewered, and she can be thoughtless, but her heart is in the right place.
Or is it? 'The Mermaid's Madness' sees Snow discover more about her magical potential, and what she is capable of. She possesses more power as she learns more spells, including how to enter someone's mind. Magic is frequent in this book - it is fantasy after all - but it also shows the consequences. Not everything is lighthearted, as Snow is soon made aware of how dangerous she might become and regrets doing morally reprehensible things for the greater good. She finds she can't trust herself; that she might be turning into her mother, the main antagonist in the last book and the woman who wanted to possess and control her daughter through magic.
The confident, free-spirited and free-thinking Snow White is hurting - literally, with a head injury, and metaphorically. She is in total control of her sexuality, but her magical abilities? Too much power and not enough thought and responsibility could turn her into something she's feared her whole life...
Bottom line, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are kickass in this series!
The three ladies, with their colourful, rich and complex personalities and histories, are like the fairy tale versions of 'Charlie's Angels', 'Charmed', 'Totally Spies' or other girl trio groups, only better. They get on each other nerves and banter more often than is appropriate in the deadly circumstances they fall into, but they support each other and will do anything to keep their friends alive and happy. Reading like actual human beings, each one of them has her flaws, and each struggles to regain control over her life, in how she freely sees fit. Whenever a well-meaning and/or confused antagonist or a chauvinistic man tries to bring them down, the three princesses will rise above it and kick back.
They make a marvellous team, and even turn themselves into mermaids in this sea adventure!
'The Mermaid's Madness' is one of the few novels about pirates where I wasn't bored to tears; with descriptions of ship mechanics, of where the masts are held, where the cannons are placed, or the norths, easts, souths and wests of every little thing. Action is important, and Hines did his research. The three princesses and their crew - captained by the dryad Hephyra, who is connected to her ship from Fairyland - do not visit many islands in their mission to find the little mermaid and free the human souls powering up her knife. But their encounters really made me want to find out what was going to happen next.
'The Mermaid's Madness' goes in many exciting directions, and twists and turns. It is violent and bloody without being too gory, and it even bodly mixes magic with religion, if not as a light touch to this savvy fairy tale. A heartfelt message about the importance of love and trust in family circles is prominent throughout, as well as the theme of how risky the business of first love can be and how it makes us vulnerable and susceptible to the motives of others.
Oh and Lannadae, Lirea's younger sister and key player in the book, is adorable as a fairy tale storyteller and fangirl of the princess stories.
It's not the perfect sequel. Any mention of Fairyland and its inhabitants is almost nonexistent, with the exception of Hephyra's character, even though they were central in the story of the previous book. For that matter, references to 'The Stepsister Scheme' are rarely written in, and they mostly revolve around Danielle's anxieties about Jakob possibly being exposed to magic, since back then she was subjected to it darkly when pregnant with her son. This is fairly puzzling, considering how important the political and economical relationships between the nations are in this series. True, Fairyland isn't visited at all in 'The Mermaid's Madness', and is not important to the story, but still. With its aforementioned twists and turns, the plot can be a bit too complicated, with a growing cast of characters who are not all that interesting or well-developed.
But despite its flaws, what a fun ride! A water slide! (Damn I'm doing it again). Forget Disney, Jim C. Hines Christian Andersen knows how to write a fairy tale retelling that is commentary, relevant and above all entertaining and creative. 'The Mermaid's Madness' is brilliantly-written with funny lines of dialogue and symbolic imagery; has a large cast of female characters who glowingly differ from one another and are each memorable and lovable in her own way; and the undine are an interesting bunch of scaly sea people, especially in their breeding rituals (this is definitely not a children's book).
What a fantastic writer.
Now to dive right into ‘Red Hood’s Revenge’.
Final Score: 4.5/5
And to show I'm not a lazy motha*%^*$*er, I'll also skip the synopsis of the plot ('The Little Mermaid' reimagined with the subversive, ingenious skill I've come to expect from Jim C. Hines), and plunge down into the cold, mysterious ocean that leaves ripples of my initial thoughts of the book, before resurfacing - hair flipped back and all - to the character studies (okay that's all of the mermaid metaphors in this review, promise).
I've always loved mermaids as a mythical creature. Their fascinating mystery, their relationship with water and swimming, their hybrid nature that signifies the complicated, doubled struggles of their world, their identity; everything about them holds such amazing potential for stories of all kinds. I even wrote a mermaid story for my final year at university: about a positive love between a human and a mermaid with a homosexual twist.
But despite this, I could never find an existing mermaid story I liked (and I wanted to see a lesbian mermaid love story). Even as a kid, Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' didn't leave an impact on me, except for disappointment and confusion. I loved that Ariel was a mermaid and had red hair, but I hated that she gave up everything, changed everything she was, for a guy she hadn't even talked to before making her foolish-yet-ultimately-rewarded sacrifice for married life as a girl with skinny, unscathed, pretty legs. Ariel doesn't achieve much on her own plotwise, and even the equivalent of her selling her soul to the devil is without consequence. This little mermaid gets her happily ever after despite learning nothing and not growing as the "hero" in her own movie (this could not have been lost on Hines either; I mean, the tragic little mermaid in his book is named Lirea, an anagram for Ariel, for crying out loud). I don't dislike a Disney film easily, but 'The Little Mermaid' continues to make me groan. I prefer the original Hans Christian Andersen story, which I interpret as a cautionary tale for giving up who you are for a man you barely know.
Andersen's tragedy fairy tale may have a bittersweet ending in that the little mermaid finds peace with earning a soul upon her death, but Jim C. Hines' take on it looks at the mermaid's choices (or lack of) as merely a tragedy, and our three princess heroes, Danielle (Cinderella), Talia (Sleeping Beauty) and Snow (White), get swept up in the outcome. Just like in the princess's original fairy tales, all is not what it seems or has been reputed in 'The Little Mermaid'.
'The Mermaid's Madness' features the mermaid losing her mind as she hears mocking voices telling her what a failure she is; a cursed knife which traps its victim's soul; a little sister mermaid (sisterhood is important in this tale, another plus); and a mermaid - or undine as they are called in this book's world - matriarchy with separate clans threatening war on the kingdom of Lorindar (when they're not in mating season, of course). Lorindar is where Danielle is the princess-by-marriage, and where the other princesses are servants to the awesome Queen Beatrice.
Throughout the beginning and middle of 'The Mermaid's Madness', Lirea the mermaid is set up to be the main villain. Her POV segments offer the reader a clear - and well-written - understanding of her fragile state of mind and her grip on reality. This way she is made somewhat sympathetic, to a point, considering that she still kills people, including her father and one of her sisters. What's also worth remembering is she's only a child, and one of priviledged royalty at that, so facing the consequences of pursuing a man she just met - who had used and betrayed her trust and love - was the first of the many blows to her damaged psyche and self-esteem. Lirea might in fact be more of a victim than anything else.
Danielle Whiteshore is less of a main character in this instalment, as we get more chapters from the POVs of Talia and Snow, but she is still significant. The "humble" and "clean" one of the trio (I love her compulsory habit of cleaning things, especially when she's nervous), purehearted Danielle wants to see the good in everyone, having the most sympathy for others. Less naive than in 'The Stepsister Scheme' (as she should be), she is always improving her swordplay, and knows when to be assertive and even ruthless in situations where it's necessary; she is a future queen after all, as Queen Bea reminds her. Her ability to talk to animals is a very useful skill and a major asset in 'The Mermaid's Madness', as she communicates with sea creatures when on the ship she sails (while also fighting seasickness a lot of the time). A real woman with a great heart and sense of justice, I adore Danielle.
Even being a wife and mother does not hinder her one bit from going on dangerous adventures, although she does worry about being distant from her family, and fears the prospect of her son growing up without her. Her relationship with Prince Armand is much better handled and more believable than in her first adventure, probably because there are more scenes in which they are together. They spend as much time with each other as they can, and Armand isn't just waiting on the sidelines as Danielle goes out to sea. He is strong and brave but a sweetheart with real anxieties. The couple are truly charming, and their baby son Jakob (lovely name, lovely spelling) is sweet if not a little creepy for someone barely a toddler. Not much time is devoted to him, at least, but I'm willing to bet he will play an important part in the subsequent books.
Talia is the same old tough-as-nails, first-class fighter and ninja, with nothing about her that attributes to the conventional, stereotypically-feminine notions of how a princess should be. Those traditions regarding gender and power and control are what ruined the life of this rape survivor, and she will not have that happen again (indeed, the truth about her fairy tale is absolutely devastating). The formidable Talia loses battles in 'The Mermaid's Madness' and hates herself for it. But she never gives up and is smart, even offering Danielle insightful observations and useful advice. Literally sleepless, cynical, wonderfully sarcastic, and yet she is not so stoic as the reader gets a glimpse of her maternal instincts when it comes to little Jakob (she sneaks through his window at night sometimes to sing to him). She has a soft spot for childhood innocence and is rightfully indignant of people who use magic to "improve" their children.
Thought to be dead inside, Princess Talia Malak-el-Dahshat at one point tells Danielle more of her backstory of how she arrived in Lorindar and met Queen Beatrice and Snow. And how she fell in love. Talia's feelings for Snow are explored a lot more here, and I can't wait to see how it develops further in the next book.
Snow is the true star of 'The Mermaid's Madness'. It is she who wins the award for the most well-developed, complex princess ever, so much so that she might be replacing Talia as my new favourite character. A flirtatious, buxom, promiscuous sorceress who isn't dumb and whose sex life is NOT a plot point or a cause for concern? How often do we see anything like that? Snow's the bookworm and academic of the trio. Her priorities may be slightly skewered, and she can be thoughtless, but her heart is in the right place.
Or is it? 'The Mermaid's Madness' sees Snow discover more about her magical potential, and what she is capable of. She possesses more power as she learns more spells, including how to enter someone's mind. Magic is frequent in this book - it is fantasy after all - but it also shows the consequences. Not everything is lighthearted, as Snow is soon made aware of how dangerous she might become and regrets doing morally reprehensible things for the greater good. She finds she can't trust herself; that she might be turning into her mother, the main antagonist in the last book and the woman who wanted to possess and control her daughter through magic.
The confident, free-spirited and free-thinking Snow White is hurting - literally, with a head injury, and metaphorically. She is in total control of her sexuality, but her magical abilities? Too much power and not enough thought and responsibility could turn her into something she's feared her whole life...
Bottom line, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are kickass in this series!
The three ladies, with their colourful, rich and complex personalities and histories, are like the fairy tale versions of 'Charlie's Angels', 'Charmed', 'Totally Spies' or other girl trio groups, only better. They get on each other nerves and banter more often than is appropriate in the deadly circumstances they fall into, but they support each other and will do anything to keep their friends alive and happy. Reading like actual human beings, each one of them has her flaws, and each struggles to regain control over her life, in how she freely sees fit. Whenever a well-meaning and/or confused antagonist or a chauvinistic man tries to bring them down, the three princesses will rise above it and kick back.
They make a marvellous team, and even turn themselves into mermaids in this sea adventure!
'The Mermaid's Madness' is one of the few novels about pirates where I wasn't bored to tears; with descriptions of ship mechanics, of where the masts are held, where the cannons are placed, or the norths, easts, souths and wests of every little thing. Action is important, and Hines did his research. The three princesses and their crew - captained by the dryad Hephyra, who is connected to her ship from Fairyland - do not visit many islands in their mission to find the little mermaid and free the human souls powering up her knife. But their encounters really made me want to find out what was going to happen next.
'The Mermaid's Madness' goes in many exciting directions, and twists and turns. It is violent and bloody without being too gory, and it even bodly mixes magic with religion, if not as a light touch to this savvy fairy tale. A heartfelt message about the importance of love and trust in family circles is prominent throughout, as well as the theme of how risky the business of first love can be and how it makes us vulnerable and susceptible to the motives of others.
Oh and Lannadae, Lirea's younger sister and key player in the book, is adorable as a fairy tale storyteller and fangirl of the princess stories.
It's not the perfect sequel. Any mention of Fairyland and its inhabitants is almost nonexistent, with the exception of Hephyra's character, even though they were central in the story of the previous book. For that matter, references to 'The Stepsister Scheme' are rarely written in, and they mostly revolve around Danielle's anxieties about Jakob possibly being exposed to magic, since back then she was subjected to it darkly when pregnant with her son. This is fairly puzzling, considering how important the political and economical relationships between the nations are in this series. True, Fairyland isn't visited at all in 'The Mermaid's Madness', and is not important to the story, but still. With its aforementioned twists and turns, the plot can be a bit too complicated, with a growing cast of characters who are not all that interesting or well-developed.
But despite its flaws, what a fun ride! A water slide! (Damn I'm doing it again). Forget Disney, Jim C. Hines Christian Andersen knows how to write a fairy tale retelling that is commentary, relevant and above all entertaining and creative. 'The Mermaid's Madness' is brilliantly-written with funny lines of dialogue and symbolic imagery; has a large cast of female characters who glowingly differ from one another and are each memorable and lovable in her own way; and the undine are an interesting bunch of scaly sea people, especially in their breeding rituals (this is definitely not a children's book).
What a fantastic writer.
Now to dive right into ‘Red Hood’s Revenge’.
Final Score: 4.5/5
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