Before Sailor Moon, there was Sailor Venus, or Sailor V as she was called back in her old adventures (I'm not sure why, personally).
'Codename: Sailor V, Vol 1' (really, why the codename? She already has a superheroine alter ego. I guess one less syllable to her name would make her more marketable). Anyway, 'Sailor V, Vol 1' was where Naoko Takeuchi started off in what would become her biggest, most phenomenal hit about cosmic girls in cute sailor outfits fighting the forces of pure evil and darkness. Despite being a 'Sailor Moon' fan, I'd been reluctant to buy the prequel, because I never thought much about Sailor Venus as a character. But the manga ended up being a very entertaining and hilarious read, where almost nothing makes sense and concepts such as logic and prioritizing are Sailor V-kicked right in the crotch.
Sometime in the future, I plan to write a review of each of the renewed manga volumes of 'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon'. The prequel volumes seem like a good place to start. It won't be much, since 'Codename: Sailor V' isn't deep at all, but I'm excited to get started.
The first thing to talk about regarding this manga is Sailor V herself. Minako "Mina" Aino is a thirteen-year-old Japanese middle school student. She's beautiful, but isn't a typical girl of the late eighties: She's athletic but lazy in the brain department; she likes to sleep and eat and go shopping; but above all she loves video games and the arcade. For even back when video games were not such a globally-recognised medium, girls made up a lot of their players and fanbases. Mina faces scrutiny for being so unlike a girl because she is tough and good at games, and a few people even accuse her of being a boy (gender stereotyping at its finest!).
One day Mina is met by a talking cat named Artemis, and her life changes overnight as she reluctantly becomes the Champion of Justice - and the protector of the Earth and Venus - Sailor Venus!
Minako is an absolute hoot in this manga. We get to see what she was like before she became the brave, smart and competent Sailor warrior we know her from 'Sailor Moon'. She was a fairly normal teenage girl who liked to goof off a lot. People like to point out her similarities to Usagi Tsukino. But I don't think they're that derivative of one another. Mina is an athlete; confident, graceful, and very silly. She rarely cries, and when she does she is ashamed of showing weakness and learns to overcome it. Usagi is much more clumsy and less confident; with no obvious talents or restraints. She is the sort of person to let all her feelings out and cry on the spot.
Reading 'Codename: Sailor V' definitely made me like Sailor Venus a whole lot more than in 'Sailor Moon'. I just love Mina's ridiculousness, and her screwed-up priorities.
Examples of said screwed-up priorities include:
- After taking a shower, she finds a cat. The cat talks to her. Her first reaction to this is kicking it out of the window... because it's a "pervert".
- She wears a red ribbon in her hair because a boy she'd known was a villain-of-the-week had suggested it to her.
- She spends most of her time in the game center instead of studying and training to fight her enemies (quite ingeniously, Mina's cat mentor Artemis turns the 'Sailor V' arcade game into a means of training for Sailor V herself).
- She transforms into Sailor V to stop some kids bullying other kids on the street... because they'll make her be late for school. (She gives the bullies possible concussions with her V-kicks - in the words of Little Kuriboh, "Our protagonist, ladies and gentlemen!").
- She cares more about bands and pop idols than potential (meaning: bloody obvious) threats from monsters out to brainwash and suck her hometown and the people she loves dry.
- She exclaims that brainwashing people of all demographics is... Immoral? Sick? Evil? A violation? Nope - she says it's greedy!
- She wants to go on a trip to Hawaii... when there is the certain matter of evil space aliens in Japan who she must fight.
There are other case-and-points of Minako's exploits (and no doubt she takes after her hypocritical mother). But my point is that they make this thirteen-year-old all the more fun and enjoyable to read about.
'Codename: Sailor V' has a parody element to it that I did not expect. It came out at a time in Japan when computers, video games, pop idols and teenage delinquents really were a big thing, and it shows. But not in a way that looks dated through today's lenses. Naoko Takeuchi took popular Japanese pop culture references and both celebrated and made fun of them (to the point where "otaku-ism" is rather shamelessly targeted). Even American icons such as Jason Voorhees and the Terminator are referenced at one point. However, structurally Takeuchi-sensei never forgot to just write a silly, episodic and cool Sentai manga - which happens to have a female hero.
It seems a bit meaningless to talk about the negatives, when of course nothing in 'Codemane: Sailor V' is meant to be taking seriously. But specifically I'll mention the main weakness: Its repetitiveness. The first six chapters are very formulaic and even a few of them revolve around evil pop idols doing the exact same thing (they even look alike and have similar names) - and yet Minako, even excusing her dimwitted-ness, is given no incentive not to catch on. I know villain-of-the-week plotlines are basically what made Sentai manga and anime what they are, but a different setting and varied villain plan would be called for at least. However, things really start to pick up in chapters seven and eight; where, respectively, Sailor V is in Greece, and crushes on a street delinquent.
Another negative is that the villains - of the "Dark Agency" - have no origin or backstory whatsoever. We know nothing about them, nor why they want to take over the world and make human slaves and drain their energy. At least we are given a hint of the Dark Kingdom's motivations in the first volume of 'Sailor Moon'. And Artemis's purpose is vague at this point in the saga as well. He mentions a "duty" which Sailor V has to get ready for, and there's a "Boss" who talks to Minako through her transformation pen. 'Sailor V, Vol 1' is just that: the first volume. So withholding information from the protagonist (and hence the reader) is forgivable. Plus it leads to another funny Minako moment where - after being dropped into the lair under the 'Sailor V' arcade game - she tries to persuade the Boss (a computer) to tell her what is going on. She cries - but it's only fake tears, and it doesn't work.
Also, there are quite a few grown men and creepy guys in this manga who are far too interested in Sailor V and her short skirt. I remind you that she is meant to be thirteen-years-old...
But back to the positives. The artwork in 'Codename: Sailor V' is great. Like in 'Sailor Moon', the style is stunningly graceful but very expressive and anime-esque - a perfect fit for a comedic and action-packed series revolving around a heroine who's related to the Greek goddess of Venus.
Usagi and her friend Naru - and Rei Hino - make cameo appearances in this volume, and the appearances of the Inspector General, Mina's best friend Hikaru, and her nerdy friend Amano, all show how Takeuch-sensei will develop her story in the future (the Inspector General looks like Sailor Mars, Hikaru like Sailor Mercury, and Amano is whom Umino will become an expy of). Even the game center owner, Furuhata, is in this.
The panels involving the police force are very funny as we get to see how angry the head of the police department is at Sailor V. For she always stops criminals before he arrives at the scene of the crime. And she gets into big trouble for screwing up and causing property damage.
The last chapter - about Minako's "first love" - is quite touching. That is, if you throw logic right out the window.
Really, 'Codename: Sailor V' is such an adorable, side-splitting and colourful read. And it is nice to see how everyone's favourite Moon princess in a sailor outfit came to fruition. It's plain silly fun, and just what a comic book from the golden years is like. I have a new-found respect for Sailor Venus, and I look forward to reading her final lone adventures in Volume 2.
Final Score: 4/5
Friday 25 April 2014
Thursday 24 April 2014
Book Review - 'Brave: One Perfect Day' by Steve Purcell (Writer), Matt Nolte (Illustrator)
Maybe I'm being too generous with my rating because I love the film, but overall 'Brave: One Perfect Day' is another nice picture book for children.
'One Perfect Day' is written by one of the writers of Pixar's 'Brave', Steve Purcell (also known as the creator of 'Sam & Max'). It doesn't really have a plot, nor does it follow the events of the movie (it's like a first-act book, in truth). Its 33 pages consist mostly of Pixar's top princess, Merida, going out with her horse and exploring the medieval Scottish highlands, making POV observations along the way. One story similarity to 'Brave' is the rift between Merida and her strict, overbearing but kindhearted mother, Queen Elinor.
While at first the book may seem not to have a point, there are underlining messages in the end (that are similar to the film's messages). They include: stick to your family; be generous and considerate but also never give up who you are; all teachings will at some point in your life help you; and if you are to go out on adventures, make sure to bring home souvenirs.
There's also a very subtle theme of birth and rebirth, when Merida finds bird eggs, touches the powerful waterfall, and watches animals taking care of their young. She discovers new things; and not just from an old, dark kingdom she comes across...
The artwork is perhaps 'One Perfect Day''s main highlight. The use of watercolours is simple but lovely, and it especially makes Merida and her red hair stand out superbly with the green, blue, brown, purple and grey of DunBroch and its castle and far-off lands. The style shows off both her spirit and the spirit of the Scottish moorland setting.
And that cover. Merida is drawn with her amazing hair blowing in the wind, punching her fists in the air - whilst holding her bow - and shouting with jovial confidence - no doubt happy to have one day of freedom to do whatever she likes. Now THAT'S the Merida I know and love - not the sparkly, mild, make-up-and-shoulderless-dress-wearing petite princess Disney is marketing her as. Except: What's that stick protruding from under her dress? Is it meant to be her leg? Funny, considering that her father is the one with the peg leg. But joking aside, the cover is an eye-catcher (have I mentioned already that Merida's hair is something for sure!)
'Brave: One Perfect Day': Tame but beautiful in its own way; which makes it a fair companion to what I consider to be Pixar's most under-appreciated film. The book delivers what it promises from its title. I'm sure people who liked the film will find something to like in it. Or more specifically, kids who liked it will find something to like in it.
Well, I for one am glad to own the wee title. It is, to quote Merida's last line, "never, ever typical."
Final Score: 3.5/5
'One Perfect Day' is written by one of the writers of Pixar's 'Brave', Steve Purcell (also known as the creator of 'Sam & Max'). It doesn't really have a plot, nor does it follow the events of the movie (it's like a first-act book, in truth). Its 33 pages consist mostly of Pixar's top princess, Merida, going out with her horse and exploring the medieval Scottish highlands, making POV observations along the way. One story similarity to 'Brave' is the rift between Merida and her strict, overbearing but kindhearted mother, Queen Elinor.
While at first the book may seem not to have a point, there are underlining messages in the end (that are similar to the film's messages). They include: stick to your family; be generous and considerate but also never give up who you are; all teachings will at some point in your life help you; and if you are to go out on adventures, make sure to bring home souvenirs.
There's also a very subtle theme of birth and rebirth, when Merida finds bird eggs, touches the powerful waterfall, and watches animals taking care of their young. She discovers new things; and not just from an old, dark kingdom she comes across...
The artwork is perhaps 'One Perfect Day''s main highlight. The use of watercolours is simple but lovely, and it especially makes Merida and her red hair stand out superbly with the green, blue, brown, purple and grey of DunBroch and its castle and far-off lands. The style shows off both her spirit and the spirit of the Scottish moorland setting.
And that cover. Merida is drawn with her amazing hair blowing in the wind, punching her fists in the air - whilst holding her bow - and shouting with jovial confidence - no doubt happy to have one day of freedom to do whatever she likes. Now THAT'S the Merida I know and love - not the sparkly, mild, make-up-and-shoulderless-dress-wearing petite princess Disney is marketing her as. Except: What's that stick protruding from under her dress? Is it meant to be her leg? Funny, considering that her father is the one with the peg leg. But joking aside, the cover is an eye-catcher (have I mentioned already that Merida's hair is something for sure!)
'Brave: One Perfect Day': Tame but beautiful in its own way; which makes it a fair companion to what I consider to be Pixar's most under-appreciated film. The book delivers what it promises from its title. I'm sure people who liked the film will find something to like in it. Or more specifically, kids who liked it will find something to like in it.
Well, I for one am glad to own the wee title. It is, to quote Merida's last line, "never, ever typical."
Final Score: 3.5/5
Graphic Novel Review - 'Rapunzel's Revenge' by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, Nathan Hale (Artist)
Have you ever seen a film - or read a book - and thought, "This has everything"? In hindsight it is an absurd and childish phrase. Because no story that has ever been told has "everything" in it, for nothing is so varied and good that it could please everyone. Even the word "epic" means different things to different people. But after finishing 'Rapunzel's Revenge' - created by the wife-and-husband team Shannon and Dean Hale - I found myself thinking exactly that, while also dealing with a tidal wave of emotions.
'Rapunzel's Revenge' has it all - action, adventure, drama, comedy, romance, a strong female lead, magic, animals, a diverse cast of characters (including strong little people), a mother-and-daughter/son theme, redemption, slavery, starvation, kidnapping storylines, prison breakout storylines, and of course, a revenge plot. Tell me if I'm missing something, because it could be that this comic book has a little something for everyone. Even though it looks to be a Western with a fairy tale twist, it could easily earn a place in any number of genres.
Before I get into the characters and their roles in this fairy tale retelling, I'll talk about the Rapunzel tale itself and its impact on popular culture.
It seems that it is only recently in the 21st century that Rapunzel has begun to shine as brightly and continuously as her long locks. In Kate Forsyth's brilliant 2012 novel, 'Bitter Greens', we are taken back to the fairy tale's origin in Italy in the 17th century; in a story called 'Petrosinella' by Giambattista Basile. This is later retold by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force in France. Hence was spawned other retellings.
In most versions of 'Rapunzel', a witch kidnaps the poor peasant girl as a punishment to her father who, three years previously, took rapunzel leaves from the witch's garden to feed the girl's mother, who was pregnant and craving greens at the time. The witch locks Rapunzel in a tower and lets her hair grow to about twenty feet or more. A prince or male traveller will come to the tower when Rapunzel is in her teens, and whether he dies or is saved by Rapunzel's tears once she's free depends on the retelling. In Disney's popular 2010 film, 'Tangled', Rapunzel is a princess who is kidnapped from her parents as a newborn, because her hair contains magical properties from a flower which Mother Gothel had used to stay young (or attractive middle-aged at least). Inside a hidden tower, Mother Gothel lets Rapunzel's hair grow in order to use its magic to keep herself immortal, for if the hair is cut the magic will be lost forever. Rapunzel's love interest, who climbs her tower prison/home on his own, without her hair, is a redeemed thief.
So interest in this particular fairy tale has perked up over the years. I myself have caught the bug, especially since it seems that many good stories and adaptations have come out of it. And as a result it's become one of my favourite fairy tales. Thus, when a certain comic book based on the tale came up on my reading radar (plus hearing its good reviews), I knew I had to get my hands on it. I never liked the Western genre (I find its entries to be very samey and dry and overtly hyper-masculine), but I was nevertheless willing to give 'Rapunzel's Revenge' a try, and I kept my expectations fairly low.
I regret nothing.
(Except stupidly getting orange juice all over my copy of 'Bitter Greens', but in hindsight that's got nothing to do with this review.)
'Rapunzel's Revenge' is one of the best graphic novels - one of the best reading titles, period - I have ever read. I know my range in reading comic books isn't very wide, but it's the truth. The fact that I'm not even a fan of Westerns but still think highly of this comic says an awful lot. I should give more titles a chance.
The protagonist herself is, obviously, Rapunzel. I love her to bits. She's sheltered, kind, shy, anxious, but also curious, adventurous, brave, bold, daring, thoughtful, selfless, funny, and very adaptable - she's all the things that make human beings so complex and awe-inspired. Aside from her red hair she isn't conventionally attractive and is never sexualised (although that might be because she's supposed to be only sixteen).
Rapunzel in this retelling starts out as a rich girl living in a lush, fertile castle with Mother Gothel. But when she turns twelve, she climbs the wall surrounding her home and finds out that Gothel has slaves working in mines. One of the slaves is her real mother. Rapunzel discovers the truth behind Gothel's business - the witch uses her growth magic to suck the lands dry of vegetation, and the inhabitants are at her mercy. The young girl, when she refuses to go back home after seeing all this, is sent to live in a tall tree prison in a forest as a punishment by Gothel. Growth magic provides Rapunzel with food and also makes her hair grow at a fast rate (probably unintentional on Gothel's part... or is it?). Four years later, the heroine is finally able to escape by using her hair to swing to another tree, and then climb (well, fall actually) back down to earth. Her journey begins and she's on a mission to stop Mother Gothel's tyranny and rescue her birth mother.
So in this version, not only does Rapunzel not need a man to climb her tower and be used as a plot device to help free her, but she has a set goal in mind once she is free. And that goal is to grant the same freedom for her real, living mother, and bring justice to the witch's evil reign over a country. Rapunzel is not just a cowgirl, she is an all-around action girl with hair plaits for lassos (developed through doing activities in her tree prison out of boredom and loneliness) . She does pretty much everything by herself.
Except she also gains a travelling companion.
Jack is a crossdressing thief looking for money to fix his mother's house. He has magic beans. And a goose he claims can lay golden eggs (this hasn't been proven yet). I was wary of this guy at first, because it seemed like he was just another bumbling male sidekick character, who exists sorely to make the action-oriented female lead look competent by comparison. Feminism is supposed to help both genders display equal amounts of strengths and weaknesses, after all. But he is hilarious, and has excellent dialogue exchanges with Rapunzel. Jack is her opposite in every way, including them coming from different backgrounds. He has wonderful character development, and he and Rapunzel are sweet together, so I don't mind that their relationship ends up being romantic.
I knew the romance was coming, but not necessarily because they're opposite-gendered partners and so must be a couple. No, it is because they are genuinely good together and change each other for the better. Rapunzel learns about trust and that there are good people in the world through Jack, and vice versa.
There's just one thing that is worth putting into question: How old is Jack anyway? He looks considerably older than Rapunzel's sixteen years.
Jack's goose Goldy doesn't do much, and Mother Gothel as a villain is pretty one-note, due to her not appearing in the comic much. However, she is very intimidating when she does appear on-panel, and we are told her backstory in the middle of the story. She does more with her growth magic than just make plants grow and die; she can make other things - even people - grow too... Even Gothel's soldiers and henchmen are given distinctive personalities and likeable traits.
I've already mentioned that 'Rapunzel's Revenge' is very diverse in its cast, and their dialogue - as well as the artwork - clearly shows they are in a wild west setting. However, it seems that Rapunzel, the main character, is the only Caucasian-looking person in the graphic novel. I guess what would make 'Rapunzel's Revenge' any better is if Rapunzel had the same ethnicity as any of the other characters (does a retelling featuring a Black Rapunzel exist anywhere? If not, I might write it in one of my own stories, because wouldn't it be awesome?). But oh well, her personality more than makes up for this (and who doesn't love red hair, seriously?).
All in all, I freaking love 'Rapunzel's Revenge'. Fun, touching, sad, thrilling, witty, and should be used as a teaching guideline on how to write what is called a "strong female character" (hint: in a way you would write any hero who is also a human being). Spread the word! Have it more well known!
The artwork by Nathan Hale (no relation to the authors) also fits very well with the setting. It is just cartoony enough that - like the mishmash of genres - it makes the book appealing to a variety of audiences.
A beautiful, five-star masterpiece, and I look forward to lassoing the sequel, 'Calamity Jack'.
(Will Jack be as interesting a main character as Rapunzel, however?)
Final Score: 5/5
'Rapunzel's Revenge' has it all - action, adventure, drama, comedy, romance, a strong female lead, magic, animals, a diverse cast of characters (including strong little people), a mother-and-daughter/son theme, redemption, slavery, starvation, kidnapping storylines, prison breakout storylines, and of course, a revenge plot. Tell me if I'm missing something, because it could be that this comic book has a little something for everyone. Even though it looks to be a Western with a fairy tale twist, it could easily earn a place in any number of genres.
Before I get into the characters and their roles in this fairy tale retelling, I'll talk about the Rapunzel tale itself and its impact on popular culture.
It seems that it is only recently in the 21st century that Rapunzel has begun to shine as brightly and continuously as her long locks. In Kate Forsyth's brilliant 2012 novel, 'Bitter Greens', we are taken back to the fairy tale's origin in Italy in the 17th century; in a story called 'Petrosinella' by Giambattista Basile. This is later retold by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force in France. Hence was spawned other retellings.
In most versions of 'Rapunzel', a witch kidnaps the poor peasant girl as a punishment to her father who, three years previously, took rapunzel leaves from the witch's garden to feed the girl's mother, who was pregnant and craving greens at the time. The witch locks Rapunzel in a tower and lets her hair grow to about twenty feet or more. A prince or male traveller will come to the tower when Rapunzel is in her teens, and whether he dies or is saved by Rapunzel's tears once she's free depends on the retelling. In Disney's popular 2010 film, 'Tangled', Rapunzel is a princess who is kidnapped from her parents as a newborn, because her hair contains magical properties from a flower which Mother Gothel had used to stay young (or attractive middle-aged at least). Inside a hidden tower, Mother Gothel lets Rapunzel's hair grow in order to use its magic to keep herself immortal, for if the hair is cut the magic will be lost forever. Rapunzel's love interest, who climbs her tower prison/home on his own, without her hair, is a redeemed thief.
So interest in this particular fairy tale has perked up over the years. I myself have caught the bug, especially since it seems that many good stories and adaptations have come out of it. And as a result it's become one of my favourite fairy tales. Thus, when a certain comic book based on the tale came up on my reading radar (plus hearing its good reviews), I knew I had to get my hands on it. I never liked the Western genre (I find its entries to be very samey and dry and overtly hyper-masculine), but I was nevertheless willing to give 'Rapunzel's Revenge' a try, and I kept my expectations fairly low.
I regret nothing.
(Except stupidly getting orange juice all over my copy of 'Bitter Greens', but in hindsight that's got nothing to do with this review.)
'Rapunzel's Revenge' is one of the best graphic novels - one of the best reading titles, period - I have ever read. I know my range in reading comic books isn't very wide, but it's the truth. The fact that I'm not even a fan of Westerns but still think highly of this comic says an awful lot. I should give more titles a chance.
The protagonist herself is, obviously, Rapunzel. I love her to bits. She's sheltered, kind, shy, anxious, but also curious, adventurous, brave, bold, daring, thoughtful, selfless, funny, and very adaptable - she's all the things that make human beings so complex and awe-inspired. Aside from her red hair she isn't conventionally attractive and is never sexualised (although that might be because she's supposed to be only sixteen).
Rapunzel in this retelling starts out as a rich girl living in a lush, fertile castle with Mother Gothel. But when she turns twelve, she climbs the wall surrounding her home and finds out that Gothel has slaves working in mines. One of the slaves is her real mother. Rapunzel discovers the truth behind Gothel's business - the witch uses her growth magic to suck the lands dry of vegetation, and the inhabitants are at her mercy. The young girl, when she refuses to go back home after seeing all this, is sent to live in a tall tree prison in a forest as a punishment by Gothel. Growth magic provides Rapunzel with food and also makes her hair grow at a fast rate (probably unintentional on Gothel's part... or is it?). Four years later, the heroine is finally able to escape by using her hair to swing to another tree, and then climb (well, fall actually) back down to earth. Her journey begins and she's on a mission to stop Mother Gothel's tyranny and rescue her birth mother.
So in this version, not only does Rapunzel not need a man to climb her tower and be used as a plot device to help free her, but she has a set goal in mind once she is free. And that goal is to grant the same freedom for her real, living mother, and bring justice to the witch's evil reign over a country. Rapunzel is not just a cowgirl, she is an all-around action girl with hair plaits for lassos (developed through doing activities in her tree prison out of boredom and loneliness) . She does pretty much everything by herself.
Except she also gains a travelling companion.
Jack is a crossdressing thief looking for money to fix his mother's house. He has magic beans. And a goose he claims can lay golden eggs (this hasn't been proven yet). I was wary of this guy at first, because it seemed like he was just another bumbling male sidekick character, who exists sorely to make the action-oriented female lead look competent by comparison. Feminism is supposed to help both genders display equal amounts of strengths and weaknesses, after all. But he is hilarious, and has excellent dialogue exchanges with Rapunzel. Jack is her opposite in every way, including them coming from different backgrounds. He has wonderful character development, and he and Rapunzel are sweet together, so I don't mind that their relationship ends up being romantic.
I knew the romance was coming, but not necessarily because they're opposite-gendered partners and so must be a couple. No, it is because they are genuinely good together and change each other for the better. Rapunzel learns about trust and that there are good people in the world through Jack, and vice versa.
There's just one thing that is worth putting into question: How old is Jack anyway? He looks considerably older than Rapunzel's sixteen years.
Jack's goose Goldy doesn't do much, and Mother Gothel as a villain is pretty one-note, due to her not appearing in the comic much. However, she is very intimidating when she does appear on-panel, and we are told her backstory in the middle of the story. She does more with her growth magic than just make plants grow and die; she can make other things - even people - grow too... Even Gothel's soldiers and henchmen are given distinctive personalities and likeable traits.
I've already mentioned that 'Rapunzel's Revenge' is very diverse in its cast, and their dialogue - as well as the artwork - clearly shows they are in a wild west setting. However, it seems that Rapunzel, the main character, is the only Caucasian-looking person in the graphic novel. I guess what would make 'Rapunzel's Revenge' any better is if Rapunzel had the same ethnicity as any of the other characters (does a retelling featuring a Black Rapunzel exist anywhere? If not, I might write it in one of my own stories, because wouldn't it be awesome?). But oh well, her personality more than makes up for this (and who doesn't love red hair, seriously?).
All in all, I freaking love 'Rapunzel's Revenge'. Fun, touching, sad, thrilling, witty, and should be used as a teaching guideline on how to write what is called a "strong female character" (hint: in a way you would write any hero who is also a human being). Spread the word! Have it more well known!
The artwork by Nathan Hale (no relation to the authors) also fits very well with the setting. It is just cartoony enough that - like the mishmash of genres - it makes the book appealing to a variety of audiences.
A beautiful, five-star masterpiece, and I look forward to lassoing the sequel, 'Calamity Jack'.
(Will Jack be as interesting a main character as Rapunzel, however?)
Final Score: 5/5
Wednesday 23 April 2014
Book Review - 'Legend' by Marie Lu
2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Like with most novels - particularly from the YA demographic - that are what I classify as "thrill-rides", this review will most likely just be me typing up whatever, and seeing what comes up. Because, even though 'Legend' is a dystopian novel and is not shallow (the very opposite, in fact), I think a short and precise review would be fitting. For it is very fast-paced.
'Legend' - I was extremely busy the week I was reading this, so it took me the whole week to finish it. Shame because I might have zipped through it in under three days. It is a very exciting and touching roller coaster ride, with enough thought put into it that it didn't feel like Marie Lu was merely jumping on 'The Hunger Games' bandwagon when writing this YA series. The only fair similarity I can make between the two series is that they're both told in first-person and in the present tense. This type of writing style is fitting when you want the action to move forward and with urgency.
Besides 'Legend''s thrilling action and its main characters doing awesomely ridiculous, death-defying stunts, there is the characters themselves. 'Legend' contains such great and memorable characters that I feel I should talk about each and every one of them. I'll start with the two leads - a girl and a boy, June and Day.
June Iparis has all the warning signs of a Mary Sue - she is a rich child prodigy who is the only person in recorded history to get perfect marks in her Trial (what the future society of America tests children on on their 10th birthday to determine their labour). She's an orphan, and she's beautiful and more than three guys are in love with her. Yet somehow, I didn't mind this. Maybe because she is just an awesome female lead with a firm head on her shoulders. She genuinely kicks arse and doesn't need to be saved constantly by the male characters. She always has her priorities straight even when she might be falling in love - such a huge plus for a YA heroine. She is always determined to seek justice for her brother's murder and she never forgets him; after all, he did raise her and love her dearly. Yeah she is beautiful, but she knows it and doesn't think anything of it. Because again, priorities, and this is a dystopia story. Her dog Ollie is also adorable. People might say June's supposed intelligence is unfounded due to her being unaware of the Republic society's corruption and quite obviously dark secrets. But I think it's because she was raised in that very society; she's become so used to it that she just doesn't feel the need to question it. Also, as our politics clearly show, having excellent grades and degrees doesn't necessarily mean a thing when it comes to common sense. What also makes June stand out from other typical YA female leads is that she doesn't hate other girls for showing confidence (because apparently in YA, confidence (in sexuality) = slutty). In fact, towards the end of 'Legend', Junebug looks to be making new friends with girls and isn't always surrounded by men...
Day, the boy, is a street criminal. The Republic has been hunting him for years, and he's so well organised and reflexive that the authorities don't even know what he looks like. I simply adored him, and his family. He's not really a bad boy (though he gets around) and he has that misunderstood quality and confidence to him that make him nearly every girl's dreamboat. His determination to protect his family - his mother and two brothers - makes him admirable, and it sets up his path as a true hero and not just a typical rebel of society. Day has a tragic past, and a truly horrifying future ahead of him if/when he gets caught by the Republic. His token is a seemingly plain pendent that he takes care of but then loses at the worst moment. These traits add to his appeal. I love that he isn't a loner and already has both female and male friends before meeting June, and vice versa.
Now with the protagonists out of the way, I'll talk briefly about the side characters. Metias is a lovely and well-developed big brother to June, even though he dies very early on; making the story's tragedy element all the more effective. Commander Jameson is a military leader you'll love to hate, and I love that she's a woman in charge and this is never questioned or even brought up in the entirety of the book (for yes, women can be ruthless sons-of-bitches like men can be). Thomas is a friend of Metias and June, and whom the author introduces as acting like a military amateur with a conscience. But my god do his true colours and intentions shine throughout the course of the book, especially after Metias's death. He may in fact be as heartless and corrupt as his commander. Tessa, Day's street partner-in-crime, is sweet and cute but not a pushover. She's a dear friend who plays a small-yet-vital part of the story. Kaede is another action girl who's a less-rational, more-violent-but-fun version of June, and that's all I'll say about her. And about the characters.
In the world-building aspect of 'Legend', I agree that it isn't wholly plausible or even original. It's another "oh-a-big-bad-political-party-has-taken-over-after-natural-disasters-had-destroyed-everything" dystopia. The poor are ignored and are separated from the overly privileged rich folk, a mysterious plague (again, original huh?) is keeping the two classes further apart (only the rich get immediate vaccines), children and other innocents are beaten and killed in public places by policemen and nobody does anything about it, etc. However this backdrop does play an important part, and the author never forgets certain details and remains consistent. Marie Lu leaves little clues to the mystery throughout the story and keeps the plot going, never straying from the important stuff.
Even if the romance between June and Day is as transparent as a tornado, it is written in gradually and realistically. June and Day might both be smart fighters, but they're fifteen-years-old as well. They always think of their families first in the terrible regime they live in. At times I thought they were really sweet together (and I have a soft spot for rich-and-poor divided couple stories), but at others I was cringing slightly. There's even a line from June where she compares Day to an angel, specifically a broken one. Urgh.
But as I said, their love doesn't feel as shoehorned-in as in other books of its kind, so in the very least it is tolerable.
Back to the setting. Once and for all I'd like to ask this simple question:
Why, oh why are so many dystopian novels set only in America? And I'm not just talking about YA Lit dystopias either. It's like American writers think that their homeland will be the only country on earth worth telling about in the future. Heck America might as well be the whole earth, when readers are not told what's happening outside of Chicago or Los Angeles or wherever.
But politics aside, this is forgivable, because 'Legend' is an addictive, fun and intense book, and a good example of YA dystopian fiction. It's no masterpiece, but I really like it, mostly for the characters and action. One other noteworthy positive is that the author never forgets when one of her characters has been injured. No one heals quickly or easily, thus making the fight scenes and torture scenes very effective, and raising my sympathy level with these guys.
However, I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel, 'Prodigy', as it does take A LOT for me to want to continue a book series. I've heard that it has a shock-twist-cliffhanger ending that has made people cry in a good way. And something about a bathtub scene as well. But we'll wait and see.
Final Score: 4/5
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Like with most novels - particularly from the YA demographic - that are what I classify as "thrill-rides", this review will most likely just be me typing up whatever, and seeing what comes up. Because, even though 'Legend' is a dystopian novel and is not shallow (the very opposite, in fact), I think a short and precise review would be fitting. For it is very fast-paced.
'Legend' - I was extremely busy the week I was reading this, so it took me the whole week to finish it. Shame because I might have zipped through it in under three days. It is a very exciting and touching roller coaster ride, with enough thought put into it that it didn't feel like Marie Lu was merely jumping on 'The Hunger Games' bandwagon when writing this YA series. The only fair similarity I can make between the two series is that they're both told in first-person and in the present tense. This type of writing style is fitting when you want the action to move forward and with urgency.
Besides 'Legend''s thrilling action and its main characters doing awesomely ridiculous, death-defying stunts, there is the characters themselves. 'Legend' contains such great and memorable characters that I feel I should talk about each and every one of them. I'll start with the two leads - a girl and a boy, June and Day.
June Iparis has all the warning signs of a Mary Sue - she is a rich child prodigy who is the only person in recorded history to get perfect marks in her Trial (what the future society of America tests children on on their 10th birthday to determine their labour). She's an orphan, and she's beautiful and more than three guys are in love with her. Yet somehow, I didn't mind this. Maybe because she is just an awesome female lead with a firm head on her shoulders. She genuinely kicks arse and doesn't need to be saved constantly by the male characters. She always has her priorities straight even when she might be falling in love - such a huge plus for a YA heroine. She is always determined to seek justice for her brother's murder and she never forgets him; after all, he did raise her and love her dearly. Yeah she is beautiful, but she knows it and doesn't think anything of it. Because again, priorities, and this is a dystopia story. Her dog Ollie is also adorable. People might say June's supposed intelligence is unfounded due to her being unaware of the Republic society's corruption and quite obviously dark secrets. But I think it's because she was raised in that very society; she's become so used to it that she just doesn't feel the need to question it. Also, as our politics clearly show, having excellent grades and degrees doesn't necessarily mean a thing when it comes to common sense. What also makes June stand out from other typical YA female leads is that she doesn't hate other girls for showing confidence (because apparently in YA, confidence (in sexuality) = slutty). In fact, towards the end of 'Legend', Junebug looks to be making new friends with girls and isn't always surrounded by men...
Day, the boy, is a street criminal. The Republic has been hunting him for years, and he's so well organised and reflexive that the authorities don't even know what he looks like. I simply adored him, and his family. He's not really a bad boy (though he gets around) and he has that misunderstood quality and confidence to him that make him nearly every girl's dreamboat. His determination to protect his family - his mother and two brothers - makes him admirable, and it sets up his path as a true hero and not just a typical rebel of society. Day has a tragic past, and a truly horrifying future ahead of him if/when he gets caught by the Republic. His token is a seemingly plain pendent that he takes care of but then loses at the worst moment. These traits add to his appeal. I love that he isn't a loner and already has both female and male friends before meeting June, and vice versa.
Now with the protagonists out of the way, I'll talk briefly about the side characters. Metias is a lovely and well-developed big brother to June, even though he dies very early on; making the story's tragedy element all the more effective. Commander Jameson is a military leader you'll love to hate, and I love that she's a woman in charge and this is never questioned or even brought up in the entirety of the book (for yes, women can be ruthless sons-of-bitches like men can be). Thomas is a friend of Metias and June, and whom the author introduces as acting like a military amateur with a conscience. But my god do his true colours and intentions shine throughout the course of the book, especially after Metias's death. He may in fact be as heartless and corrupt as his commander. Tessa, Day's street partner-in-crime, is sweet and cute but not a pushover. She's a dear friend who plays a small-yet-vital part of the story. Kaede is another action girl who's a less-rational, more-violent-but-fun version of June, and that's all I'll say about her. And about the characters.
In the world-building aspect of 'Legend', I agree that it isn't wholly plausible or even original. It's another "oh-a-big-bad-political-party-has-taken-over-after-natural-disasters-had-destroyed-everything" dystopia. The poor are ignored and are separated from the overly privileged rich folk, a mysterious plague (again, original huh?) is keeping the two classes further apart (only the rich get immediate vaccines), children and other innocents are beaten and killed in public places by policemen and nobody does anything about it, etc. However this backdrop does play an important part, and the author never forgets certain details and remains consistent. Marie Lu leaves little clues to the mystery throughout the story and keeps the plot going, never straying from the important stuff.
Even if the romance between June and Day is as transparent as a tornado, it is written in gradually and realistically. June and Day might both be smart fighters, but they're fifteen-years-old as well. They always think of their families first in the terrible regime they live in. At times I thought they were really sweet together (and I have a soft spot for rich-and-poor divided couple stories), but at others I was cringing slightly. There's even a line from June where she compares Day to an angel, specifically a broken one. Urgh.
But as I said, their love doesn't feel as shoehorned-in as in other books of its kind, so in the very least it is tolerable.
Back to the setting. Once and for all I'd like to ask this simple question:
Why, oh why are so many dystopian novels set only in America? And I'm not just talking about YA Lit dystopias either. It's like American writers think that their homeland will be the only country on earth worth telling about in the future. Heck America might as well be the whole earth, when readers are not told what's happening outside of Chicago or Los Angeles or wherever.
But politics aside, this is forgivable, because 'Legend' is an addictive, fun and intense book, and a good example of YA dystopian fiction. It's no masterpiece, but I really like it, mostly for the characters and action. One other noteworthy positive is that the author never forgets when one of her characters has been injured. No one heals quickly or easily, thus making the fight scenes and torture scenes very effective, and raising my sympathy level with these guys.
However, I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel, 'Prodigy', as it does take A LOT for me to want to continue a book series. I've heard that it has a shock-twist-cliffhanger ending that has made people cry in a good way. And something about a bathtub scene as well. But we'll wait and see.
Final Score: 4/5
Tuesday 22 April 2014
Book Review - 'Frozen: A Sister More Like Me' by Barbara Jean Hicks (Writer), Brittney Lee (Illustrator)
2022 EDIT: Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful, and magical and adorable and sweet.
Sisterly love FTW.
Final Score: 4.5/5
Original Review:
The artwork is gorgeous.
Lovely, colourful. Seriously, even ignoring the film it's based on, 'Frozen: A Sister More Like Me' is worth looking at for its style alone.
But it's not just that that makes it a beautiful and fun little picture book. 'A Sister More Like Me' follows the story of the hit 2013 Disney flick 'Frozen', but with the two leads, the sisters Elsa and Anna, as the only focus as we see the growing pains (and triumphs) of their relationship. No other character from the film appears here, except for Olaf the snowman, who's in a couple of pages (which makes sense since he does play a key part in the sisters' complex bond).
I really liked 'Frozen' - in its finished product it's a positive step for Disney when representing women and their relationship with one another to a family audience. With showstopping songs, spectacular animation, and its deconstructing the Disney fairy tale formula - like the many ways the "true love" notion can be interpreted - quite a lot of the movie's praise is deserved, in my opinion. So I wanted to check out 'A Sister More Like Me', despite its target age group.
Told in verse from the perspectives of both Elsa and Anna, the book is such a joy to read that I don't feel embarrassed to own something for kids which is also a product of the Disney corporation.
The two girls are polar opposites: Elsa is neat and poised and repressive of her gifts, while Anna is fun-loving and optimistic and fearless. In order for the reader to tell them apart, Elsa's verses are in purple and Anna's are in orange (although on a few pages this doesn't show well - with different background colours and all - so it can get confusing. But the girls' voices are relatively easy to differentiate anyway, so it didn't bother me much).
Anna is a clumsy and often lazy goof - traditionally not how a princess should be - but she has a big heart, and her love for her sister is as wonderfully presented in this book as it is in the film. She doesn't care what others might think of her. Unlike the regal Elsa, the future queen of Arendelle who, due to her snowy magic, has shut herself away from everyone, including her own sister. She remains aloof even after becoming queen; in fact more than ever this makes it even more crucial that she not let people in her life. Anna tries to get her big sister to come out of her "perfect" shell and play with her, unaware of Elsa's potentially dangerous power over ice and snow.
Elsa is my favourite character in the movie - a queen who isn't evil but only misunderstood? Epic win. She is just a fantastically-written, multi-layered character; a true study of an introvert and someone suffering from depression and anxiety. To see Queen Elsa drawn in fascinating artwork, and to read her viewpoint in purple verse, was great fun.
I want to talk a bit more about the artwork. The illustrator, Brittney Lee, is a visual development artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios. She had worked on 'Frozen', and it shows - shows what an awesome companion 'A Sister More Like Me' is to the highest-grossing animated film of all time. The cover in particular is attention-grabbing, with the smiling Anna hanging upside-down and Elsa looking up a little distance away with both love and pain. This symbolises the division in their personalities and their relationship, with one sister wanting to understand the other and their common wish for closeness if not for one's "curse". Their contrasting colour schemes and character designs make this more apparent. I also like how Anna is just hanging in the air like magic, while Elsa is shown to be much more grounded; funny considering that she's the one with icy powers.
In terms of story, 'A Sister More Like Me' is a nice representation of how two siblings wish the other could be more similar to themselves, so that they'll feel less lonely. Anna wishes for a sister who is also a friend (as a youngest sibling myself, I could relate to this, especially when the older sibling suddenly stops playing with and seeing the younger one: a very real part of growing up). Elsa may look like she prefers isolation with her secret, but perhaps deep down she wishes for a sister with a gift like hers, so that she'll not be alone in the world and would less likely hurt a friend with her powers.
But there is an important lesson taught to children here: That what you already have might be the best thing you could ever wish for. Change is scary, especially when it happens in the family. However it can be a good thing, like a learning curve in understanding how other people feel and act. Anna's and Elsa's differences are what will make them love each other all the better, for in one sister's eyes the other is interesting and special in her own way. They can get along side-by-side. Love is born out of understanding and dedication, and warm hugs!
'Frozen: A Sister More Like Me' - overall an adorable and magical title with fantastic art that focuses on the relationship between two awesome sisters who also happen to be princesses. Recommended for fans of the film - young and old - and parents looking for a read-along book with a unique and powerful message.
This is not something that children will forget anytime soon.
Final Score: 4.5/5
Sisterly love FTW.
Final Score: 4.5/5
Original Review:
The artwork is gorgeous.
Lovely, colourful. Seriously, even ignoring the film it's based on, 'Frozen: A Sister More Like Me' is worth looking at for its style alone.
But it's not just that that makes it a beautiful and fun little picture book. 'A Sister More Like Me' follows the story of the hit 2013 Disney flick 'Frozen', but with the two leads, the sisters Elsa and Anna, as the only focus as we see the growing pains (and triumphs) of their relationship. No other character from the film appears here, except for Olaf the snowman, who's in a couple of pages (which makes sense since he does play a key part in the sisters' complex bond).
I really liked 'Frozen' - in its finished product it's a positive step for Disney when representing women and their relationship with one another to a family audience. With showstopping songs, spectacular animation, and its deconstructing the Disney fairy tale formula - like the many ways the "true love" notion can be interpreted - quite a lot of the movie's praise is deserved, in my opinion. So I wanted to check out 'A Sister More Like Me', despite its target age group.
Told in verse from the perspectives of both Elsa and Anna, the book is such a joy to read that I don't feel embarrassed to own something for kids which is also a product of the Disney corporation.
The two girls are polar opposites: Elsa is neat and poised and repressive of her gifts, while Anna is fun-loving and optimistic and fearless. In order for the reader to tell them apart, Elsa's verses are in purple and Anna's are in orange (although on a few pages this doesn't show well - with different background colours and all - so it can get confusing. But the girls' voices are relatively easy to differentiate anyway, so it didn't bother me much).
Anna is a clumsy and often lazy goof - traditionally not how a princess should be - but she has a big heart, and her love for her sister is as wonderfully presented in this book as it is in the film. She doesn't care what others might think of her. Unlike the regal Elsa, the future queen of Arendelle who, due to her snowy magic, has shut herself away from everyone, including her own sister. She remains aloof even after becoming queen; in fact more than ever this makes it even more crucial that she not let people in her life. Anna tries to get her big sister to come out of her "perfect" shell and play with her, unaware of Elsa's potentially dangerous power over ice and snow.
Elsa is my favourite character in the movie - a queen who isn't evil but only misunderstood? Epic win. She is just a fantastically-written, multi-layered character; a true study of an introvert and someone suffering from depression and anxiety. To see Queen Elsa drawn in fascinating artwork, and to read her viewpoint in purple verse, was great fun.
I want to talk a bit more about the artwork. The illustrator, Brittney Lee, is a visual development artist at Walt Disney Animation Studios. She had worked on 'Frozen', and it shows - shows what an awesome companion 'A Sister More Like Me' is to the highest-grossing animated film of all time. The cover in particular is attention-grabbing, with the smiling Anna hanging upside-down and Elsa looking up a little distance away with both love and pain. This symbolises the division in their personalities and their relationship, with one sister wanting to understand the other and their common wish for closeness if not for one's "curse". Their contrasting colour schemes and character designs make this more apparent. I also like how Anna is just hanging in the air like magic, while Elsa is shown to be much more grounded; funny considering that she's the one with icy powers.
In terms of story, 'A Sister More Like Me' is a nice representation of how two siblings wish the other could be more similar to themselves, so that they'll feel less lonely. Anna wishes for a sister who is also a friend (as a youngest sibling myself, I could relate to this, especially when the older sibling suddenly stops playing with and seeing the younger one: a very real part of growing up). Elsa may look like she prefers isolation with her secret, but perhaps deep down she wishes for a sister with a gift like hers, so that she'll not be alone in the world and would less likely hurt a friend with her powers.
But there is an important lesson taught to children here: That what you already have might be the best thing you could ever wish for. Change is scary, especially when it happens in the family. However it can be a good thing, like a learning curve in understanding how other people feel and act. Anna's and Elsa's differences are what will make them love each other all the better, for in one sister's eyes the other is interesting and special in her own way. They can get along side-by-side. Love is born out of understanding and dedication, and warm hugs!
'Frozen: A Sister More Like Me' - overall an adorable and magical title with fantastic art that focuses on the relationship between two awesome sisters who also happen to be princesses. Recommended for fans of the film - young and old - and parents looking for a read-along book with a unique and powerful message.
This is not something that children will forget anytime soon.
Final Score: 4.5/5
Monday 21 April 2014
Non-Fiction Book Review - 'Year of the Jungle' by Suzanne Collins, James Proimos (Illustrator)
'My dad reads me poems by a man named Ogden Nash. My favorite is about a dragon named Custard. Even though he always feels afraid, he is really the bravest of all. And that's what makes him special.' - page 2.
A touching but also sincere picture book from the author of the acclaimed 'Hunger Games' series.
Suzanne Collins tells of the time in her childhood when her father went to war in Vietnam for a whole year. Suzy - as she was called then - describes her feelings - and how people around her react to her situation - in a way only an innocent first-grader can. She is curious and confused, and not naive enough to believe that her dad isn't in any real danger and will be back soon; safe and sound and just like he used to be before he left. Other emotions she feels are anxiety and impatience. However, those sad postcards (Dad looking out for her so much that he'll keep referring to her cat Rascal - a link to home life) and the horrifying news on the TV won't stop Suzy from trying to be imaginative and positive. Her dad is in a jungle, so she imagines he's with some fun animals. All should be okay in the end, right?
Suzy misses her dad very much, and the closer the time when he is meant to be back comes, the more worried and less hopeful she gets. She is really scared. For, as the TV clearly shows, not all soldiers make it back from Vietnam alive.
'Year of the Jungle' tackles themes which still have relevance to this day, and probably will keep being relevant in the future of humankind. Going to war is a terrible, frightening thing, but what of the children and the rest of the families who'll be left behind? When a loved one has gone away with no guarantee of ever coming back, the worst is not knowing what's happened to that loved one. How exactly does a child of a soldier view war and the army? The child - heck, all of the family - will only think about and dwell on his/her parent, hoping and waiting for them to return from war.
But even if the parent does come back, will they be the same as they were before they left? War affects people internally as much as externally, if not more so. For after war, nothing will ever be the same again.
Suzy was lucky that her dad was away only for one year. He lived to see his wife and children again. A lot of other children - of the past and present - are not so fortunate.
Suzanne Collins clearly shows that she knows and understands what war and devastating conflicts do to people in her 'Hunger Games' trilogy of books. Reading about her childhood in a picture book got me thinking more deeply about her views and experiences as a writer. I've yet to read her earlier work, the 'Gregor The Overlander' series, but now I can't wait to. I want to see more of her observations of war and of the beauty and sadness of humanity; plus her magic touch at creating realistic emotions, harrowing atmospheres, and endearing characters.
So that's my review of 'Year of the Jungle': sweet, simple-yet-sad, and relevant to both children and adults. Even if the childlike water-painted artwork does remind me of Lauren Child's 'Charlie and Lola', and of that Flora TV ad where two thoughtful kids go to their parents' bedroom only to find them having sex ('Flora Wrestlers' - go check it out if you haven't yet. WTF-ness - for daytime telly!)
Righty then, I'll just leave it there. Along with my favourite line of the picture book:
'How long is a year? A year is long.' - page 30.
Final Score: 4/5
A touching but also sincere picture book from the author of the acclaimed 'Hunger Games' series.
Suzanne Collins tells of the time in her childhood when her father went to war in Vietnam for a whole year. Suzy - as she was called then - describes her feelings - and how people around her react to her situation - in a way only an innocent first-grader can. She is curious and confused, and not naive enough to believe that her dad isn't in any real danger and will be back soon; safe and sound and just like he used to be before he left. Other emotions she feels are anxiety and impatience. However, those sad postcards (Dad looking out for her so much that he'll keep referring to her cat Rascal - a link to home life) and the horrifying news on the TV won't stop Suzy from trying to be imaginative and positive. Her dad is in a jungle, so she imagines he's with some fun animals. All should be okay in the end, right?
Suzy misses her dad very much, and the closer the time when he is meant to be back comes, the more worried and less hopeful she gets. She is really scared. For, as the TV clearly shows, not all soldiers make it back from Vietnam alive.
'Year of the Jungle' tackles themes which still have relevance to this day, and probably will keep being relevant in the future of humankind. Going to war is a terrible, frightening thing, but what of the children and the rest of the families who'll be left behind? When a loved one has gone away with no guarantee of ever coming back, the worst is not knowing what's happened to that loved one. How exactly does a child of a soldier view war and the army? The child - heck, all of the family - will only think about and dwell on his/her parent, hoping and waiting for them to return from war.
But even if the parent does come back, will they be the same as they were before they left? War affects people internally as much as externally, if not more so. For after war, nothing will ever be the same again.
Suzy was lucky that her dad was away only for one year. He lived to see his wife and children again. A lot of other children - of the past and present - are not so fortunate.
Suzanne Collins clearly shows that she knows and understands what war and devastating conflicts do to people in her 'Hunger Games' trilogy of books. Reading about her childhood in a picture book got me thinking more deeply about her views and experiences as a writer. I've yet to read her earlier work, the 'Gregor The Overlander' series, but now I can't wait to. I want to see more of her observations of war and of the beauty and sadness of humanity; plus her magic touch at creating realistic emotions, harrowing atmospheres, and endearing characters.
So that's my review of 'Year of the Jungle': sweet, simple-yet-sad, and relevant to both children and adults. Even if the childlike water-painted artwork does remind me of Lauren Child's 'Charlie and Lola', and of that Flora TV ad where two thoughtful kids go to their parents' bedroom only to find them having sex ('Flora Wrestlers' - go check it out if you haven't yet. WTF-ness - for daytime telly!)
Righty then, I'll just leave it there. Along with my favourite line of the picture book:
'How long is a year? A year is long.' - page 30.
Final Score: 4/5
Thursday 17 April 2014
Friday 11 April 2014
Thursday 10 April 2014
Manga Review - 'Emma, Vol. 01' by Kaoru Mori
2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
What a lovely manga - from what I can remember, anyway - set in Victorian London. The Mangaka Kaoru Mori is a self-professed Anglophile and has done great extensive research when working on 'Emma'. It shows. I clearly recall the artwork being outstanding, with the most minute details thriving. The story - told in episodic chapters - and the characters are done nicely also.
'Emma' (no relation to the Jane Austen novel) is about a rather plain young woman who's been lucky enough to become a maid to an upper middle-class retired governess, after surviving abandonment and poverty at birth. The manga chiefly revolves around the blushing romance between Emma and the rich William Jones, the governess's former pupil. The first volume especially draws you into the simple but steadily-developed little romance between two people of entirely different backgrounds. Nothing special I admit, but it's cute. It was never boring for me because of the characters and their quirks (William is shy and very boyish, the Indian prince is eccentric and also in love with Emma, etc). My favourite has to be the governess (even though I can't really remember her name - Kelly, is it?) for she's very witty and sage-like for a woman of her time. With age comes experience, after all. Emma herself is pretty bland and Mary-Sue-ish (rich men fall in love with her despite her position and not being that good-looking), and is so passive she hardly seems to be much involved in her own story. But I could tell that she tries to manage well under her circumstances, and is kind and treats others fairly when she feels they deserve it. She is grateful for her job at a very difficult time period for a woman of her upbringing, and knows when to treat people with respect.
I've mentioned already about the artwork looking fantastic.
I have not read future volumes because they're very expensive online and I can't find them anywhere else. The anime isn't exactly easy to search for either. I'm not too fussed, however, even if I am a little curious to see how Emma and William's relationship develops further.
'Emma' - recommended for manga fans wanting to read something very different, and for those who like Victorian titles and romances.
Final Score: 4/5
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
What a lovely manga - from what I can remember, anyway - set in Victorian London. The Mangaka Kaoru Mori is a self-professed Anglophile and has done great extensive research when working on 'Emma'. It shows. I clearly recall the artwork being outstanding, with the most minute details thriving. The story - told in episodic chapters - and the characters are done nicely also.
'Emma' (no relation to the Jane Austen novel) is about a rather plain young woman who's been lucky enough to become a maid to an upper middle-class retired governess, after surviving abandonment and poverty at birth. The manga chiefly revolves around the blushing romance between Emma and the rich William Jones, the governess's former pupil. The first volume especially draws you into the simple but steadily-developed little romance between two people of entirely different backgrounds. Nothing special I admit, but it's cute. It was never boring for me because of the characters and their quirks (William is shy and very boyish, the Indian prince is eccentric and also in love with Emma, etc). My favourite has to be the governess (even though I can't really remember her name - Kelly, is it?) for she's very witty and sage-like for a woman of her time. With age comes experience, after all. Emma herself is pretty bland and Mary-Sue-ish (rich men fall in love with her despite her position and not being that good-looking), and is so passive she hardly seems to be much involved in her own story. But I could tell that she tries to manage well under her circumstances, and is kind and treats others fairly when she feels they deserve it. She is grateful for her job at a very difficult time period for a woman of her upbringing, and knows when to treat people with respect.
I've mentioned already about the artwork looking fantastic.
I have not read future volumes because they're very expensive online and I can't find them anywhere else. The anime isn't exactly easy to search for either. I'm not too fussed, however, even if I am a little curious to see how Emma and William's relationship develops further.
'Emma' - recommended for manga fans wanting to read something very different, and for those who like Victorian titles and romances.
Final Score: 4/5
Manga Review - 'Bunny Drop 1' by Yumi Unita
2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
A manga with a more realistic touch than what I'm used to. But it certainly isn't the same-old slice-of-life drama seen before either (how many manga can you think of in which the thirty-year-old bachelor protag adopts his late grandfather's illegitimate little child?)
'Bunny Drop' (or 'Usagi Drop' in Japanese) is a story about the responsibilities adults must face up to, but too often they forget the most basic lessons in maturity because they are too wrapped up in their own lives and problems. This becomes even more obvious whenever a child is involved. Daikichi decides to take in Rin, his six-year-old aunt, after his grandfather dies and she has no one else who is willing to look after her. Rin is an inquisitive but shy and deeply insecure kid who cannot help the circumstances surrounding her birth - her very existence - and so Daikichi makes it his responsibility to raise her. She fears people leaving her, and it is up to our adult protagonist to grow to love her and become the parental figure she needs.
He quits smoking, considers getting life insurance, helps Rin when he finds out she hides evidence whenever she wets the bed, and enrols her at a school that is not far from both his house and his workplace. Parenting is no easy task and not to be taken on a whim, as Daikichi quickly realises. Then there's his family and friends chastising him, his love life, wondering whether to get involved when Rin starts making friends at school, and solving the mystery of who her mother is and where she's got to...
'Bunny Drop 1' is a sweet and adorable manga, with a simplistic art style that compliments it tenderly. As a first volume it could have had more to it, but it works fine on its own nonetheless. 'Bunny Drop' is about family and sticking together when in need.
Sadly, however, I won't be reading future volumes; because yes, I've unfortunately heard about what's to come and how the story completely butchers the parent-and-child theme it had going for it. We don't get many of those kinds of stories and I'd thought 'Bunny Drop' would be a breath of fresh air. But it ends up just like the majority of manga/anime out there, which seem to think that there can be only one form of love and one way for people to be together. No more spoilers from here, but darn how... disappointing.
Oh well, never mind. It's only fiction, no matter how realistic.
Final Score: 4/5
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
A manga with a more realistic touch than what I'm used to. But it certainly isn't the same-old slice-of-life drama seen before either (how many manga can you think of in which the thirty-year-old bachelor protag adopts his late grandfather's illegitimate little child?)
'Bunny Drop' (or 'Usagi Drop' in Japanese) is a story about the responsibilities adults must face up to, but too often they forget the most basic lessons in maturity because they are too wrapped up in their own lives and problems. This becomes even more obvious whenever a child is involved. Daikichi decides to take in Rin, his six-year-old aunt, after his grandfather dies and she has no one else who is willing to look after her. Rin is an inquisitive but shy and deeply insecure kid who cannot help the circumstances surrounding her birth - her very existence - and so Daikichi makes it his responsibility to raise her. She fears people leaving her, and it is up to our adult protagonist to grow to love her and become the parental figure she needs.
He quits smoking, considers getting life insurance, helps Rin when he finds out she hides evidence whenever she wets the bed, and enrols her at a school that is not far from both his house and his workplace. Parenting is no easy task and not to be taken on a whim, as Daikichi quickly realises. Then there's his family and friends chastising him, his love life, wondering whether to get involved when Rin starts making friends at school, and solving the mystery of who her mother is and where she's got to...
'Bunny Drop 1' is a sweet and adorable manga, with a simplistic art style that compliments it tenderly. As a first volume it could have had more to it, but it works fine on its own nonetheless. 'Bunny Drop' is about family and sticking together when in need.
Sadly, however, I won't be reading future volumes; because yes, I've unfortunately heard about what's to come and how the story completely butchers the parent-and-child theme it had going for it. We don't get many of those kinds of stories and I'd thought 'Bunny Drop' would be a breath of fresh air. But it ends up just like the majority of manga/anime out there, which seem to think that there can be only one form of love and one way for people to be together. No more spoilers from here, but darn how... disappointing.
Oh well, never mind. It's only fiction, no matter how realistic.
Final Score: 4/5
Wednesday 9 April 2014
Book Review - 'A Monster Calls' by Patrick Ness
2021 EDIT: A revolutionary and important piece of literature, although not without its flaws, as much as it pains me to say it.
I hate the bully characters (insomuch as they can be called characters), and what is the deal with Harry, anyway? Let me tell you right now: no thirteen-year-old British schoolboy acts likes he does. No thirteen-year-old British schoolboy talks like he does. How can he be so sophisticated and understanding enough to abuse an innocent, suffering victim - to know exactly what buttons to push - like a sociopath? Why does he even bother? What does he get out of it? Most adults don't act like he does - especially not when they're literally being beaten up, tossed around and sent flying across a school cafeteria, and even then, Harry, still calm, verbally and psychologically tortures Conor, his victim and provoked attacker, while shrugging off a bleeding headwound. This is the behaviour of a psychopath. He is thirteen!
And I swear I never want to see the phrase, "[so-and-so] let out a breath [he/she] hadn't known [he/she] was holding", or some variation of that, ever again. That cliched line is in too many books. It's lost whatever meaning and effect it might've had once, a very, very long time ago, and it should be banned. Or at least, editors should be given the option to remove it completely as soon as they see it in a draft.
The tree monster's stories, without their "twist endings", are merely trite, old fashioned fairy tales, too; particularly in their gender roles, where women are either young, beautiful damsels and dead victims, or older evil witches and queens. They don't do anything. They barely have a presence. They exist only in relation to the male lead characters. Why is it that women's beauty - which is either a good and pure trait or a sign of suspicion and deception depending on how old she is - has to be emphasised in everything, like that's the only important thing about her? Is this something to do with Conor and how he views women?
And poor Lily...
But the adults turn out to be not so frustratingly clueless and useless, so there's that.
Overall, the harrowing, heartwrenching effect of 'A Monster Calls' is as strong as ever. The ending is fantastic, making the wait completely worth it. I liked and understood the tree monster at last, and it grew on me, pun unintended. The suspense, the depiction of grief, is real. Shudderingly real. You'll feel like you can barely breathe; like you can barely pass through the pain as you read the end. It's tearful. It's suffocating. It'll hurt.
Certainly not an easy book to read for anyone, no matter who you are. It's hard, but it is vital nonetheless.
And I never want to read it again. Such a small yet real (for the most part) story can be a lot to bear. Life, humans and stories can be terrible.
Time to part ways, 'A Monster Calls', but I will remember you.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
I honestly don't know why it took me so long to decide to read this book. The premise that sounded to me like another "been-there-done-that"? The binding and cover? I'm not sure.
Nearly all my Goodreads friends and the people I follow there have read it and loved it, and in time I finally felt like I was missing out on something worthwhile and amazing.
As you can probably guess, I'm glad to have finally given 'A Monster Calls' a chance, for it is not only a beautiful book, but an important one. Written by award-winning author Patrick Ness, based on the original idea by another award-winning YA author, Siobhan Dowd, who died of cancer at the age of forty-seven before she could write word to paper.
In regards to this masterwork, I know it'll be hard to say what so many others haven't said already - and even harder to express my feelings and thoughts about it - but I'll try anyway.
'A Monster Calls' is not a children's book, nor is it an easy book for a human being to read. Despite its title, its ultimate theme concerns what it means to deal with the loss of a loved one - more specifically, a parent - and what waiting for the inevitable to happen does to people and how it changes everything. It is dark, brutally honest, and holds nothing back. But like all good sad stories, there is a message of hope; a hope which tells you that when the inevitable finally comes, you have the power within yourself to cope - not just for yourself but for others who you'll find are also suffering and are dealing with the pain in their own way. An obviously manipulative sad story can leave you feeling nothing and like you have learned nothing - the emotions are hollow and fabricated desperately for the sake of making the audience cry. A good sad story sings in earnest; from genuine emotions being displayed, because the author has experienced life to the full; he/she knows what he/she is doing, and knows how human fears and hardships come about.
Rambling aside, 'A Monster Calls' works as a heartbreaking sad tale because the author clearly knows what it feels like to face losing a family member, and how best to rise from it. Good heavens, the fear Patrick Ness expresses twists a knife of truth in his reader's heart.
Because losing a family member is something that is inevitable and something that must be faced one day, if it hasn't happened already. Lest we break and the nightmares consume us in our refusal to confront the truth when reality sets its unfair life cycle on us mere mortals. This is even more difficult - not to mention crueller - for a child to deal with. What monsters do these children come up against: both in the real world - with overbearing families and distant and uncertain schools - and in their own heads and hearts?
Thirteen-year-old British schoolboy Conor O'Malley is experiencing just this in 'A Monster Calls'. He keeps waiting and hoping for his mother to get better from her treatments. And all the while his grandma is interfering and can't find the right way to "have the talk" with him about the horrifying inevitable. Plus his father can't stay with him for long because he has a life in America with a new family, and the people at his school don't know how to help him (similar to how he can't help himself and others). They avoid him, or bully him to get a reaction from him in order to find out what it is he truly wants.
Conor is hurting in practically every way. At home he feels useless, and at school he feels invisible, like a ghost. He cannot speak about his fear and pain and what he wants. He doesn't want to, for he is hiding from reality and just wants things to be normal and as they were before. More negative emotions arise, including anger. Too much bottled-up fear and despair can be destructive.
And then one night, an ancient monster of the earth - different from the monster of darkness from the same nightmare Conor's had since his mother told him she's ill - comes to the lonely and grieving boy. This monster claims he called to it.
This monster wants something Conor refuses to acknowledge or give. The truth.
I love all the characters in 'A Monster Calls'. All ring true of real people, including Conor himself whose grief feels so genuine in a child reaching adulthood. His mother is wonderful and imperfect, trying to be brave for her young son and thinking of his needs in a way only a mother can. She reminds me why mothers are so important in our lives, and why losing them is one of the worst things that can happen to us, especially when we're young. Even Conor's father I understand, despite him not appearing in the book much.
But of course the highlight of this tragic tale is the monster itself. I love its dialogue and the conversations it has with Conor, which are funny - almost whimsical, even - and also scary. The stories the monster tells him each night teach Conor that there are multiple sides to every event, and that people are very complex with no black/white morality. So everyone, especially those close to you, should be treated with respect, and in turn they might treat you the same. I understood that the monster is helping Conor to help himself, and so the psychological element of the story is strong in that perhaps this monster symbolises the boy's inner truth wanting to get out (while the nightmare monster symbolises his devouring and collapsing denial in order not to deal with the truth).
The truth can set us free. Currently I find there are no other stories out there that showcase this message as effectively, intelligently and powerfully as 'A Monster Calls' does.
The artwork by Jim Kay is terrific and adds much to the haunting tragedy of the tale. In that respect it does remind me of 'The Graveyard Book' by Neil Gaiman; in a twisted deception that this is indeed a children's story.
Well, maybe it is. I think everyone should give 'A Monster Calls' a chance because its themes and issues are timeless and affect everyone, regardless of age. And that is what makes it so beautiful. That is what makes it so important.
One negative I can possibly call attention to is that a few story arcs don't end in a satisfactory manner, such as Conor possibly patching things up with an old school friend. The boy who bullies him is way too mature (if such a word can even describe a bully) for a thirteen-year-old - how can he know just what buttons to press to make Conor react to him? It's never made clear if the bully knows what Conor is going through.
But life is full of mysteries and things we can't or don't wish to understand - another thing 'A Monster Calls' is about. I have heard it said that it is a book about everything. From a human perspective, it most probably is.
Enlightening and harrowing with truths we must admit to, and I love it.
Final Score: 4.5/5
I hate the bully characters (insomuch as they can be called characters), and what is the deal with Harry, anyway? Let me tell you right now: no thirteen-year-old British schoolboy acts likes he does. No thirteen-year-old British schoolboy talks like he does. How can he be so sophisticated and understanding enough to abuse an innocent, suffering victim - to know exactly what buttons to push - like a sociopath? Why does he even bother? What does he get out of it? Most adults don't act like he does - especially not when they're literally being beaten up, tossed around and sent flying across a school cafeteria, and even then, Harry, still calm, verbally and psychologically tortures Conor, his victim and provoked attacker, while shrugging off a bleeding headwound. This is the behaviour of a psychopath. He is thirteen!
And I swear I never want to see the phrase, "[so-and-so] let out a breath [he/she] hadn't known [he/she] was holding", or some variation of that, ever again. That cliched line is in too many books. It's lost whatever meaning and effect it might've had once, a very, very long time ago, and it should be banned. Or at least, editors should be given the option to remove it completely as soon as they see it in a draft.
The tree monster's stories, without their "twist endings", are merely trite, old fashioned fairy tales, too; particularly in their gender roles, where women are either young, beautiful damsels and dead victims, or older evil witches and queens. They don't do anything. They barely have a presence. They exist only in relation to the male lead characters. Why is it that women's beauty - which is either a good and pure trait or a sign of suspicion and deception depending on how old she is - has to be emphasised in everything, like that's the only important thing about her? Is this something to do with Conor and how he views women?
And poor Lily...
But the adults turn out to be not so frustratingly clueless and useless, so there's that.
Overall, the harrowing, heartwrenching effect of 'A Monster Calls' is as strong as ever. The ending is fantastic, making the wait completely worth it. I liked and understood the tree monster at last, and it grew on me, pun unintended. The suspense, the depiction of grief, is real. Shudderingly real. You'll feel like you can barely breathe; like you can barely pass through the pain as you read the end. It's tearful. It's suffocating. It'll hurt.
Certainly not an easy book to read for anyone, no matter who you are. It's hard, but it is vital nonetheless.
And I never want to read it again. Such a small yet real (for the most part) story can be a lot to bear. Life, humans and stories can be terrible.
Time to part ways, 'A Monster Calls', but I will remember you.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
I honestly don't know why it took me so long to decide to read this book. The premise that sounded to me like another "been-there-done-that"? The binding and cover? I'm not sure.
Nearly all my Goodreads friends and the people I follow there have read it and loved it, and in time I finally felt like I was missing out on something worthwhile and amazing.
As you can probably guess, I'm glad to have finally given 'A Monster Calls' a chance, for it is not only a beautiful book, but an important one. Written by award-winning author Patrick Ness, based on the original idea by another award-winning YA author, Siobhan Dowd, who died of cancer at the age of forty-seven before she could write word to paper.
In regards to this masterwork, I know it'll be hard to say what so many others haven't said already - and even harder to express my feelings and thoughts about it - but I'll try anyway.
'A Monster Calls' is not a children's book, nor is it an easy book for a human being to read. Despite its title, its ultimate theme concerns what it means to deal with the loss of a loved one - more specifically, a parent - and what waiting for the inevitable to happen does to people and how it changes everything. It is dark, brutally honest, and holds nothing back. But like all good sad stories, there is a message of hope; a hope which tells you that when the inevitable finally comes, you have the power within yourself to cope - not just for yourself but for others who you'll find are also suffering and are dealing with the pain in their own way. An obviously manipulative sad story can leave you feeling nothing and like you have learned nothing - the emotions are hollow and fabricated desperately for the sake of making the audience cry. A good sad story sings in earnest; from genuine emotions being displayed, because the author has experienced life to the full; he/she knows what he/she is doing, and knows how human fears and hardships come about.
Rambling aside, 'A Monster Calls' works as a heartbreaking sad tale because the author clearly knows what it feels like to face losing a family member, and how best to rise from it. Good heavens, the fear Patrick Ness expresses twists a knife of truth in his reader's heart.
Because losing a family member is something that is inevitable and something that must be faced one day, if it hasn't happened already. Lest we break and the nightmares consume us in our refusal to confront the truth when reality sets its unfair life cycle on us mere mortals. This is even more difficult - not to mention crueller - for a child to deal with. What monsters do these children come up against: both in the real world - with overbearing families and distant and uncertain schools - and in their own heads and hearts?
Thirteen-year-old British schoolboy Conor O'Malley is experiencing just this in 'A Monster Calls'. He keeps waiting and hoping for his mother to get better from her treatments. And all the while his grandma is interfering and can't find the right way to "have the talk" with him about the horrifying inevitable. Plus his father can't stay with him for long because he has a life in America with a new family, and the people at his school don't know how to help him (similar to how he can't help himself and others). They avoid him, or bully him to get a reaction from him in order to find out what it is he truly wants.
Conor is hurting in practically every way. At home he feels useless, and at school he feels invisible, like a ghost. He cannot speak about his fear and pain and what he wants. He doesn't want to, for he is hiding from reality and just wants things to be normal and as they were before. More negative emotions arise, including anger. Too much bottled-up fear and despair can be destructive.
And then one night, an ancient monster of the earth - different from the monster of darkness from the same nightmare Conor's had since his mother told him she's ill - comes to the lonely and grieving boy. This monster claims he called to it.
This monster wants something Conor refuses to acknowledge or give. The truth.
I love all the characters in 'A Monster Calls'. All ring true of real people, including Conor himself whose grief feels so genuine in a child reaching adulthood. His mother is wonderful and imperfect, trying to be brave for her young son and thinking of his needs in a way only a mother can. She reminds me why mothers are so important in our lives, and why losing them is one of the worst things that can happen to us, especially when we're young. Even Conor's father I understand, despite him not appearing in the book much.
But of course the highlight of this tragic tale is the monster itself. I love its dialogue and the conversations it has with Conor, which are funny - almost whimsical, even - and also scary. The stories the monster tells him each night teach Conor that there are multiple sides to every event, and that people are very complex with no black/white morality. So everyone, especially those close to you, should be treated with respect, and in turn they might treat you the same. I understood that the monster is helping Conor to help himself, and so the psychological element of the story is strong in that perhaps this monster symbolises the boy's inner truth wanting to get out (while the nightmare monster symbolises his devouring and collapsing denial in order not to deal with the truth).
The truth can set us free. Currently I find there are no other stories out there that showcase this message as effectively, intelligently and powerfully as 'A Monster Calls' does.
The artwork by Jim Kay is terrific and adds much to the haunting tragedy of the tale. In that respect it does remind me of 'The Graveyard Book' by Neil Gaiman; in a twisted deception that this is indeed a children's story.
Well, maybe it is. I think everyone should give 'A Monster Calls' a chance because its themes and issues are timeless and affect everyone, regardless of age. And that is what makes it so beautiful. That is what makes it so important.
One negative I can possibly call attention to is that a few story arcs don't end in a satisfactory manner, such as Conor possibly patching things up with an old school friend. The boy who bullies him is way too mature (if such a word can even describe a bully) for a thirteen-year-old - how can he know just what buttons to press to make Conor react to him? It's never made clear if the bully knows what Conor is going through.
But life is full of mysteries and things we can't or don't wish to understand - another thing 'A Monster Calls' is about. I have heard it said that it is a book about everything. From a human perspective, it most probably is.
Enlightening and harrowing with truths we must admit to, and I love it.
Final Score: 4.5/5
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