Happy Halloween everybody!
Get into those costumes (which really don't have to be sexy, just be scary) on this night of the witches. Like a certain Internet Witch who's been too busy preparing for this season - the time of Samhain - to do much reading. But be sure I'll come flying back!!! For a spell!!! woooohahahahahahahaaaaaaaaa!!!
(Seriously though, hope you have fun :)
Friday 31 October 2014
Thursday 16 October 2014
Not the most important news right now, but there'll be THREE films based on 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'. I love 'Harry Potter', but there is a time when a franchise needs to end, and when even the most hardcore fans are happy for it to finish; before what they love gets milked dry into an undead, commercialised cash cow. Making so many spin offs and sequels is a waste. Give me original ideas any day :)
Tuesday 14 October 2014
Book Review - 'Dorothy Must Die' by Danielle Paige
2020 EDIT: Oh well, another removal from my shelf.
'Dorothy Must Die' is grisly, dark, horrific, and even a little funny and clever. It is well written in its fully realised imagery and characterisation. But a few tropes bug me: such as the love triangle (which includes the "bad boy" arsehole main love interest archetype), and everyone keeping secrets from the protagonist for no reason other than providing a mystery to the story. It's very annoying. There's the underlining implication that men are better rulers than women, because women are easily corrupted by power, and turn evil or incompetent or both. We really don't need more of this problematic storytelling crap, that in no way reflects reality, thank you very much. THAT needs to die, not Dorothy.
Then there's the slut shaming and girl-on-girl hate, as I stated in my original review: Whore = pure evil with no redeeming qualities. Girl-on-girl hate is as normal as breathing. Confident sexuality and power in girls can literally bring the death of us all. I know these are most likely not what Ms Paige was intentionally writing in subtext. It's just sad to see this damaging medieval ideal still present in YA. It's more internalised misogyny in the book's subtext, and it's not comfortable to read about. "Bitch" is said a few times, too, without any self-awareness.
The dialogue can be odd too, and there are not enough "Please"'s and "Thank you"'s and "How are you?"'s from the characters whose lives were just saved. Why is no one polite, or honest? Everyone has an ulterior motive for the heroine, and it's aggravating. There are plot contrivances, and the "chosen one" heroine doesn't do a lot on her own, with her own agency. Death, grief and bloody violence don't really effect her as much as it should.
There's not much diverse rep as far as I can tell, either.
Thus, I did not ecstatically enjoy 'Dorothy Must Die' on the reread years later.
From now on, the only 'The Wizard of Oz'-related stuff for me are the movie, the sequel, 'Return to Oz', and the musical, 'Wicked'.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
Mutant lions and rats and disembodiments, oh my!
How I adored this book!
'Dorothy Must Die'. How can anyone resist a grabbing title like that? It contains many things that I love: a hard-as-nails, takes-no-shit heroine, sweetness twisted into darkness and macabre, the complex and grey morality of people under a sick tyrannical regime, a prominent cast of wonderful female characters, meaningful character deaths, animals, and a study of what constitutes as being good and evil. Above all I think that 'Dorothy Must Die' really delves into the heart of Oz and the question, "Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?"
Before I continue any further, a little backstory is needed. 'The Wizard of Oz' is one of my favourite movies. I love the colours, the characters, the political satire, the foreshadowing, the practically perfect story structure, and the passion and fun onscreen, with darkness added for great measure. That it is over seventy years old now and is still considered a timeless classic says an awful lot. I have only read the first Oz book by L. Frank Baum, not having gotten around to reading any of the sequels. Despite this I still consider myself to be a fan of 'The Wizard of Oz' and all that comes with it. (Although I don't care for Hollywood's recent dull and generic prequel, 'Oz the Great and Powerful', and I've yet to see the new animated film which I hear is rather terrible). The Broadway hit 'Wicked' is my second favourite musical (the first being 'Evita'); Elphaba may be my all-time favourite female character, period. (The lifeless, poorly executed mess of a book the musical's based on can remain in obscurity as far as I'm concerned). It holds as much mass appeal as the movie; garnering both their successes.
So naturally when I heard about 'Dorothy Must Die', yet another tale based on the Oz franchise that deconstructs its core themes and goes in a darker direction than what we are comfortable with, I knew I had to check it out. I wanted it like one would want Dorothy's sparkling, mesmerising red slippers.
'Dorothy Must Die' is very violent and gory for YA. It might not show up a lot at first, but wait patiently my dearies, because my goodness does it take a level of slasher horror up to eleven in the last quarter. Enough to make even the least-squeamish reader feel sick to the stomach. But, dark as it mostly is, there remains a real beating heart throughout. It is well-written, the dialogue between the characters is snappy and brings them to life full force, and the colourful imagery is very easy to picture. As a side note: I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that the author, Danielle Paige, is an anime fan, because I could really envision each character and scene in 'Dorothy Must Die' as belonging to an anime series. I sure as heck can see it being hyped as a new anime hit. The action scenes especially help this speculation, and the protag, Amy, even has pink hair! (Dyed, yes, but all the same!)
No character can be called purely "good": Everyone has ulterior motives, since the magical fairy world of Oz has been turned into a nightmare. No one can be trusted, and "good" and "wicked" are now blurred so thinly together the words don't mean anything anymore. This is all thanks to Dorothy coming back and taking all the wonderful magic for herself. Yes, innocent and saccharine Dorothy, the heroine of Oz, is a wicked witch and a tyrant in this story (and oooooh does she exude her power in the most evil and tortuous ways imaginable *shudders*). But more on her later.
The main character of 'Dorothy Must Die', and the potential new hero of Oz, is Amy Gumm. It's always lovely to see a YA teen heroine with some backbone and common sense. This girl's a survivor. And well she should be, considering how hard her life is. She lives in a trailer park (hence, her nickname at school is Trailer Trash) in Dusty Acres, Kansas, after her dad left her mum for another woman. Her mum is a drug addict and behaves like she prefers Amy didn't exist, despite Amy's tiresome efforts to help her. The only one she can very loosely call a friend is her mum's beloved pet rat, Star. One night, after getting suspended from school for "fighting" (meaning: she was blameless) the pregnant and popular Alpha Bitch Madison Pendleton, and after her mum leaves her for a "tornado party" (WTF?), Amy's trailer is swept up by the coming storm. In a cyclone. With her and Star the rat trapped inside (Star will be playing for Amy the same role Toto played for Dorothy). Sure enough, Amy then finds herself in Oz.
And it is not the Oz she knows from the famous film or the books.
While she does get rescued by a beautiful boy, afterwards Amy is left alone to wonder the desolate, drained and lifeless land of Oz. She comes across many allies, enemies, and people who are both, on her journey: a Goth Munchkin, a sadistically-nice slave driver Glinda (so she's not that different from how she is in the film then, hi ohh!), a talking monkey with his wings deliberately cut off, a sociopathic Tin Woodman, the tyrant Princess Dorothy herself, a surgeon Scarecrow who makes Sweeney Todd look like a Care Bear, a Lion who literally feeds on the fear of others and is a horrific beast, a supposedly brain-drained Ozma, and the witches of the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked who aim to kill Dorothy at any cost - and believe fellow Kansas girl Amy to be the one who can do the good deed.
They set out to train her in assassination, espionage, tea drinking and table manners. There are also the Emerald Castle maids, the Wizard's sudden appearance (Dorothy distrusts him but she thinks she can use him to her advantage), and a whole maze of questions that Amy is just not getting any answers to from anyone. For she can't trust anyone.
Can she even trust herself?
Amy Gumm, in a world she doesn't understand, but at the same time doesn't wish to go home like Dorothy once did, must decide on her own what is best for Oz as it is now. Will she kill Dorothy? Can this ordinary teenager truly become an assassin? She learns how to use magic from the Wicked witches' lessons, but is she a good witch? Back home she had tried her best to be good. She has a habit of talking back when it won't help her situation, and while she can be selfish sometimes, she's very brave when she feels she's doing the right thing (she is capable of making her own decisions, another reason to root for her).
Amy's certainly never thought of herself as a potential murderer, even if the person she's going to murder deserves it, for the "greater good". Dorothy's killed many people and made Ozians suffer for too long. But what if it's not her fault? Magic has changed Dorothy, corrupted her, twisted her innocence into something heartless. Empty. Power of any kind can do that to anyone.
Is it possible that that power will rise to corrupt Amy too, given the chance?
Good and evil, who will prevail? Whatever the outcome, will it even matter anymore?
Life is about the choices we make, good or wicked. Which path will Amy end up choosing, so she doesn't end up like the former hero of Oz, Dorothy Gale, who's now the new wicked witch to slay?
Amy and Dorothy are two sides of the same coin. They are alike in that they come from Kansas, but the similarities might end there. Amy came from nothing, but in Oz and with the mission she is given by those she barely trusts, she grows to become someone of worth. She just has to make sure that glory and power do not go to her head and change her for the worst...
Although I find it hard to stomach that our genre-savvy Amy could end up any worse than Dorothy.
Now that I've talked to death about the heroine and how the plot goes about, let's talk a smidge about the villain. As I read more and more of 'Dorothy Must Die', I saw the significance of the morbid title. If you thought that Dorothy was too much of a goody-two-shoes in 'The Wizard of Oz', boy are you in for a pleasant surprise here! She is twisted, cruel, narcissistic, self-centred, and an unmitigated psychopath. This Dorothy would make any serial killer with a God complex proud! She loves to torture animals and people, and feels no remorse for her actions whatsoever - actions which I can't reveal due to spoilers, but believe me when I say that she is the reason why I'd label 'Dorothy Must Die' as a horror.
She has her henchmen - the Tin Woodman, Scarecrow and the Lion - do most of her dirty work, so she isn't an effective villain in terms of making many appearances in this story. However, her shadowy presence throughout - the petrifying fear she emits in the other characters at the mere mention of her name - is awesome. There is an eerie 'Ninety-Eighty-Four' vibe present once Amy gets to the heart of everything inside the Emerald Castle. Given time and some work, Princess Dorothy could team up with Lord Voldemort in the Rogues Gallery of pop culture baddies.
I've probably overhyped 'Dorothy Must Die' enough already. But while it is a brilliant, daring, clever and fully-realised story, especially for YA, it does contain its share of flaws and cliches that have plagued the genre for nearly a decade now.
I did not care for the romance between Amy and the witch boy Nox. No matter how tragic his backstory is, it doesn't excuse the fact that he's a jerk. Oh he's sorry he's had to hurt Amy, because the Order told him to? So that she'll get angry and unleash her magic? Nothing excuses manipulating and psychologically damaging a confused young girl for "the greater good", when the witches are just using her anyway. And using him too, for that matter. But I still don't care for the romance. It's unnecessary, forced and stupid, even though Amy is smart enough to see it as such.
One good thing I can say about the meagre love plot thread is that it is part of a love triangle which, as it turns out in the last couple of pages of the book, isn't really a love triangle at all. Again, can't explain due to spoilers, but I was so relieved to see another overused trope in the YA genre get sucker punched in the gut in an original path by way of deconstruction.
There is an implication of slut-shaming. The school bully Madison Pendleton wears lots of make-up and revealing clothing. She's catty and clearly meant to be seen as a huge bitch, who could get away with murder because she's heavily pregnant. Then there's Dorothy, whose familiar blue-checked clothing is described as, 'somewhere between haute couture and French hooker. The bodice nipped, tucked and lifted. There was cleavage. Lots of cleavage' (page 87 of my copy). Though in the previous paragraph Amy (and the author too, presumably) comments, 'Not that I was judging', the image, in both cases, is still presented as such: Whore = pure evil with no redeeming qualities. Girl-on-girl hate is as normal as breathing. Confident sexuality and power in girls can literally bring the death of us all. I know these are most likely not what Ms Paige was intentionally writing in subtext. It's just sad to see this damaging medieval ideal still present in YA, more so in a book which does a great job in subverting other YA cliches.
Also, be warned: 'Dorothy Must Die' ends in a cliffhanger. Now, I am not a fan of this trope either, but it isn't as bad as in other YA books that obviously want to be another bestselling trilogy. It is blatant, but the ending to 'Dorothy Must Die' is satisfying enough that I didn't mind the sequel bait much.
One more thing: I wish that Star was given a bigger role, like in the final battle with Dorothy, who is afraid of rodents. But she just disappears once her major function is done. It makes her seem like nothing more than a plot device.
So that was 'Dorothy Must Die' - grim, bold, tense, and fun; especially if you can picture it as an anime. Pages filled with creative imagery, enchanted props, claustrophobic settings, horror and gore, dark magic mixed with hope, a memorable, distinct and diverse cast, significant character development and dynamics, and an ingenious hero-and-villain parallel reminiscent of 'Wicked' the musical. Yeah, in my overall opinion it is pretty awesome.
There is much to like here, and much to talk about. But this review has gone on long enough and I believe I've said what I wanted to say.
But as they say, there's no rest for the Wicked.
Final Score: 4/5
'Dorothy Must Die' is grisly, dark, horrific, and even a little funny and clever. It is well written in its fully realised imagery and characterisation. But a few tropes bug me: such as the love triangle (which includes the "bad boy" arsehole main love interest archetype), and everyone keeping secrets from the protagonist for no reason other than providing a mystery to the story. It's very annoying. There's the underlining implication that men are better rulers than women, because women are easily corrupted by power, and turn evil or incompetent or both. We really don't need more of this problematic storytelling crap, that in no way reflects reality, thank you very much. THAT needs to die, not Dorothy.
Then there's the slut shaming and girl-on-girl hate, as I stated in my original review: Whore = pure evil with no redeeming qualities. Girl-on-girl hate is as normal as breathing. Confident sexuality and power in girls can literally bring the death of us all. I know these are most likely not what Ms Paige was intentionally writing in subtext. It's just sad to see this damaging medieval ideal still present in YA. It's more internalised misogyny in the book's subtext, and it's not comfortable to read about. "Bitch" is said a few times, too, without any self-awareness.
The dialogue can be odd too, and there are not enough "Please"'s and "Thank you"'s and "How are you?"'s from the characters whose lives were just saved. Why is no one polite, or honest? Everyone has an ulterior motive for the heroine, and it's aggravating. There are plot contrivances, and the "chosen one" heroine doesn't do a lot on her own, with her own agency. Death, grief and bloody violence don't really effect her as much as it should.
There's not much diverse rep as far as I can tell, either.
Thus, I did not ecstatically enjoy 'Dorothy Must Die' on the reread years later.
From now on, the only 'The Wizard of Oz'-related stuff for me are the movie, the sequel, 'Return to Oz', and the musical, 'Wicked'.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
Mutant lions and rats and disembodiments, oh my!
How I adored this book!
'Dorothy Must Die'. How can anyone resist a grabbing title like that? It contains many things that I love: a hard-as-nails, takes-no-shit heroine, sweetness twisted into darkness and macabre, the complex and grey morality of people under a sick tyrannical regime, a prominent cast of wonderful female characters, meaningful character deaths, animals, and a study of what constitutes as being good and evil. Above all I think that 'Dorothy Must Die' really delves into the heart of Oz and the question, "Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?"
Before I continue any further, a little backstory is needed. 'The Wizard of Oz' is one of my favourite movies. I love the colours, the characters, the political satire, the foreshadowing, the practically perfect story structure, and the passion and fun onscreen, with darkness added for great measure. That it is over seventy years old now and is still considered a timeless classic says an awful lot. I have only read the first Oz book by L. Frank Baum, not having gotten around to reading any of the sequels. Despite this I still consider myself to be a fan of 'The Wizard of Oz' and all that comes with it. (Although I don't care for Hollywood's recent dull and generic prequel, 'Oz the Great and Powerful', and I've yet to see the new animated film which I hear is rather terrible). The Broadway hit 'Wicked' is my second favourite musical (the first being 'Evita'); Elphaba may be my all-time favourite female character, period. (The lifeless, poorly executed mess of a book the musical's based on can remain in obscurity as far as I'm concerned). It holds as much mass appeal as the movie; garnering both their successes.
So naturally when I heard about 'Dorothy Must Die', yet another tale based on the Oz franchise that deconstructs its core themes and goes in a darker direction than what we are comfortable with, I knew I had to check it out. I wanted it like one would want Dorothy's sparkling, mesmerising red slippers.
'Dorothy Must Die' is very violent and gory for YA. It might not show up a lot at first, but wait patiently my dearies, because my goodness does it take a level of slasher horror up to eleven in the last quarter. Enough to make even the least-squeamish reader feel sick to the stomach. But, dark as it mostly is, there remains a real beating heart throughout. It is well-written, the dialogue between the characters is snappy and brings them to life full force, and the colourful imagery is very easy to picture. As a side note: I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that the author, Danielle Paige, is an anime fan, because I could really envision each character and scene in 'Dorothy Must Die' as belonging to an anime series. I sure as heck can see it being hyped as a new anime hit. The action scenes especially help this speculation, and the protag, Amy, even has pink hair! (Dyed, yes, but all the same!)
No character can be called purely "good": Everyone has ulterior motives, since the magical fairy world of Oz has been turned into a nightmare. No one can be trusted, and "good" and "wicked" are now blurred so thinly together the words don't mean anything anymore. This is all thanks to Dorothy coming back and taking all the wonderful magic for herself. Yes, innocent and saccharine Dorothy, the heroine of Oz, is a wicked witch and a tyrant in this story (and oooooh does she exude her power in the most evil and tortuous ways imaginable *shudders*). But more on her later.
The main character of 'Dorothy Must Die', and the potential new hero of Oz, is Amy Gumm. It's always lovely to see a YA teen heroine with some backbone and common sense. This girl's a survivor. And well she should be, considering how hard her life is. She lives in a trailer park (hence, her nickname at school is Trailer Trash) in Dusty Acres, Kansas, after her dad left her mum for another woman. Her mum is a drug addict and behaves like she prefers Amy didn't exist, despite Amy's tiresome efforts to help her. The only one she can very loosely call a friend is her mum's beloved pet rat, Star. One night, after getting suspended from school for "fighting" (meaning: she was blameless) the pregnant and popular Alpha Bitch Madison Pendleton, and after her mum leaves her for a "tornado party" (WTF?), Amy's trailer is swept up by the coming storm. In a cyclone. With her and Star the rat trapped inside (Star will be playing for Amy the same role Toto played for Dorothy). Sure enough, Amy then finds herself in Oz.
And it is not the Oz she knows from the famous film or the books.
While she does get rescued by a beautiful boy, afterwards Amy is left alone to wonder the desolate, drained and lifeless land of Oz. She comes across many allies, enemies, and people who are both, on her journey: a Goth Munchkin, a sadistically-nice slave driver Glinda (so she's not that different from how she is in the film then, hi ohh!), a talking monkey with his wings deliberately cut off, a sociopathic Tin Woodman, the tyrant Princess Dorothy herself, a surgeon Scarecrow who makes Sweeney Todd look like a Care Bear, a Lion who literally feeds on the fear of others and is a horrific beast, a supposedly brain-drained Ozma, and the witches of the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked who aim to kill Dorothy at any cost - and believe fellow Kansas girl Amy to be the one who can do the good deed.
They set out to train her in assassination, espionage, tea drinking and table manners. There are also the Emerald Castle maids, the Wizard's sudden appearance (Dorothy distrusts him but she thinks she can use him to her advantage), and a whole maze of questions that Amy is just not getting any answers to from anyone. For she can't trust anyone.
Can she even trust herself?
Amy Gumm, in a world she doesn't understand, but at the same time doesn't wish to go home like Dorothy once did, must decide on her own what is best for Oz as it is now. Will she kill Dorothy? Can this ordinary teenager truly become an assassin? She learns how to use magic from the Wicked witches' lessons, but is she a good witch? Back home she had tried her best to be good. She has a habit of talking back when it won't help her situation, and while she can be selfish sometimes, she's very brave when she feels she's doing the right thing (she is capable of making her own decisions, another reason to root for her).
Amy's certainly never thought of herself as a potential murderer, even if the person she's going to murder deserves it, for the "greater good". Dorothy's killed many people and made Ozians suffer for too long. But what if it's not her fault? Magic has changed Dorothy, corrupted her, twisted her innocence into something heartless. Empty. Power of any kind can do that to anyone.
Is it possible that that power will rise to corrupt Amy too, given the chance?
Good and evil, who will prevail? Whatever the outcome, will it even matter anymore?
Life is about the choices we make, good or wicked. Which path will Amy end up choosing, so she doesn't end up like the former hero of Oz, Dorothy Gale, who's now the new wicked witch to slay?
Amy and Dorothy are two sides of the same coin. They are alike in that they come from Kansas, but the similarities might end there. Amy came from nothing, but in Oz and with the mission she is given by those she barely trusts, she grows to become someone of worth. She just has to make sure that glory and power do not go to her head and change her for the worst...
Although I find it hard to stomach that our genre-savvy Amy could end up any worse than Dorothy.
Now that I've talked to death about the heroine and how the plot goes about, let's talk a smidge about the villain. As I read more and more of 'Dorothy Must Die', I saw the significance of the morbid title. If you thought that Dorothy was too much of a goody-two-shoes in 'The Wizard of Oz', boy are you in for a pleasant surprise here! She is twisted, cruel, narcissistic, self-centred, and an unmitigated psychopath. This Dorothy would make any serial killer with a God complex proud! She loves to torture animals and people, and feels no remorse for her actions whatsoever - actions which I can't reveal due to spoilers, but believe me when I say that she is the reason why I'd label 'Dorothy Must Die' as a horror.
She has her henchmen - the Tin Woodman, Scarecrow and the Lion - do most of her dirty work, so she isn't an effective villain in terms of making many appearances in this story. However, her shadowy presence throughout - the petrifying fear she emits in the other characters at the mere mention of her name - is awesome. There is an eerie 'Ninety-Eighty-Four' vibe present once Amy gets to the heart of everything inside the Emerald Castle. Given time and some work, Princess Dorothy could team up with Lord Voldemort in the Rogues Gallery of pop culture baddies.
I've probably overhyped 'Dorothy Must Die' enough already. But while it is a brilliant, daring, clever and fully-realised story, especially for YA, it does contain its share of flaws and cliches that have plagued the genre for nearly a decade now.
I did not care for the romance between Amy and the witch boy Nox. No matter how tragic his backstory is, it doesn't excuse the fact that he's a jerk. Oh he's sorry he's had to hurt Amy, because the Order told him to? So that she'll get angry and unleash her magic? Nothing excuses manipulating and psychologically damaging a confused young girl for "the greater good", when the witches are just using her anyway. And using him too, for that matter. But I still don't care for the romance. It's unnecessary, forced and stupid, even though Amy is smart enough to see it as such.
One good thing I can say about the meagre love plot thread is that it is part of a love triangle which, as it turns out in the last couple of pages of the book, isn't really a love triangle at all. Again, can't explain due to spoilers, but I was so relieved to see another overused trope in the YA genre get sucker punched in the gut in an original path by way of deconstruction.
There is an implication of slut-shaming. The school bully Madison Pendleton wears lots of make-up and revealing clothing. She's catty and clearly meant to be seen as a huge bitch, who could get away with murder because she's heavily pregnant. Then there's Dorothy, whose familiar blue-checked clothing is described as, 'somewhere between haute couture and French hooker. The bodice nipped, tucked and lifted. There was cleavage. Lots of cleavage' (page 87 of my copy). Though in the previous paragraph Amy (and the author too, presumably) comments, 'Not that I was judging', the image, in both cases, is still presented as such: Whore = pure evil with no redeeming qualities. Girl-on-girl hate is as normal as breathing. Confident sexuality and power in girls can literally bring the death of us all. I know these are most likely not what Ms Paige was intentionally writing in subtext. It's just sad to see this damaging medieval ideal still present in YA, more so in a book which does a great job in subverting other YA cliches.
Also, be warned: 'Dorothy Must Die' ends in a cliffhanger. Now, I am not a fan of this trope either, but it isn't as bad as in other YA books that obviously want to be another bestselling trilogy. It is blatant, but the ending to 'Dorothy Must Die' is satisfying enough that I didn't mind the sequel bait much.
One more thing: I wish that Star was given a bigger role, like in the final battle with Dorothy, who is afraid of rodents. But she just disappears once her major function is done. It makes her seem like nothing more than a plot device.
So that was 'Dorothy Must Die' - grim, bold, tense, and fun; especially if you can picture it as an anime. Pages filled with creative imagery, enchanted props, claustrophobic settings, horror and gore, dark magic mixed with hope, a memorable, distinct and diverse cast, significant character development and dynamics, and an ingenious hero-and-villain parallel reminiscent of 'Wicked' the musical. Yeah, in my overall opinion it is pretty awesome.
There is much to like here, and much to talk about. But this review has gone on long enough and I believe I've said what I wanted to say.
But as they say, there's no rest for the Wicked.
Final Score: 4/5
Monday 13 October 2014
Book Review - 'The Prisoner of Heaven' by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Lucia Graves (Translator)
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:
Proof that the majestic, marvellous writing of Carlos Ruiz Zafón can make any story good, or at least enticing enough to make you come back for more.
I say this because there really isn't much of a story in the latest instalment of 'The Cemetery of Forgotten Books' series, 'The Prisoner of Heaven'. I was expecting something set at Christmas time, but only the first part of it is. I see the novel's themes of trust, unconditional love, hope and new beginnings to be very fitting for the holiday setting in the midst a cold and unforgiving winter season. After the new year, change happens, and another adventure is born.
The majority of 'The Prisoner of Heaven' is just telling the backstory of FermÃn Romero de Torres, arguably the most popular character in the series. It's the sequel - not another prequel - to my favourite book, 'The Shadow of the Wind', and the main character is, once again, the ordinary-yet-rich-in-heart-and-soul bookseller Daniel Sempere. But this is really FermÃn's story.
Oh and David Martin, the protagonist of the prequel 'The Angel's Game', plays a vital role in FermÃn's prisoner past. No one even knows if he's still alive. Knowing how much Zafón loves to play around with his reader's expectations as well as his character's lives with his maze of complicated mysteries, David probably is among the living in 1950s Barcelona; a shadow, a fallen angel, a prisoner, a creepy writer.
And Daniel's mother is likely still alive too.
Daniel, FermÃn, David. This triad is linked to the enigmatic and mysterious sanctuary that is Barcelona's Cemetery of Forgotten Books. That and to Spain's other dark, gloomy underground secrets.
I won't bother with a plot synopsis, because I'm sure you can find and read that yourself without me having to recap, or with a long review, because 'The Prisoner of Heaven' is in essence a short introductory novel leading to the epic climax of a final book in a quadrilogy. Or so Carlos Ruiz Zafón says =winkwink=. Nothing much happens here (at least in present day outside of flashbacks, narrated by Daniel), nor is much accomplished, apart from everything appearing happy and peaceful in the end - after all the grave suffering the men in this series have had to put up with in their lives.
However, like with Zafón's previous novels, the atmosphere the writing conveys is gorgeously Gothic; reminiscent of classics published during various revolutionary eras, such as industrial. 'The Prisoner of Heaven' specifically references 'The Count of Monte Cristo' in terms of plot points and angles. Its style is ethereal and yet harsh and solid enough for the reader to really care about the characters, their plights and their eccentric, human quirks.
While on the whole the book and its highlights revolve around the magnificent bastard-with-a-heart-of-gold FermÃn Romero de Torres, Daniel Sempere himself also shines through, as a darker side is very slowly unearthing within this everyday family man. His growing anxieties, grief, experience of jealousy, horror at past truths, and his distrust of those he loves may drive him to despair. Even violence. Despite the efforts of his close friends and family, the world as he knows it is falling apart around him, more so than before. He thirsts for knowledge and more truths because he is tired of not knowing (making the Forgotten Books Cemetery's presence evermore crucial in its symbolism), and he wishes he were wiser. Daniel - a good young man - tastes the first evils of man, similar to how David Martin, decades before him, got involved in the world of corruption.
And revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge.
I can't wait to see how Daniel's character develops in the next sequel.
Above all, the cliffhanger, the anticipation of an unresolved mystery, the fates of the likable characters, hopes for a better, less corrupt future - all make me want to read the final installment of 'The Cemetery of Forgotten Books'. I find that, for a fan girl like me, it doesn't matter if nothing really happens that moves the plot forward with urgency. There is still tension, character development, riddles, an intriguing puzzle to solve... Darn I want to know where this will go and how it will all end! Not necessarily a filler edition, 'The Prisoner of Heaven' is more of a small puzzle piece to a much bigger picture than anything, but it is still worth the read for fans of the series.
'The Prisoner of Heaven' is the crux which sets the wheels going for one final rusting motion, a turning point for an upcoming, beautiful zenith, the debut of a promise of an extreme predicament, of a crowning moment worthy of a Booker prize.
I do kind of wish that the narrative would further resemble a conventional plot - not as obvious as a three-act linear structure, but with more focus at least. Plus, bafflingly, there aren't many references to the events of 'The Shadow of the Wind'. But as usual with Zafón's work, the characters and fascinating prose more than make up for a confusing or unsatisfactory storyline. I can't call it weak or boring, since the writing is addictive and keeps you guessing what's going to unravel in the next chapter.
Unlike a lot of other books ending in a cliffhanger, 'The Prisoner of Heaven' succeeded in leaving me wanting more. So I can forgive its flaws. Last battle, here I come!
Final Score: 3.5/5
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Proof that the majestic, marvellous writing of Carlos Ruiz Zafón can make any story good, or at least enticing enough to make you come back for more.
I say this because there really isn't much of a story in the latest instalment of 'The Cemetery of Forgotten Books' series, 'The Prisoner of Heaven'. I was expecting something set at Christmas time, but only the first part of it is. I see the novel's themes of trust, unconditional love, hope and new beginnings to be very fitting for the holiday setting in the midst a cold and unforgiving winter season. After the new year, change happens, and another adventure is born.
The majority of 'The Prisoner of Heaven' is just telling the backstory of FermÃn Romero de Torres, arguably the most popular character in the series. It's the sequel - not another prequel - to my favourite book, 'The Shadow of the Wind', and the main character is, once again, the ordinary-yet-rich-in-heart-and-soul bookseller Daniel Sempere. But this is really FermÃn's story.
Oh and David Martin, the protagonist of the prequel 'The Angel's Game', plays a vital role in FermÃn's prisoner past. No one even knows if he's still alive. Knowing how much Zafón loves to play around with his reader's expectations as well as his character's lives with his maze of complicated mysteries, David probably is among the living in 1950s Barcelona; a shadow, a fallen angel, a prisoner, a creepy writer.
And Daniel's mother is likely still alive too.
Daniel, FermÃn, David. This triad is linked to the enigmatic and mysterious sanctuary that is Barcelona's Cemetery of Forgotten Books. That and to Spain's other dark, gloomy underground secrets.
I won't bother with a plot synopsis, because I'm sure you can find and read that yourself without me having to recap, or with a long review, because 'The Prisoner of Heaven' is in essence a short introductory novel leading to the epic climax of a final book in a quadrilogy. Or so Carlos Ruiz Zafón says =winkwink=. Nothing much happens here (at least in present day outside of flashbacks, narrated by Daniel), nor is much accomplished, apart from everything appearing happy and peaceful in the end - after all the grave suffering the men in this series have had to put up with in their lives.
However, like with Zafón's previous novels, the atmosphere the writing conveys is gorgeously Gothic; reminiscent of classics published during various revolutionary eras, such as industrial. 'The Prisoner of Heaven' specifically references 'The Count of Monte Cristo' in terms of plot points and angles. Its style is ethereal and yet harsh and solid enough for the reader to really care about the characters, their plights and their eccentric, human quirks.
While on the whole the book and its highlights revolve around the magnificent bastard-with-a-heart-of-gold FermÃn Romero de Torres, Daniel Sempere himself also shines through, as a darker side is very slowly unearthing within this everyday family man. His growing anxieties, grief, experience of jealousy, horror at past truths, and his distrust of those he loves may drive him to despair. Even violence. Despite the efforts of his close friends and family, the world as he knows it is falling apart around him, more so than before. He thirsts for knowledge and more truths because he is tired of not knowing (making the Forgotten Books Cemetery's presence evermore crucial in its symbolism), and he wishes he were wiser. Daniel - a good young man - tastes the first evils of man, similar to how David Martin, decades before him, got involved in the world of corruption.
And revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge.
I can't wait to see how Daniel's character develops in the next sequel.
Above all, the cliffhanger, the anticipation of an unresolved mystery, the fates of the likable characters, hopes for a better, less corrupt future - all make me want to read the final installment of 'The Cemetery of Forgotten Books'. I find that, for a fan girl like me, it doesn't matter if nothing really happens that moves the plot forward with urgency. There is still tension, character development, riddles, an intriguing puzzle to solve... Darn I want to know where this will go and how it will all end! Not necessarily a filler edition, 'The Prisoner of Heaven' is more of a small puzzle piece to a much bigger picture than anything, but it is still worth the read for fans of the series.
'The Prisoner of Heaven' is the crux which sets the wheels going for one final rusting motion, a turning point for an upcoming, beautiful zenith, the debut of a promise of an extreme predicament, of a crowning moment worthy of a Booker prize.
I do kind of wish that the narrative would further resemble a conventional plot - not as obvious as a three-act linear structure, but with more focus at least. Plus, bafflingly, there aren't many references to the events of 'The Shadow of the Wind'. But as usual with Zafón's work, the characters and fascinating prose more than make up for a confusing or unsatisfactory storyline. I can't call it weak or boring, since the writing is addictive and keeps you guessing what's going to unravel in the next chapter.
Unlike a lot of other books ending in a cliffhanger, 'The Prisoner of Heaven' succeeded in leaving me wanting more. So I can forgive its flaws. Last battle, here I come!
Final Score: 3.5/5
Sunday 12 October 2014
Book Review - 'Whisper' by Chrissie Keighery
2021 EDIT: *sigh*
I expected to love 'Whisper' as much as I did the first time.
I didn't.
I'm just going to type up all of my thoughts on the second read of 'Whisper' in one go, one rush; best to get it over with, and out of my system forever. Sorry if I don't seem cohesive, or if I'm rambling, but here I am. Here is what this book has done to me:
I was really into it at first. Demi is a little thoughtless and insensitive towards the deaf, but it's for understandable reasons. If I were a teenager whose world has been turned upside down, and whose life has drastically and permanently changed, I'd probably be the same.
But here's a fact: 'Whisper' uses the most common ableist slur there is (you know the one, it begins with an R) nine times. Casually.
I'll repeat that: this YA book about learning to tolerate and accept the deaf community, and the disabled community as a whole, uses an ableist slur nine times, casually, and even as part of its humour, like it's a punchline , in its 265 pages. Once or twice it is even said on the same page. This was published in 2011, so really, there is no excuse. Maybe it was socially acceptable to use the slur in Australia back then, but I hope not. How did I miss this on my first read of 'Whisper'?
And how did I miss the "us vs them" mentality that is prevalent in the middle of the story? Which suggests that the marginalised are just as bad, just as prejudiced, as the oppressors. Even going so far as to mention that the privileged oppressors in society are in fact not oppressors. Not all of them, anyway.#NotAllMen #NotAllWhitePeople #NotAllHearies. Yeah, how's that working out? It's not. It misses the point that, even if there are extremists "on both sides", the people who are oppressed and victimised just for existing have good reasons to be angry - to be scared, to lash out, to be passionate, to demand to be listened to. Often the overprivileged oppressors have no reason at all for being prejudiced - they're just ignorant or arseholes, not wanting their comfortable, narrowminded lifestyles to be disturbed by the knowledge that the whole world does not revolve around them and their needs. In chapter 21 there is a class "debate" between Demi and the social activist deaf girl, Stella, whose whole family is also deaf, and it is cringeworthy and terrible. Why is Stella presented as a villain? She's 100% right about what she signs. She's lived with deafness her entire life - far longer than Demi - and her similarly disabled family are understanding and supportive of her struggles and anger, and she regularly hangs out with and listens to different groups belonging to the deaf community. So Demi should listen to her and realise that Stella knows what she's talking about. It is in this chapter that Demi is shown to think that hearing people are not oppressing deaf people (which contradicts all of her own personal experiences), and that being deaf and having a disability are nothing to be proud of! Whose side am I meant to be on?
The "both sides" argument is harmful to everyone and helpful to no one. It prevents progress and change.
Thankfully this mindset seems to ease off towards the end of 'Whisper'. But it goes so far as to suggest that Demi, a deaf teenage girl who is only recently adjusting to living as a deaf person, who has been through traumatic experiences, and who is thoughtlessly ignored, patronised and/or made to feel like a burden by nearly every hearing person in her life, is actually thoughtless and selfish herself. Not towards Stella and other deaf people, but to hearing people. Who live literally rich, privileged (white people) lives. You see, the hearies are right: Demi does think that everything should be about her. Never mind her own objectively worse problems, it is she who should be considerate of hearing people and their troubles. She should be helping them, not the other way round. This reads like internalised hatred from a disabled person, and like her own hearing friends and family are gaslighting her. And this is meant to be a positive revelation!
In Demi's first person narrative, deafness is constantly seen as being unnatural, shameful, embarrassing, not normal, not perfect (what does that even mean?!) and nothing to be proud of; so that doesn't help, either. Remember, Demi explicitly states at one point that the disabled community has nothing to be proud of! Again, this attitude is toned down near the end, but only slightly. Demi is sometimes shown to be wrong, but oftentimes it is for the wrong reasons. It's not always positive development she goes through.
There is also internalised misogyny. Nearly every instance of prejudice - audism, via ignorance and cattiness - directed at Demi come from nondeaf women and girls, and all of her conflicts are with women and girls, deaf or not. I hate her mother, too. She's thoughtless, selfish, and simply awful, but she receives no comeuppance whatsoever at the end for everything she's put Demi through. She has her traumatised, gaslighting victim teenage daughter to love her and appreciate her at the end, and to relieve her of responsibility for her actions! Hooray for condoned domestic abuse!
It is heartbreaking, but I have to be done with 'Whisper', once a huge favourite book of mine. The beginning and end are the best parts, but the middle is disastrous. It is a quick, one day read, and it does get some things right about discrimination, I wont deny that. It is still excellent that there exists a YA book - hell, any book - with a deaf protagonist. Her voice and experiences are well written and realistic. I just wish it wasn't so hypocritical.
(I want to avoid using the term "tone deaf". I won't lower myself to this book's level.)
One last note: That speech in the last page from Demi's adorable little nephew Harry? Yeah, no seven-year-old talks like that.
Final Score: 2/5
A beautiful book that should be read by every teenager who is coming out of his/her bubbly comfort zone - and who is, appropriately, coming of age - and entering the real world.
Everyone - from a young, impressionable age - needs to understand that not everything considered "different" is inherently bad, and that no one with a disability deserves isolation and ridicule. After all, we are all different, which is what makes us all so unique and interesting. Which is why we all deserve to ask for acceptance and respect for who we are, especially if we can't choose or control certain aspects about ourselves.
Since joining Goodreads, I haven't had a lot of luck in reading Australian YA books that I like, with the exception of Melina Marchetta's opuses. But 'Whisper' - about a teenage girl recently gone deaf and how this changes her life - is all kinds of moving, passionate, honest, well researched, wonderful, sweet, heartbreaking, and unforgettable. There aren't many books - or indeed many stories in the media - about deafness or starring a deaf protagonist. Reading 'Whisper' has made me feel kind of guilty for not thinking much about this issue beforehand (I hadn't even heard of audism until I saw the word here). I want to pay more thought and attention to the needs of deaf people, who are not "in the minority" of our society, or in any society and culture. 'Whisper' is the kind of novel which ought to be required reading in schools, because it deserves to be so. Apart from the issues concerning prejudice against an often neglected and barely acknowledged group, it is compulsorily readable.
From the first page the reader immediately enters Demi's world - of the change from being an ordinary, albeit ignorant teen who loved her iPod, into a student of the College For The Deaf. We hear her thoughts and witness her interactions in a world where, two years after a case of meningitis left her profoundly deaf, silence and sign language are central. Permanent. No hope of getting her hearing back.
The reader understands Demi's heartbreak and frustration; of being singled out, left in the dark, left alone with the silence. She is anxious about those closest to her talking about her when she can't hear what's going on. She misses catching up on things, of being included in the world of sounds. Everyday is a constant reminder that she is "different" and "special", and she can't help but feel that everyone is patronising her, or has turned against her. Things have changed now, and her friends and family are trying to cope with her sudden disability, and help her out.
But being deaf is not the end of the world, as Demi will come to understand. She might come to see her life in an entirely new light; to realise a lot of things she'd never even thought about before. From reading body language, gestures and facial expressions, she sees how superficial and class-oriented hearing people are; how self-centred some are and how much they take for granted. She also learns to see things from others' points of view; that she isn't the only one who's suffering and is fed up with how life's turned out for them.
One strength Demi learns all by herself is lip-reading. Even if she can't hear anymore, that shouldn't stop her from continuing her hobbies (like swimming), achieving her dreams of a career in law, hanging out with friends - the old "hearies" and her fellow deaf college students - and having a boyfriend. A nice, awesome boyfriend who will like her for who she is.
I love the characters and their realistic behaviours and actions. Demi's new friends at the deaf college are a lot of fun to read about, and they really are normal teenagers who just happen to be deaf. They are happy with who they are and try to make others happy along with them, and that's admirable. Demi's little nephews are adorable and are already accepting of their aunty being deaf, and a message sent by one of the toddlers is so sweet and profound it almost made me cry. I also identified with Demi trying to re-establish friendships from her old life, after a falling out after she went deaf. Dark places and being alone in a room - or in a whole house - scare her. A sudden hand on her shoulder is enough to make her scream. All understandable reactions. Demi also feels confusion and anger at people's ignorance and bullying of deaf people, even from her closest friends. Like they're the lesser, somehow, and therefore are subject to offensive pejoratives.
Demi reflects on how she used to be one of those privileged, ignorant people in a happy bubble of "normal". And with her reflections and realisations, she will come to learn from her mistakes, and teach others what it truly means to be deaf.
Integrating into a new world when her old world will never be the same again is scary for any teenager to experience, but Demi is stronger than she thinks she is. She will prove her goodness and worth to her friends and family.
Little imperfections - such as the reprehensibly neglectful actions of Demi's mother (who remains the same throughout the story, and I know that in real life nobody's perfect but still), and Demi's old interpreter and crush not receiving much attention - they don't hinder this important book in its eye-opening messages, lovely and relatable characters, addictive writing style and sweetly bittersweet atmosphere.
A relaxing read for any season, I cannot recommend 'Whisper' enough. One of the most enchanting non-fantasy novels I've ever read.
Final Score: 4.5/5
I expected to love 'Whisper' as much as I did the first time.
I didn't.
I'm just going to type up all of my thoughts on the second read of 'Whisper' in one go, one rush; best to get it over with, and out of my system forever. Sorry if I don't seem cohesive, or if I'm rambling, but here I am. Here is what this book has done to me:
I was really into it at first. Demi is a little thoughtless and insensitive towards the deaf, but it's for understandable reasons. If I were a teenager whose world has been turned upside down, and whose life has drastically and permanently changed, I'd probably be the same.
But here's a fact: 'Whisper' uses the most common ableist slur there is (you know the one, it begins with an R) nine times. Casually.
I'll repeat that: this YA book about learning to tolerate and accept the deaf community, and the disabled community as a whole, uses an ableist slur nine times, casually, and even as part of its humour, like it's a punchline , in its 265 pages. Once or twice it is even said on the same page. This was published in 2011, so really, there is no excuse. Maybe it was socially acceptable to use the slur in Australia back then, but I hope not. How did I miss this on my first read of 'Whisper'?
And how did I miss the "us vs them" mentality that is prevalent in the middle of the story? Which suggests that the marginalised are just as bad, just as prejudiced, as the oppressors. Even going so far as to mention that the privileged oppressors in society are in fact not oppressors. Not all of them, anyway.
The "both sides" argument is harmful to everyone and helpful to no one. It prevents progress and change.
Thankfully this mindset seems to ease off towards the end of 'Whisper'. But it goes so far as to suggest that Demi, a deaf teenage girl who is only recently adjusting to living as a deaf person, who has been through traumatic experiences, and who is thoughtlessly ignored, patronised and/or made to feel like a burden by nearly every hearing person in her life, is actually thoughtless and selfish herself. Not towards Stella and other deaf people, but to hearing people. Who live literally rich, privileged (white people) lives. You see, the hearies are right: Demi does think that everything should be about her. Never mind her own objectively worse problems, it is she who should be considerate of hearing people and their troubles. She should be helping them, not the other way round. This reads like internalised hatred from a disabled person, and like her own hearing friends and family are gaslighting her. And this is meant to be a positive revelation!
In Demi's first person narrative, deafness is constantly seen as being unnatural, shameful, embarrassing, not normal, not perfect (what does that even mean?!) and nothing to be proud of; so that doesn't help, either. Remember, Demi explicitly states at one point that the disabled community has nothing to be proud of! Again, this attitude is toned down near the end, but only slightly. Demi is sometimes shown to be wrong, but oftentimes it is for the wrong reasons. It's not always positive development she goes through.
There is also internalised misogyny. Nearly every instance of prejudice - audism, via ignorance and cattiness - directed at Demi come from nondeaf women and girls, and all of her conflicts are with women and girls, deaf or not. I hate her mother, too. She's thoughtless, selfish, and simply awful, but she receives no comeuppance whatsoever at the end for everything she's put Demi through. She has her traumatised, gaslighting victim teenage daughter to love her and appreciate her at the end, and to relieve her of responsibility for her actions! Hooray for condoned domestic abuse!
It is heartbreaking, but I have to be done with 'Whisper', once a huge favourite book of mine. The beginning and end are the best parts, but the middle is disastrous. It is a quick, one day read, and it does get some things right about discrimination, I wont deny that. It is still excellent that there exists a YA book - hell, any book - with a deaf protagonist. Her voice and experiences are well written and realistic. I just wish it wasn't so hypocritical.
(I want to avoid using the term "tone deaf". I won't lower myself to this book's level.)
One last note: That speech in the last page from Demi's adorable little nephew Harry? Yeah, no seven-year-old talks like that.
Final Score: 2/5
Everyone - from a young, impressionable age - needs to understand that not everything considered "different" is inherently bad, and that no one with a disability deserves isolation and ridicule. After all, we are all different, which is what makes us all so unique and interesting. Which is why we all deserve to ask for acceptance and respect for who we are, especially if we can't choose or control certain aspects about ourselves.
Since joining Goodreads, I haven't had a lot of luck in reading Australian YA books that I like, with the exception of Melina Marchetta's opuses. But 'Whisper' - about a teenage girl recently gone deaf and how this changes her life - is all kinds of moving, passionate, honest, well researched, wonderful, sweet, heartbreaking, and unforgettable. There aren't many books - or indeed many stories in the media - about deafness or starring a deaf protagonist. Reading 'Whisper' has made me feel kind of guilty for not thinking much about this issue beforehand (I hadn't even heard of audism until I saw the word here). I want to pay more thought and attention to the needs of deaf people, who are not "in the minority" of our society, or in any society and culture. 'Whisper' is the kind of novel which ought to be required reading in schools, because it deserves to be so. Apart from the issues concerning prejudice against an often neglected and barely acknowledged group, it is compulsorily readable.
From the first page the reader immediately enters Demi's world - of the change from being an ordinary, albeit ignorant teen who loved her iPod, into a student of the College For The Deaf. We hear her thoughts and witness her interactions in a world where, two years after a case of meningitis left her profoundly deaf, silence and sign language are central. Permanent. No hope of getting her hearing back.
The reader understands Demi's heartbreak and frustration; of being singled out, left in the dark, left alone with the silence. She is anxious about those closest to her talking about her when she can't hear what's going on. She misses catching up on things, of being included in the world of sounds. Everyday is a constant reminder that she is "different" and "special", and she can't help but feel that everyone is patronising her, or has turned against her. Things have changed now, and her friends and family are trying to cope with her sudden disability, and help her out.
But being deaf is not the end of the world, as Demi will come to understand. She might come to see her life in an entirely new light; to realise a lot of things she'd never even thought about before. From reading body language, gestures and facial expressions, she sees how superficial and class-oriented hearing people are; how self-centred some are and how much they take for granted. She also learns to see things from others' points of view; that she isn't the only one who's suffering and is fed up with how life's turned out for them.
One strength Demi learns all by herself is lip-reading. Even if she can't hear anymore, that shouldn't stop her from continuing her hobbies (like swimming), achieving her dreams of a career in law, hanging out with friends - the old "hearies" and her fellow deaf college students - and having a boyfriend. A nice, awesome boyfriend who will like her for who she is.
I love the characters and their realistic behaviours and actions. Demi's new friends at the deaf college are a lot of fun to read about, and they really are normal teenagers who just happen to be deaf. They are happy with who they are and try to make others happy along with them, and that's admirable. Demi's little nephews are adorable and are already accepting of their aunty being deaf, and a message sent by one of the toddlers is so sweet and profound it almost made me cry. I also identified with Demi trying to re-establish friendships from her old life, after a falling out after she went deaf. Dark places and being alone in a room - or in a whole house - scare her. A sudden hand on her shoulder is enough to make her scream. All understandable reactions. Demi also feels confusion and anger at people's ignorance and bullying of deaf people, even from her closest friends. Like they're the lesser, somehow, and therefore are subject to offensive pejoratives.
Demi reflects on how she used to be one of those privileged, ignorant people in a happy bubble of "normal". And with her reflections and realisations, she will come to learn from her mistakes, and teach others what it truly means to be deaf.
Integrating into a new world when her old world will never be the same again is scary for any teenager to experience, but Demi is stronger than she thinks she is. She will prove her goodness and worth to her friends and family.
Little imperfections - such as the reprehensibly neglectful actions of Demi's mother (who remains the same throughout the story, and I know that in real life nobody's perfect but still), and Demi's old interpreter and crush not receiving much attention - they don't hinder this important book in its eye-opening messages, lovely and relatable characters, addictive writing style and sweetly bittersweet atmosphere.
A relaxing read for any season, I cannot recommend 'Whisper' enough. One of the most enchanting non-fantasy novels I've ever read.
Final Score: 4.5/5
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