Realistic Fiction Book Reviews
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Robin Perry (Birdy to his fellow soldiers) is an idealistic young American soldier serving in a Civil Affairs unit in Iraq. His CA unit is supposed to work as a liaison between the US Army and Iraqi civilians, but hey are often asked to do much more. From the start Robin is confused about his role in a war with "an enemy we can't identify and friends we're not sure about." What he does realize is that the war will not be as quick and easy as President Bush has promised (a fact that we are now far too aware of), and that the media is not reporting the whole truth about the war. Robin writes emails and letters to his Mom, Dad, and Uncle Richie (the main character of Myer's Fallen Angels) and they successfully break up the novel by switching between Robin's grim reality in Iraq and his philosophical musings on what war means to him and his fellow soldiers. Sunrise Over Fallujah is a worthy novel about a topic that has yet to be extensively covered in Young Adult literature, and the veteran Myers powerfully examines a war fought by teenagers - some who will pay the ultimate price for their country.
Mr. Hyde says 4.5 out of 5 |
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart reviewed by Mr. Hyde
In the summer between her freshman and sophomore years at boarding school Frankie grows four inches, gains 20 pounds ("in all the right places"), and tames her frizzy hair with leave-in conditioner. She quickly goes from and unknown on the Debate Team to the knockout girlfriend of Matthew Livingston, the coolest senior at Alabaster Preparatory Academy. She's unsatisfied with her new-found popularity though because Matthew and his friends exclude her from the Loyal Order of the Bassett Hounds, the school's all-male secret society. Frankie's never been one to sit quietly on the sidelines, so when the chance comes, she starts masterminding pranks and secretly controlling the Order through anonymous emails. The pranks wake up the campus, energize the students, and create positive changes at Alabaster, but there are consequences that Frankie never anticipated.
Boarding school novels always have a lot of potential - a bunch of kids without parents around, minimal supervision, lots of money (those schools are usually for rich kids), and lots of time for mischief. Lockhart uses this classic setting to not only tell a fun and engaging story, but also to comment on the current state of feminism. Frankie is beautiful and suddenly popular, but she's much smarter than anyone (especially the guys at Alabaster) gives her credit for. Realistically she gets in over her head and starts making decisions that are influenced more by her new-found power than by her superior intelligence. The pranks are fun and the planning, execution, and aftermath of them make for some of the best parts of the novel, but the relationships between Frankie and Matthew, her roommate, sister, father, and Matthew's friends create a book that is extremely valuable for its realism. Lockhart doesn't sugarcoat the ending (and she has plenty of oppportunity to) and Frankie's actions have very real consequences. Frankie is a great character and I'd love to see her quirkiness in a sequel (she is only a sophomore). Her use of neglected positives - for example, dropping the 'in' from indulge to create 'dulge,' a word that doesn't exist but that still kind of makes sense - is reminiscent of John Green's character's quirky habits (coincidentally or not, Green is one of Lockhart's writing partners with Maureen Johnson and Scott Westerfeld), and she peppers her "Disreputable History" with random facts about Social Terrorism, Jonathan Bentham's Panopticon, and much more. Definitely for fans of John Green's books. Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
Paper Towns by John Green reviewed by Mr. Hyde
John Green's latest novel Paper Towns is set in Orlando a few weeks before graduation. Quention Jacobsen has been in love with his next-door neighbor and former childhood friend Margo Roth Spiegelman since they were kids, so when she climbs through his window one night and wants him to drive her around town he doesn't hesitate to say yes. They pull eleven different pranks and spend the night renewing their friendship, but the next morning Margo is gone. Her parents, her friends, and even the police can't figure out where she's gone. Quentin starts to discover clues left by Margo about where she is, but as he gets closer to figuring out where she is, he starts to realize that he didn't know her at all. Add one nerdy best friend who is constantly updating a Wikipedia-like website and another who calls girls honeybunnies (but who has never had a date), and you've got the recipe for a serious coming-of-age novel about finding oneself but with a healthy dose of Green's extremely accurate and hilarious teen dialogue.
I was very apprehensive about this book because of the odd cover photo but I've got to trust John Green. Paper Towns is definitely more serious than An Abundance of Katherines and is more like Looking for Alaska, but I thought the message and the realistic emotional power of Paper Towns really shows Green's evolution as a writer. The humor is there, and his trademark ear for conversation, but he deals with some deeper themes in a very mature way. I can't wait to see where he goes from here. Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Nick's the bass player in a punk band and was recently dumped by the lovely but slightly evil Tris. After playing at a Manhattan club he spots her and her new guy coming towards him so he asks the girl standing next to him to pretend to be his girlfriend. Norah's trying to keep an eye on her promiscuous friend when the bass player she thought was cute asks her to be his fake girlfriend. When she spots Tris she understands why and instead of just pretending to be Nick's girlfriend she pulls him in for a kiss. What Nick and Norah feel during that kiss fuels a night that changes their life forever.
The accuracy of Nick and Norah's voices is what truly makes this novel. The language they use, the cadence of their conversations, and even the pauses and looks they share are so realistic that it's not hard to imagine why a movie was made based on the book. Set over the course of one night, NNIP is addictively paced and the power of Nick and Norah's relationship is palpable and real. Despite the mature language and themes (Nick and Norah don't drink but their friends do and neither of them are virgins) I have no qualms about keeping NNIP in the library because of one of the central themes of the novel: neither Nick nor Norah (sorry about the alliteration) compromise themselves. They both know that there's something going on after that kiss, but instead of jumping into a destructive and spontaneous relationship they talk and listen and learn about each other until they realize that they were meant to be together. The maturity and restraint they show is admirable and I hope realistic enough to resonate with teen readers. This is what young adult literature should be. Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Holling Hoodhood (weird name huh? - I thought maybe the author would explain it but he never does) is the only kid in his 7th grade class that doesn't go to religious education classes on Wednesday afternoons. Half the kids go to Hebrew School at Temple Beth-El and the other half go to Catechism at Saint Adelbert's and Holling, being a Presbyterian, gets to stay at school with his teacher Mrs. Baker. In a nice bit of teacher revenge she makes Holling read Shakespeare's plays on those Wednesday afternoons. Holling and Mrs. Baker soon get along quite well (maybe a little too soon I thought) and he starts to really love Shakespeare too (a little too soon with that as well) and the titular Wednesday wars have nothing to do with school. The 1967 setting of The Wednesday Wars is the biggest antagonist in this novel. The world around Holling's junior high is crumbling. His obsessive architect father only seems to care about being named Chamber of Commerce Businessman of the Year. His older sister wants to protest the Vietnam War and starts to pull away from the family. Holling trains for the cross-country team and gets harassed by the big mean 8th graders on the team. His skill with Shakespeare lands him the role of Ariel in the local Shakespeare Company's Holiday play and pictures of him dressed in tights circulate through the school. Mrs. Baker's husband is shot down in Vietnam and is missing in action. The drama in Holling's life is tied to Shakespeare's plays nicely and The Wednesday Wars is a great introduction to the power of language and words. It may sound like there's too much going on in this novel but Schmidt does an excellent job of creating a smooth narrative flow that really draws you in. I can't say enough good things about this novel - definitely a must-read even if you're not a big fan of historical fiction.
Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Lately the book world has suggested that there are too many Holocaust books published each year. A glut of this kind of literature lessens the impact that each book has individually, and they suggest that inundating the public with memoirs and fictional Holocaust accounts somehow diminishes the remembrance of the horrible events. Markus Zusak's The Book Thief is so poetic, well written, and powerful that it's impossible to suggest that it shouldn't have been published though.
Liesel Meminger starts her career as a book thief at her little brother's grave. She finds The Grave Digger's Handbook sticking out of the snow and by picking it up she starts a love affair with books and words that eventually saves her life. Liesel is sent to live in Molching, a small town outside Munich, with an accordion-playing house painter for a foster father and a perpetually swearing laundress for a foster mother. Her perspective of Nazi book-burnings, joining the Hitler Youth, and rationing during World War II is unique as she isn't brainwashed and fanatical like some of the people in her small town. When her family takes in and hides a young Jewish man her world is "both opened up and closed down." Her best friend and neighbor, Rudy Steiner, is just as rebellious - and foul-mouthed - as Liesel and together they navigate a world both horrible (they witness Jews paraded through town on their way to Dachau) and beautiful (their friendship and love for each other could be one of literature's greatest). Zusak grew up hearing stories about "Nazi Germany, the bombing of Munich, and about Jews being marched through his mother's small German town," and he always knew "it was a story he wanted to tell." Narrated by Death himself, the point of view takes a few pages to get used to, but this ambitious choice by Zusak makes The Book Thief heart-wrenchingly unique and a worthy winner of being named a Printz Honor Book and a National Jewish Book Award (among many other accolades). I don't know that I would call this book life changing, but it's the kind of book that makes you aware of how powerful literature could be. Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Losing a coin toss never had worse consequences. Naomi Porter and her yearbook co-editor Will toss a coin for who has to return to school to retrieve the new yearbook camera, and Naomi slips and falls down the stairs. Waking up, she realizes that she has forgotten everything that has happened to her since sixth grade. She doesn't remember her best friend Will (who calls her Chief), her popular, gorgeous boyfriend Ace, her parent's divorce, her mom's new family, and the reasons why she obsessively threw herself into producing the school's yearbook. James Larkin, a new Senior at school, finds her and takes her to hospital. Naomi can't figure out why he isn't her boyfriend instead of Ace. The loss of all the memories surrounding her parent's divorce and her journey through puberty have left her a very different person than she was. Imagine waking up tomorrow as your sixth-grade self but in your current body and with your current friends, family, and situation. You would probably do things differently too. Naomi's confusion leads to some funny situations but mostly she feels lost, and as a result she clings to people and things that she feels comfortable with - even if that hurts those that she was once close with. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac is sad and sweet and could have been preachy or overly didactic but instead steers away from too much seriousness. Gabrielle Zevin wrote Elsewhere, a very popular book that I haven't read yet, but if Elsewhere is anything like her current book then her fans won't be disappointed.
Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
King Dork by Frank Portman reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Tom Henderson (or Chi-Mo as he is known) is one of the most unpopular kids at Hillmont High and therefore thinks of himself as King Dork. He spends most of his free time avoiding beatings from bullies, staying away from sadistic assistant principals, and creating bands with his best friend Sam Hellerman. When I say creating 'bands,' I mean coming up with band names, stage names, album cover designs and logos - most of which are extremely funny. After finding some books in the basement that his Dad read when he was his age, he begins to notice that funny phrases written in the margins and underlined passages make up some sort of code. His Dad was killed mysteriously when Tom was 8 so any connection to him is meaningful and Tom becomes obsessed with finding the key to the code. When Tom makes out with a girl at another school's party, he starts to think that maybe he's not as big a dork as he thought - except the girl doesn't seem to exist. This book encompasses a lot of different plot lines and does it well. From the code, to his satanic school, to a Battle of the Bands, to the various band names, to his mystery girl (and then girls), to dealing with his drugged-up mom and old hippy step-dad, to vocabulary words from English class - King Dork is seamless. The cover design is a defaced-version of the infamous red The Catcher in the Rye paperback, and J.D. Salinger's novel plays an important role in King Dork (although fans of The Catcher in the Rye may not like what Tom thinks of it). The various band names and a glossary of Tom's interesting vocabulary terms finish the novel. Some mature (but realistic) themes make this novel better for high school students.
Mr. Hyde gives it a resounding 5 out of 5 |
I Love You, Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Denis Cooverman is valedictorian, debate team captain, and an almost-friendless dork - so with nothing to lose, during his graduation speech he expresses his undying love for the popular head cheerleader Beth Cooper. His speech actually flatters Beth and she decides to stop by his graduation party with a couple of her friends that night. Denis's party consists of him and his ambiguously gay best friend Rich sitting around doing nothing, but Beth and her friends don't have time to notice too much as Beth's psycho, Army boyfriend shows up looking to beat Denis into a pulp. What ensues is a hilarious road trip, party-hopping night where Denis (in between taking beatings) and Beth actually start to get closer. Where this novel departs from the cheesiness that could have easily ruined it is that Denis's idealized and perfect version of Beth is destroyed almost as soon as she walks through the door. She doesn't stay perfect at all - she's real, and acts real - and that dose of reality goes a long way in this over-the-top comedy. Larry Doyle's first novel reads a lot like watching a teen movie (think Superbad, but not nearly as vulgar) with short chapters that mimic scene changes in a movie and clearly defined (and sometimes clichéd) characters that could transfer easily to the big screen. This choppiness doesn't take away from the novel though, as each chapter is preceded by a cartoon portrait of Denis that changes as things happen to him throughout the story. Underneath each portrait is a quote from a classic or current teen movie (think Porkie's, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Rushmore) that doesn't necessarily correspond with what's happening to Denis but that provides another comic touch nonetheless. Lots of fun (but not middle school fun), I Love You, Beth Cooper is a very unbrainy but not shallow coming-of-age novel and you'll be sure to root for Denis from the very start. One of the best books I've read this year.
Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron reviewed by Mr. Hyde
The success of this funny and thought-provoking novel is due entirely to the snarky and painful (hence the title) existence of the 18-year-old narrator, James Sveck. With divorced parents, a boring job, a smart-alecky older sister, a frustrating crush, and a past full of mistakes and regrets, he sometimes feels like he can't make it through the day. He shocks his parents by announcing that he won't be going to Brown in the fall, but instead is looking to buy a house somewhere in the Midwest and just wants some menial job to pay the bills. Meetings with his therapist, interactions with his crush, and visits to his grandmother (one of the few people he actually enjoys talking to) make up the majority of the narrative interspersed with a few flashbacks from the previous spring that explain a lot about his current state of mind. The plot is sparse but getting inside James's mind truly drives the book - his observations and theories on life are unique and fresh and the reader quickly identifies and connects with him. His extremely antisocial behavior and desire for aloneness make sense from the start but the underlying causes are only exposed slowly, making one want to read quicker to unveil his secretes. This coming-of-age novel (or bildungsroman) could have been repetitive - almost every young adult novel has a similar plotline - but Peter Cameron makes Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You a unique experience. Very highly recommended.
Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
Life of Pi by Yann Martel reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Pi Patel is sixteen and extremely devout. Besides his native Hinduism, he also practices Islam and Christianity with equal fervor (much to the dismay of his religious leaders). His family owns a zoo in Pondicherry, India and due political upheaval they're moving (with the zoo) to Toronto. Unfortunately, the cargo ship sinks in the middle of the Pacific and Pi is the only human to survive. His lifeboat is far from lonely though as he's accompanied by a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and Richard Parker. Richard Parker is the zoos 450-pound Bengal tiger, and he quickly takes care of the other animals. To survive, Pi builds and lives in a small raft that he attaches to the lifeboat and starts to train the tiger. Using whistles, bits of fish as treats, and the tiger's sea sickness Pi is able to maintain an uneasy truce with Richard Parker. Although the bulk of this novel is an account of Pi's survival techniques, his natural intelligence and introspective nature shine through in his meditations on life, God, love, and the nature of the world around him. As unbelievable as his survival is, some of his experiences while drifting are even more extraordinary. Full of humor, poetic observations, and thought-provoking "moments of Zen," Life of Pi will make you laugh and make you think. What else could you ask for from a book?
Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Junior is a bright and dedicated Native American growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation where alcoholism, underachievement, and death are the norm. He's been to over 40 funerals by the time he's 15 years old, his father is an alcoholic, and he has to use the same textbooks that his parents used when they were in school. Realizing that he'll never do anything with his life if he stays on the reservation, he decides to transfer to the all-white school in the neighboring town. There he's the center of negative attention for being an Indian until he stands up to a bully, makes a few friends, and makes the basketball team. Condemned as a traitor by everyone on the reservation he is stuck between the two worlds of home and school. Tragedy strikes the reservation constantly and he must also deal with the horrors of extreme poverty daily along with trying to fit into two societies when neither feels very familiar. Honest and sometimes graphic, Junior's 'journal' is interspersed with funny cartoon drawings and truthful observations of being a typical teenage boy. The reader must willfully suspend disbelief a few times (he was born with water on the brain and he's scrawny as a pole but somehow he's good at basketball?) but the power of Junior's story more than makes up for any sizable gaps in reality that might occur. This book won the National Book Award this year and I couldn't agree more with its selection. Powerful and sad, funny and poignant, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is very highly recommended.
Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Craig is a little bummed out about his life. He's falling behind at his super-hard high school in Brooklyn, the girl he loves is dating his best friend, he can't sleep, he doesn't eat, and his mind seems to be revolting on him. His therapist starts him on Zoloft and things start to get better: he can concentrate on school, seeing Nia and Aaron together (the girl he likes and his friend) doesn't bother him so much, and he can eat again. But then he decides to stop taking his medicine since things are going so well. He's fine at first, but then he falls back into depression and one really bad night plans on jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge to end it all. But Craig makes the right decision and calls a Suicide Hotline - they tell him to go to the hospital and check himself in. The story really starts when Craig enters Six North, the psychiatric wing of the hospital down the street, and meets and interacts with the other patients. They're wacky (they are in a psych ward) and different but their differentness makes Craig see what he needs to do to get his life back on track. The cast of characters in Six North make for some hilarious incidents, especially as Craig is pretty naive, but they are also very helpful. The author was in psychiatric care himself and an author's note at the end says that he wrote this book a week after getting out. Vizzini's narrator has a very realistic teen voice (not something you always see in a young adult book) and his story is extremely relevant to all teens, not just those that are or think they might be depressed.
Mr. Hyde says 4.5 out of 5 |
Looking For Alaska by John Green reviewed by Mr. Hyde
John Green's first novel (his second book is the already-reviewed An Abundance of Katherines) is a hilarious, touching, and powerful book that definitely doesn't suffer from 'first-book syndrome' (a weak attempt by the writer to cram all of his or her great ideas into their first try). His ability to create characters (and especially narrators) that are equal parts geeky and cool and mature and naive makes everyone in his book equally recognizable and extremely readable. Miles, the narrator of Looking for Alaska, memorizes the last words of famous people and is inspired by one of his memorizations to seek 'The Great Perhaps' that he doesn't think he'll find in his sleepy Florida town. So he transfers to Culver Creek Boarding School for his junior year. There he meets Chip, his stocky chain-smoking roommate, and Alaska Young, the beautiful, flirty, brainy, and ridiculously impulsive girl down the hall. He immediately falls in love with Alaska, she leads him on and flirts with him, but nothing happens. Miles (renamed Pudge - because he's so skinny - by Chip, whom everyone calls The Colonel) begins to actually live his life for the first time and seems to excel at everything he tries (including breaking every school rule with Chip and Alaska). They pull pranks, smoke, eat crappy cafeteria food, study, and scheme against the Weekday Warriors - the rich kids that attend only during the week but go home for the weekend. But when tragedy hits Culver Creek everyone is so devastated that Miles wonders how important it is to seek 'The Great Perhaps' when it could lead to bad things happening.
John Green is probably my favorite young adult writer right now because he writes with such an authentic voice. The fact that he's under 30 (as opposed to most other authors in the genre) might help with that, but he is truly gifted in creating characters and stories that are so universal and appealing that the reader can't help but be drawn directly into their lives. That closeness with the story makes the twists and turns he creates so effective that the powerful moments are that much more powerful, the funny moments are truly hilarious, and the entire novel takes on a deeper meaning than it would otherwise. Green's use of a hobby or habit (Miles' memorization of last words - the ones in the novel are awesome, Colin's (in An Abundance of Katherines) math skills and useless trivia) are seamlessly integrated and not overdone and add a fun thematic element to the story that tie in an important way by the end. Masterfully written, funny, sad, real. I can't wait for John Green's next book. Mr. Hyde says 1 Million out of 5 |
The Trap by John Smelcer reviewed by Mr. Hyde
Johnny Least-Weasel is different than the other young men in his Alaskan village. He hunts, ice fishes, traps, and drives a snowmobile everywhere just like the rest of them, but he doesn't drink like they do. His grandfather has taught him the ways of his people as well as to respect himself and his elders. When Johnny's grandfather doesn't come back from checking his traps one day, no one seems to care but Johnny. Grandpa had stayed out for a week before, holing up in a cabin to ride out a storm, but Johnny thinks that this time is different. While checking his traps Johnny's grandpa has gotten caught in one of them and is too weak to free himself. Without a way to free himself he has to wait for someone to rescue him, but only Johnny seems worried enough to risk going out just before a storm to find him. This unforgettable story is quick and to the point and is reminiscent of survival stories like How to Build a Fire by Jack London or Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. The characters of Johnny, his grandpa, and his grandma are well-rounded and Smelcer draws the reader into the story quickly and holds them throughout with an ending that ends up being perfect for the story. Well-written and powerful, this book is highly recommended.
Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
Tamar by Mal Peet reviewed by Mr. Hyde
For those of you who have read Mal Peet's first book, the subject couldn't be more different but Peet's extraordinary writing is just the same. In his newest book, Peet takes us back in time to the Dutch resistance during World War II and connects it with a suicide and mystery in the present day. Although the reader might be able to figure out the answer to the mystery before it's actually revealed, it doesn't ruin the book whatsoever. In a box of mementos left by her grandfather, 15-year-old Tamar finds clues to the mystery surrounding her grandpa's undercover work during World War II. Tamar and Dart, the codenames for her grandfather and his partner, parachute into Holland during the "Hunger Winter" of 1944 to fight the Nazi's and support the local resistance. But the tension of their duties, lack of food, and the interesting but dangerous characters they commune with soon take their tole on one of the soldiers and he makes a decision that changes the course of more than just his own life. Written with an engaging style and excellent detail, Peet transports the reader to the bitter cold and grueling hunger of that winter, and delivers a story that will leave you with an indelible impression.
Mr. Hyde says 5 out of 5 |
From anyone other than Laurie Halse Anderson, I would give this book a 5 and be completely satisfied with it. But because she wrote Speak, one of the best Young Adult novels of the past 10 years, I think that TwistedTwisted was an exceptional book but it lacked the power of Speak. I also think that Anderson didn't do a very good job of telling the story in the voice of an 18-year-old guy (maybe because she isn't one I guess) and that weak voice hurts the story. But I shouldn't be too harsh on this book because it is exciting and it has a pretty good ending (although not as good as Speak). wasn't as good as it could have been. Tyler Miller pulls a stupid prank before his senior year that makes him a little famous, a lot infamous, and because of the required community service and landscaping job he had all summer, bigger and tougher than before. All of these factors make him pretty popular with the ladies, especially Bethany Milbury, the queen of the school. But when nude pictures of a passed-out Bethany appear online, directly after a party where Tyler and Bethany get in a big fight, everyone assumes that Tyler did it. Tyler's workaholic dad, the cops, and his principal all suspect him and in a fit of despair Tyler makes some dangerous choices. Excellently written and with an exciting plot,
Mr. Hyde says 4 out of 5 |