My Top 5

Book 3 Review

At some time in English literary history, authors such as Jay Asher and Lucy Christopher are going to have to tug on their big kid pants and finally let their female leads become strong characters.  We expect resilient and powerful, well-rounded characters, but instead are bombarded with characters too frail to even face theirs problems and they both wind up failing miserably to solve any sort of difficulty.   Neither books’ lead grows as an individual or solves their problems or even tragically tries and fails to resolve an insurmountable obstacle.  While both could be classified as suspense novels or realistic fiction and both cast female leads, neither is exactly the same—even if they do both fail to develop good characters.

Let’s start with 13 Reasons Why shall we, I mean the chopping block indiscriminately executes everyone in time.  Hannah Baker: Suicide Victim (if victim is used correctly in this sense) and Clay Jenson: Cassette Tape Victim.  After Hannah’s suicide, 7 tapes with 13 sides of accusations as to what lead to her eminent death, are sent out to a string of blamed people who must listen to all the reasons and send them to the next person or let the tapes become public.  “Here everyone's a victim, an enabler, or a perpetrator, and some of the characters are all three, including Hannah Baker. Her tapes and reasoning are, at times, just as selfish and mean as those she accuses.” (Common Sense Media)  This book is comprised of her placing blame on others what she doesn’t seem to have the guts to take on.  Every blame, story, or experience she relays rings of self-righteous indignation of other’s faults. 

Clay Jenson, though, is the exception; he is the love of her life that she refused to let save her from her own-freakin’-self.  How he even ended up in the tapes in a mystery to even her, though she briefly mentions that if he had pushed just a little more, she would’ve opened up to him and probably saved her life laying blame on yet another person who didn’t even know they were doing something wrong.  “After finishing it, I wondered: Am I missing something huge?” (Jessica Warman)  I’ll digress, some experiences she suffered were cruel and degrading, but are they really that different from what every teenager is forced to face?  She baited others around her to pry their attention to herself and when the disinterested teens that surrounded her did not whole-heartedly throw themselves at her, she committed suicide.  Hannah Baker is not a girl who murdered herself; she is a girl that martyred herself.

Next up to the chopping block is Stolen, a novel where instead having the main character be desperate and self-destructive, she is desperate and idiotic.  Seriously here, we have Gemma, a 16 year old girl, who’s in an airport with her mother when she spots a man.  She realizes she’s seen him before and he seems to be staring at her intently; when she goes up to buy coffee, he pays for it and orders her to sit over at her table while he puts the sugar in her coffee.  What girl hasn’t heard the time-worn advice, “Never leave your drink alone with a man.” or even been told not to talk to strangers?  He drugs her drink and flies her to a secluded Australian desert house, miles away from civilization and tells her that she will live with him there forever.  The novel progresses at a snail-like pace and at the beginning you just hear her repeated imaginings of what her terrible fate is to be and why he chose her.

“This is one of those books that by the end you feel almost empty.” (I’m Loving Books) Slowly the story begins to make a fractured sort of sense when, Ty, the captor begins to reveal that he’s been stalking her from a young age and he fell in love with her years ago.  Not to mention the pedophilia involved on the scenario, is the fact that he’d been building the house in Australia just for her and had been waiting for the perfect moment to get her.  You begin to hear her giving up on the outside world as Stockholm Syndrome sinks into her, she begins to feel for Ty.  Talk of becoming one with the earth and other animals slowly takes its toll as she starts to see Ty’s ways.  When eventually she is discovered, she becomes conflicted as to what to do—lie to the police or continue on in her regular life knowing he’s locked up.

Neither book shows a hint of strength in the characters as you would expect them to and while both have unique plots, they hamper the quality of the story by train-wrecking their character development throughout the books. Jay and Lucy are highly regarded teen novelists, but they don’t deserve the credit they’ve been given.  An interesting plot in widely used genre does not make up for lack of quality when writing.  It’s time authors start realizing that to have a truly great book, they must be able to attack and tackle every aspect of their book.

Truth in Memoirs

A Million Little Pieces... oh, how you have betrayed me so. Heartbroken and lied to, I don't think I'll ever read again! Oh me! Oh my! What travesties I've endured so innocently and unknowing... why cruel world have you done this to me?

            Ok, so really do I feel as if my world is crumbling around me and everything I’ve ever known now falls into question? No. But, do I feel as if I’ve been taken advantage of and duped? Yeah, I do. Creative licensing comes to point when major plot lines are changed in a memoir, but do I feel as though James Frey needed a publicly televised spanking from Oprah? NO! Just because a few details in his book are not real doesn’t mean that it’s not a good book anymore or that he didn’t overcome a major battle with drug addiction.  I will defend Frey because his book moved me in a way a lot of books never have, his humiliation, his grievances, his passion, his drive, his love, and his courage are what I loved, not that he hung out with a mobster at lunch and that he had an arrest in Ohio, or that he snorted glue.

            Why make such a large extravaganza about his details when it was his story he put out there so bravely. When he submitted the piece to publishers as a fiction piece and was rejected several times over, he then submitted it as a memoir because for the most part, it was. I don’t feel as though James Frey has wronged me in any way—he has touched my heart and his novel, memoir or no, is still one of the best books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

Readicide

While Gallagher’s opinion that schools are ruining books is correct, I do not believe that adding genre fiction into the curriculum of books will be effective in increasing children’s love of books.  It is the way children are being taught to analyze books that is truly killing their love of them.  They should not have to grapple at their pens and post-its every time they wish to read onto the next chapter in the book—they should learn to appreciate the novel for what they interpret it to be.  Over-analyzation over the plot and the “hidden message” in books is tiring.  No wonder they scoff at lack-luster thrill derived from books when the teacher tells them their opinion is not correct and continues on preparing them for the next test.  Over-night reading of complicated texts, such as Macbeth, would benefit from book circles and the help from their peers; reading Twilight is a cop out of learning to read classical pieces.

Agreeably though, I do believe that every once in a while a break from older literature is necessary for children because they must be taught to other types of books besides literary fiction.  Is it right to shove old-timey novels down their throats when there are plenty of other genres out there that children can make connections with?  Teachers often stick to the curriculum they were taught in school and I believe that English teachers are the worst perpetrators.  Of the hundreds of novel genres, the school only teaches one; how would it be if their science and history classes were the same?  English is become a sorry excuse for academic subject when all around them the times and devices are changing.  Left in the dust, English class has become a daunting subject to learn due to the lack of teaching ability and change the curriculum needs to see to garner children’s interest.

Da Vinci Trailer

Movie Rendition

            Let’s be honest here, movies can’t keep it all.  So, the question remains: What’s gonna get the boot and what’s gonna stay?  Pivotal moments in the book are essential to keep the same in the movies though because how could The DaVinci Code be the same if Robert and Sophie hadn’t had that secret rendezvous in the bathroom to set-up their big “escape”?  Some moments just can’t be cut.  But then what gets to high-tail it to the dumpster—now there’s the crux of the issue.  When reading a book, everything seems super important right down to the turtleneck and tweed jacket duo that marks Langdon’s Harvard geeky professionalism.  It’s important to know what is imperative to keep, though, first because that is what creates the skeleton of the movie.

            Firstly, I would keep Langdon and Sophie’s meeting and escape the same because those first few moments of their meeting are what bring the inseparable pair together in order to trust each other enough to solve the case together.  From the fake call from the U.S. Embassy to their finding of the key and rush out of the museum—nothing should change.  The next scene of crucial importance is in the Teacher’s house when Langdon and Sophie go to him for sanctuary from the police and more information as to how to open the cryptex.  These illuminating moments mark an academic prominence in the book that must be kept in the movie as well.  It also displays Silas’ attack on the group which is deflected by the Teacher which further indebts Langdon’s loyalty to him which brings even greater betrayal in the book.  The last scene that is imperative to keep is when the Teacher reveals himself to Robert and the betrayal sinks in—this moment is when all the pieces fall into place and we begin to completely understand what is going on in the story.  In that scene we comprehend the motives and the reason behind all of what’s previously occurred which before had been unclear and cryptic.

            While choosing which scenes to delete might seem difficult, there are just some things that the book could go without and still be comprehensible.  For example, Silas’ and the priest’s background are unneeded in the book; while their backstory certainly strengthens Silas’ bond to the priest, going in-depth into their meeting and how they came to know each other is simply and unnecessary addition.  The next scene that would be removed from the book would be the banker’s attack on them.  It was clear in the book that the banker was having a guilty conscience in the book, but it would be hard to see that visually without prior knowledge of the book’s understanding.  This additional struggle in their escape adds and air of illusion and mystery around why the cryptex is so significant, but the book could do well without it clogging up space.

This Weekend is the Grand Opening of DEADLINE Shoes & Such, a store that will leave all book fanatics astounded. This store that is focused around Chris Crutcher’s inspiring novel Deadline brings to life Ben Wolf’s last year on Earth. The store will be featuring a number of attractions that fans trip over to get to. This Grand Opening will allow you to get a great deal on what is soon to be Idaho’s new tourist craze—there will be plenty of food and drink while you peruse the aisles of our store. We will be selling signed copies of Deadline and other Chris Crutcher favorites because he will be here, this weekend only to sign your copy of your favorite book! You may ask him questions about all his books on stage after the book signing at 8 a.m. so all of you aspiring authors and avid readers come on down and join us!

            We welcome everyone—old or young, book worm or jock, nerdy or popular—to this wonderful occasion! Celebrating this coming out of what will become Ben Wolf’s tribute on the tiny, sparsely populated town of Trout. Not only did Ben Wolf receive his dying wish which was to have a road named Malcolm X Avenue, but we remember and let him live on as we continue to do great deeds in his name as he adamantly proposed in the speech given to the late senior class of Trout High delivered by his brother. It was that inspiring speech that drove us to build Deadline Shoes & Such and it is what drives us to invite you to revel in a book so though provoking, it draws masses to enjoy what agreeably all too early.

            Our shop includes many charms and quirks of his life, around the store you are able to view the pictures of people that made Ben Wolf’s short life worth living; such people include: his supportive brother Cody, his loving—if slightly insane—mother, his father that tries to pulls their lives together, amazingly perfect, fascinating Dallas Suzuki, and many of his other close friends and family that the novel would be hurting without. Along with the people that made up his life, there will be  photo ready props available such as his 1941 Chevy pickup that will provide perfect wallet photos for you to keep and remember your incredible experience at our shop.

            But we’ve been skirting around the subject, though, I mean our store name is DEADLINE Shoes & Such! Our main featuring attraction is definitely our running and sports shoes that we offer so that you have all the necessary equipment to follow the dream you’ve been harboring for years. We have a variety of shoes to choose from but our most popular is the pair that comes with the playlist of the thirty-five hundred songs, including his favorite,’Til I’m Too Old to Die Young that he used to run to while training in the summer. This motivator is one we hope will better your athletic performance. While we have miles of aisles of shoes to choose from, our special line of Deadline-inspired shoes is a once in a lifetime opportunity we hope you don’t pass up!

            After a long day of reliving your Deadline experience over again, we hope you get the chance to rest and have a bite with a special someone in our tiny restaurant down the street called The Chief where Ben got his first date with the love of his life, Dallas Suzuki. Not only is the food delicious, but it is the perfect end to your Deadline day.

What is a book?

A book is a tour guide. You, whether you’ve realized this yet, are a tourist—silly you in a fanny pack and too much sunscreen. So little old book is showing you the sights, telling you the history and the romance of such a magnificent marvel while you let your jaw dangle two inches off the ground and gawk in utter amazement of how such beauty could be captured. But then there’s that potbellied beer guzzler a wife tugged onto the bus so someone can take the pictures. He’s licking his thumb and scrubbing his shirt to remove the stain that was probably acquired by that hot dog he had shoveled into his face with painful force. Ugh. Next stop: World’s largest beer can. Wow. How the fudge-cakes did this end up in your tour? Yeah, you hear the tour guide prattle on and watch as Mr. Shortn’Porky squats in front of the can and lifts arms over head to make it look like he’s holding it in the picture his wife is reluctantly taking. Boy, what a pair.

I guess it’s whatever gets your motor going, so to speak. While you enjoy the simple company of a beautifully written book, someone else nearly forgets their beer sitting beside them because the new NASCAR magazine’s monthly subscription just came in the mail. Same concept applies to what you read on—ebooks, cell phone apps, magazines, or even, gasp, a book! I mean, come on peeps, do you really think Neanderthals were all, “Oh, aweaffu! Rjsseac, Kindle! Ewacjy dfkbh erhj vrgh!” Yeah, I didn’t think so. They probably would’ve stuck in in their mouths and made a cave drawing of it. The way we’ve read has changed several times, I mean the poor Egyptians that carried stone slabs and let’s all just say, ew, stretched animal hide? Come on, they must’ve had a better idea. But this new innovation in book reading is just that, and ready or not—the future’s coming.

Why I read

The reason why I read is quite simple: I love to. Every time I pick up a book and flip it over or reach into the inside cover and read it, I feel like I’ve made a connection; it’s like I’ve made a promise to the book—if peek inside and give it a reason for being, it will, in turn, give me a reason to keep turning the pages. Books tug at my heart, every pain, love, loss, victory, or sorrow it feels, I too feel. I lose myself in books; it’s like suddenly I forget who I am and what I’m doing and find myself lost in the marvelous escape of fluttering pages. If books were drugs, I’d definitely have to enroll in a rehab facility because my love of books ironically goes beyond words. I constantly find my fascinated with the control the words have over me. My toes curl and a rush of adrenaline flushes through me as I relive an adventure that could never be mine. Some people might label me a bibliophile and I wouldn’t disagree, sometimes it seems to only thing I’ve ever really had in this messy world is books and whenever I truly need to get away, it’s still there. Electronic book readers will never feel the rush of heady, syrupy immersion of drug-like entrancement text on page can induce; the feel of tangible acceptance lying in their hands reminding them that they are not alone. If ever asked, “Why do you read books so much?” I reply, “Because my love of books is what gets me from day to day and if ever a day came when I would have to give up books for a greater pursuit, I don’t think I’d be able to tear my heart from its spine and leave.”