Book Review: BROKEN by A.E. Rought

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I was sold on the concept the second I read it on NetGalley. This tale is described as a modern Frankenstein, a romantic science fiction novel for Young Adults that ties Gothic literature into contemporary times. Truthfully, I'm a huge fan of Shelley's Frankenstein and tales about science and experimentation anyway. But even readers for whom Sci-Fi YA is outside their comfort zone can appreciate the personable protagonist's juggling of high school, family, and new love.
 
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Emma Gentry is having trouble getting over the tragic death of her boyfriend, Daniel. When she isn't at school, she's probably wandering around the graveyard, wishing Daniel had a grave (instead of an urn) where she could honor him. She can't imagine loving again; that is, until Alex Franks shows up. This loner, designer-clad transfer student attracts gossip and glances the second he steps into Shelley High- and from day one, he has eyes only for Emma. The more Emma gets to know him, the more bizarre similarities she notices between him and Daniel, both in appearance and mannerisms. Is her broken heart just reading coincidences into this new boy, or is Daniel haunting her in a very real way?

THE POSITIVE: 
*The novel starts with a very appropriate quote from Paradise Lost. I'm a fan of quotes at the beginning of books- it sets up the theme in a poetic, universal way- but I do think it has to be done right. This one was fitting, and launched me right into the mindset necessary to tackle this tale from the best angle.

*References to Gothic literature. I'm a big fan of Gothic literature, but you don't have to be to pick up on some of the references (which, tastefully, aren't always pointed out in glaring lights, but left to wink at the reader). I found a handful, but you might spot some I didn't.

*Rought's language... I'm really in awe of it. She pulls off metaphors and imagery in such an artful, beautiful way- and it's done so casually. Here are some examples:

[When Emma is calling her friend Bree and Bree picks up right away:] "The first ring dies a fast death."

"The siren call of Daniel's old comfort is too strong to resist."

"Late afternoon light sits on the curves of [the stone angel's] cheekbones like tears."

This really shows her skill as a writer. Young Adult romance books tend to focus on plot and character more than the turn of language to draw readers in, but Rought proves that you can have that cake and eat it, too.

*Characters you root for. I wanted Emma to find love after Daniel. I wanted good things for Alex. This is crucial in a YA romance novel, especially one in first person. Rought successfully built round characters, along with a cast of quirky or (appropriately) vile secondary characters.

*Self-referencing. Rought brings in phrases and images that repeat in both obvious and subtle ways throughout the novel, which ties it together. One of the more striking ones? "It doesn't beat for me." -You'll have to read the book to find out what that means- and all of its meanings- because I don't want to spoil it.

THE NOT-SO-POSITIVE:

*Redundancy. I know that's an ugly word, and I don't mean there was a lot of it. But Emma had similar thoughts over and over, similar situations happened multiple times, and some twists were obvious enough through reiteration of clues that I found myself just waiting until they occurred to Emma, too. The novel was also peppered with descriptions of Emma's clothes, coffee, and breakfast. At first it's great because it humanizes her. But by the time I got toward the more serious, climactic moments, I could have done without knowing what she was eating- there were some more important elements I wanted to get back into.

*Pacing felt off sometimes. Mostly because Emma has a lot of dream sequences. Not a lot, but enough that it slows down the story. The dreams are full of vivid, delightfully-horrifying imagery, but I felt like they would have been more powerful if trimmed to some of the more significant ones. Kind of related to the last point, but she mulls over the same sorts of thoughts. The situation is a lot for this poor girl to take in, but readers will pick up pretty quickly on what she's feeling.

*The characters, as complex and full of voice as they were, didn't always react how I thought real human beings would. I won't give away anything here, but sometimes an awful thing would happen and someone would either not respond or take far too long to, which pulled me out of the story a little. However, I can only think of two significant times where this threw me, so it's not hard to get over.

*This title is not available until January! Which is not a criticism, just a shame- it would make a great Halloween read. But who says you can't have a little Halloween in January?

OVERALL RATING: Recommendable on multiple levels. If you're a fan of Young Adult novels, creepy tales, and romance, read this. Even if you're not, give it a shot anyway, because Rought gives a good lesson on how to incorporate artful language into a character's voice, even when you're dealing with a first-person perspective. Was it an earth-shattering, changes-the-way-I-read-books-forever kind of novel? I can't say that it was, but it's not really supposed to be that kind of book. It does a great job with the Romeo and Juliet meets Frankenstein vibe- internal and external forbidden love in the midst of a firestorm of moral quandaries. It makes Gothic sci-fi relevant to modern readers, and this take makes the novel different than anything else I've read in the YA genre. That alone makes me applaud BROKEN, and I'm really glad I read it.

Please check out this title when it becomes available January 1, 2013 in the US (January 3 in the UK). Let me know what you think of it!

Tome


~Special thanks to NetGalley, Angry Robot, and A.E. Rought for providing the materials for this review.~

September 15- Celebrate a debut author, just in time for Halloween

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays - probably the one I get most into - so I always try to find a good read for around that time.

Well, what good timing! September 15, My Heart Be Damned by Chanelle Gray comes out.

Here's why it's cool: not only does the book sound interesting on Goodreads (full of creepy escaped souls that need to be tracked down), but this is Chanelle's first published book- and she totally deserves it. For example, one of my favorite writing blogs ever is YATopia, which she contributes to. YATopia showed me the power of social media in the world of Young Adult literature. So many doors opened up after that. And their advice is great.

Chanelle's own blog is fascinating as well - in fact, right now she's running this fantastic, prize-filled contest. Is is too late to do simple tasks that gain points to go toward the larger prizes being raffled off, you ask? (Though you probably did not ask it like that, I believe I asked that rather awkwardly.) Well the answer is: NOPE! Head on over to her blog and you can still participate in everything.

Don't forget to look for this exciting new novel when it comes out, and send Chanelle your support!

~Tome~

WriteOnCon is Underway!

If you don't know what WriteOnCon is, then head on over (just click the image below). It's a 2-day event (8/14 and 8/15) where agents, publishers, and authors give great advice and hold contest for writerly hopefuls. And because it's all online, you can attend this conference in your pajamas!

But I'll argue that the best part is actually the community of hopefuls itself. For example, you can get your queries, synopses, first 250 words, and first 5 pages critiques by category (like YA or MG). And chances are, you will get some really great advice. Here's why: not only are people really curious and helpful, but anyone who posts something must critique five works in return.

Although the "Ninja Agents" and interactive workshops only last a couple of days, it's open beyond that for anyone who wants advice on their work. Last year, I JUST missed the conference, but I was still able to get helpful advice and find awesome critique partners.

Do you attend WriteOnCon? What have your experiences been? Or are you new to this?

And hey, if you're an attendee, feel free to stop by and friend me or say hey on my page! I'm Tome on there as well. :]

Book Review: WHY WE BROKE UP by Daniel Handler, Illustrated by Maira Kalman

 It's good to be back! Sorry I've been gone from the blogosphere for so long. I had family reunions to attend, moving plans to make, and lots of books to read before the summer was up- which means there will be a lot of reviews appearing soon!

WHY I PICKED IT UP: It was on a recommended list at my local library. Also, it's basically a picture book for teens. Definitely was excited to check out this unique format.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Min Green has decided it's time. Her recent breakup with basketball star Ed Slaterton still hurts, but she needs to take one crucial step in order to get over him: give him all his stuff back. Not just his possessions, but things that she's picked up along the way in their relationship (ticket stubs, notes, books, a rubber band, all of which are illustrated by Kalman). Using the various objects as landmarks in their relationship, Min writes a letter to Ed recounting their relationship from beginning to end, explaining to him in great detail all the little reasons - and the big ones - why they broke up.

THE POSITIVE: Because the entire book is a letter written to Ed, it is told in a combination of first and second person. That means nearly the entire thing is her voice, which Handler pulls off well. Guys can't always write girls well (especially from such an intimate POV), but he does it.

Also, can I just point out something mindblowing? This is Daniel Handler. This is the dude who wrote a long series (of Unfortunate Events) under the name Lemony Snicket. I am a huge fan of that series, but I didn't realize it was the same author until halfway through when I read the author's jacket blurb. It feels like a completely different author. COMPLETELY. (Except for one point where he wrote a fake newspaper article... I got a lot of Snicket vibes from that.) Really shows his talent as writer.

Note: Min Green does this thing a lot where she'll reference something (like the two things Ed pulls out of his pocket) and then it'll look like she's forgotten to explain it. Nope- just be patient. Some things sound weird at first, but she does explain everything.

THE NOT-SO-POSITIVE: OK. So, I mentioned it's a totally different style from many of Handler's other works. But before I realized it was him, I wondered if this was this author's debut novel. While a lot of the style is realistic and conversational, it's sometimes hard to follow because of the intensely long run-on sentences and the lack of commas. Many times, I had to reread a sentence in order to understand it. Making your readers jump through hoops is something you typically want to avoid unless there's a really great thing on the other side of that hoop, and my patience was tested a bit.

OVERALL RATING: Fun, charming, and worth a read. If nothing else, then for the style and cool artwork. It goes by pretty quickly, and Min is quirky enough that she stands out boldly among YA heroines. It's artfully woven together in terms of plot points, and this novel will not leave you dissatisfied upon its conclusion.

Agree? Disagree? Have you read other works by Handler? I'd love to hear what you thought of them- this is the first non-Snicket one I've picked up.

Bye Chuck E?

Have you heard about Chuck E. Cheese's new look? It's kind of like a rocker rat. Yeah, more lab subject than pet mouse now. Supposedly it's supposed to make adults who were teens in the 90s feel nostalgic about those days. You know, Kurt Cobain and the like. Because associating a torturted victim of overdose with a children's fast food chain makes sense, right?

I'm actually not too bummed about the change- the backwards baseball cap on Current Chuck E. always seemed a little forced - but I think they could have done better. Maybe something that didn't look so angry all the time. Uh.

Maybe this seems like a petty issue, and it probably is. But for me, this chain has a lot of memories. Family reunions, birthdays, betting I could eat half a pizza alone, and that time the animatronic Chuckster's jaw was hanging off his face while he sang parodies of 90s tunes. Bring back the Chuck E. in the bowler hat, that's what I say!

So what do you think? Are you a fan of Chuck E? Is the new Chuck E. a success?

-Tome-

The New-Adult Debate

For years, I've wondered what this group of people is called. Finally, it has a name: New Adult.

New Adult Fiction is basically fiction about kids who aren't exactly kids, so they're sort of adults but they aren't really doing adult things. Think college students and recent graduates. Rebecca Hamilton's The Forever Girl is a good example; while it is a paranormal tale for young adults, its protagonist has just graduated from college - not the typical teen of the YA genre.

As St. Martin's Press aptly puts it, it's the coming-of-age that happens in a person's twenties.

FINALLY, I thought. When I was younger, I always thought the progression went: kid-teen-college kid adultish person- adult. But I always pictured "adults" as people with 9-to-5 steady jobs and babies.

As a 22-year-old, I've lately been realizing that I'm in some nebulous purgatory age. On my own, sort of. Mature, sort of. My goals are really clear. My immediate future is very...not.

It feels more like climbing down a ladder than climbing down stairs, if that makes any sense.

Except I really want these stairs.

Awhile ago, I said to my cousin, "I think before teenagers become adults, they are just Young," and I still maintain that. For the past five years, I've been working on a musical, which is all about a group of New Adults. None of them are really settled down. This was a weird group of people to write about - they appear in a lot of musicals, but in this modern era, I really tried to capture the angsty uncertainty that a lot of the Millenials are feeling about now. We question each other because we question ourselves, and the world is not what we were told it was. But the thing about the Millenials is, when something's not the way we want, we try to change that. (For better or for worse.)

Some people, though, don't believe New Adult is a legitimate genre. I'd do a poor job of summarizing what those arguments are, so please look into it if you're interested. I'm sure it's pretty clear that I strongly support the popularizing of the New Adult genre. But it's probably also clear that I'm biased, because if I were a character, I'd qualify as a New Adult. And knowing what to call this confusing, peculiar time in my life just might make me feel like I have more of a grasp on it.

But then, could this kind of literature help NAs?

Please let me know your thoughts!
Tome

BOOK REVIEW: "The One That I Want" by Jennifer Echols

WHY I PICKED IT UP: I've heard high praise of Jennifer Echols from teens, and I always want to stay on top of what teens are currently loving. Also, I follow Echols' agent Laura Bradford on Twitter, and she's hilarious, so I figured I should check one of her clients' books out. I saw this at my library, and that was that.

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Here's the description from Echols' site:


Gemma can’t believe her luck when the star football player starts flirting with her. Max is totally swoon-worthy, and even gets her quirky sense of humor. So when he asks out her so-called best friend Addison, Gemma’s heartbroken. Then Addison pressures Gemma to join the date with one of Max’s friends. But the more time they all spend together, the harder Gemma falls for Max. She can’t help thinking that Max likes her back—it’s just too bad he’s already dating Addison. How can Gemma get the guy she wants without going after her best friend’s boyfriend?


But it's about a lot more than that. This description doesn't even allude to the fact that it is, at its core, about Gemma's used-to-be-hidden talent of baton-twirling, her self-image issues concerning her weight, and her struggle with her so-called "friendships," which give the book a great deal of substance.

THE POSITIVE: Well, I read it in 2 days, and it's not usually my genre. It's like taking an afternoon nap in a sunspot. Effortless, relaxing. Will it make you wide awake for a long time? Probably not, but it's not something you'd regret. OK, my metaphor is starting to derail. Basically, it's not a tough book to follow, and Gemma has a lot of voice. I liked being inside her head. And the boy she's swooning over, Max, has a really interesting quirk that involves delving into people's psyches in an analytical way. Very inventive.

Also, this book tackles weight issues in an interesting way. Gemma loses a lot of weight in order to feel better about herself when she's a majorette. But not in an unhealthy way. She works out and cuts out dessert. Even though her weight loss is perpetuated by a desire for conformity, not health, she does it in the right way, and that sets a good example for girls who want to lose weight for any reason.

The characters were pretty distinct from each other, and every character was rounded out well. I didn't feel like I was cheated by the ending, and little loose threads from throughout were nicely tied up.

THE NOT-SO-POSITIVE: We're in Gemma's head, and I felt like she repeated her thoughts a lot, especially about a situation that I as a reader had figured out pages ago (and I don't think that's just because I'm older than the target age group). There was also a part towards the end (I won't spoil it for you) that I thought was pretty out of character for her, because it basically involved doing something that could have been considered betrayal, but was - due to luck - not perceived that way. This instance was never really addressed in that light. She's not perfect - which makes her feel more real - but it would have been consistent with her character to feel some sort of guilt or hesitance about this event.

OVERALL RATING: Recommendable. If you like stories about young teen love and tough decisions about boys and best friends - which seems like a popular theme in books - then yes, this is definitely worth a read. Heck, I don't flock to those kinds of books and I sped through it because I was genuinely caught up in the story. This book definitely takes the sometimes overdone high-school-love-triangle plot and gives it some substance, which is great.


Have you read this book? Did you find this review helpful at all? Let me know what you think!

I've also just finished reading Insurgent by Veronica Roth, so look for that review soon.

Hope your summer has been swell so far!
~Tome~