It's nice to know that we aren't the only country that is having a huge debate over immigration. Even Australia, where this book takes place, is also having almost parallel issues with the US. I thought the book was a great book for teens to consider this debate, and hopefully to see that people can have different opinions (ie the dad and son in the book). This book is timely for the US, and it brings up some good points for maybe both sides (although clearly more on one side than the other). But all in all, it is very interesting to see another country's issues that are like ours.
4/5 stars
It's nice to know that we aren't the only country that is having a huge debate over immigration. Even Australia, where this book takes place, is also having almost parallel issues with the US. I thought the book was a great book for teens to consider this debate, and hopefully to see that people can have different opinions (ie the dad and son in the book). This book is timely for the US, and it brings up some good points for maybe both sides (although clearly more on one side than the other). But all in all, it is very interesting to see another country's issues that are like ours.
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3/5 stars I felt icky after I read this book. It's not that it was a bad book, but it just gives you no real hope for humanity. But, the set up for the book was super interesting. It starts out with a guy writing to a publisher about the history of the world, where there was a time that women were not in the power roles that they are today, before men were subservient to women. Pretty interesting to have the dynamics changed in the book. Women have developed a skein that emits electricity from their bodies and therefore become the dominant gender. And basically, we learn that people are people- all have different personalities and ambitions regardless of what gender we are. Interesting take on the world, and I'm kind of glad I read it, but I don't think I'll re-read it. I still feel icky. 4/5 stars
About half way through the book I realized that even though these are fairies and human in fairy land, this book can also be about today's society in America. Kind of the same concept of Children of Blood and Bone. Anyway, I also realized that these fairies and Tinkerbell are in no way related. At all. These fairies are plucked from Paeder O'Guillan's the Call. They are mean, sadistic, and power hungry. But then we realize, so is the main character who is human. Huh. Usually I wait a few days to write my reviews so I can write about what impressed me the most. In this case I think I'm writing more to process what I just read. I may need therapy from this one. But it was good. I didn't think I was going to like it (I may have rolled my eyes when I saw we would have to read it). 4/5 stars I really think that a lot of my students will enjoy this book- it includes murder (who is the skeleton in the wall?), it includes social justice not only of Jim Crow days, but also today, and it includes good family relationships. We all have heard horrors of the 50's for African Americans, but I don't know that we have ever really read about someone who is slowly coming to the realization of the inequities of society, and how he is having to parse out his loyalties from it. And I appreciate that approach. It shows that people are able to change, despite being urged into the KKK or when a young teen sees his dad taking advantage of someone solely because of skin color. And it also describes a young girl of today who is also trying to figure out who that skeleton is, and how it has made an impact on her today. 4/5 stars At first I was super confused (as I always seem to be at the beginning of most graphic novels), but this one captured me in. I still am not positive as to what the spill zone really consists of, but for the first time ever, I was able to read the graphics like I would a novel- I felt for the characters, got creeped out by creepy dolls (good job to the illustrator, by the way), and wanted to know how it ended. I wouldn't classify it as a dystopian, but maybe a pre-dystopian. Good pick, Virginia Readers' Choice committee! 4/5 stars Can I just say I really enjoyed this book. I had no preconceived ideas, other than maybe Great Alone, but I knew at least this was a YA. So, I just plugged along and really couldn't wait to find out what happened. A girl and her father move to seclusion in Alaska after her father saves the President. The girl and the President's son are best friends growing up, and when the son goes wild, the President and First Lady think his going to Alaska is going to set him a little more straight. But then the evil people come and try to kidnap him, so the girl has to save his patookas (say it out loud). Anyway, pretty entertaining. I've always been drawn to Ally Carter's books solely because of the covers and premise, so I think I'll forge ahead with more in the future. 3/5 stars Set in three different time periods, this book captures all the dynamics of women's roles in the 1930's, late 1950's and present day. And it all is set around an island and house that has been passed down from generation to generation, but each one seems to have some sort of devastation set around them. There are secrets that are oddly never told, and some secrets that are slightly revealed in odd ways. But it's a good characterization of people during these different times regarding race, ambition, and as said before, women's roles of power. Despite the secrets that are revealed, I think this book focused more on relationships and acceptance than anything else. |
AuthorI'm a high school librarian. I love to read. Really. Love. To. Read. Archives
December 2023
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