Tagged: masq1
Black Ships by Jo Graham
(Cover picture courtesy of Lost in a Good Book.)
In a time of war and doubt, Gull is an oracle. Daughter of a slave taken from fallen Troy, chosen at the age of seven to be the voice of the Lady of the Dead, she is destined to counsel kings.
In the last shadowed days of the Age of Bronze, one woman dreams of the world beginning anew. This is her story.
I have to admit, I was pretty uncertain about Jo Graham’s debut novel for the first few chapters. It was (dare I say?) boring until Gull turned sixteen and became the Pythia. After that, things got interesting and I was finally able to connect the Trojan War to her situation as well as apply what I know about the history of ancient Egypt and realize just how much effort Jo Graham put into Black Ships.
Gull, as I mentioned, becomes the voice of the Lady of the Dead and is known after that as Pythia. The Lady talks to her, gives her visions, advice and premonitions that allow her to counsel the man who would become a legend: Aeneas. Aeneas himself is an interesting character, but not very much like the hero of legend that other authors paint him as. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it shows that Jo Graham is trying to paint him as a man, but as a man he seems to be lacking kingly qualities. The other characters emphasize how much Aeneas doesn’t want to be a king, yet he really does behave like one. He just doesn’t seem like much of a leader to me, but perhaps that’s from my own biased image of him.
The plot isn’t fast-paced in the traditional sense of the word, but the dialogue is witty and Jo Graham doesn’t really get bogged down in navel-gazing introspection, as is so common in historical fiction. She has brought to life a period of chaos and uncertainty that has been neglected so often in literature, so I really do give her credit for that. Black Ships, being her debut novel, isn’t nearly as good as Hand of Isis. But with that said, one must also mention that her debut novel is better than a lot of authors’ fifth or tenth novels.
I give this book 3.5/5 stars.
The Fugitive Factor by Gordon Korman
(Cover picture courtesy of Better World Books.)
Aiden and Meg Falconer are out to find the evidence that will free their parents from a life sentence in prison. But in order to do that, they have to live undercover. Ever since they broke out of a juvenile detention facility, they’ve been chased by the FBI..and by a strange killer they’ve nicknamed Hairless Joe. Now their story has hit the airwaves, and suddenly everyone is looking for them. They think they can hide with an old family friend…but when Meg is thrown in jail, the danger and adventure only increase.
Unexpected betrayal, action, danger and the struggle to prove their parents’ innocence in a country that hates them…Meg and Aiden Falconer have it pretty tough. However, situations like this make for great fiction and as this is targeted at younger tweens and kids, they’ll love it. It’s not really cliché if you’ve never encountered it before and most kids haven’t encountered Gordon Korman’s not-so-unique premise by the time they read his On The Run series.
Whereas Chasing the Falconers (the first book) focused mainly on Meg and Aiden running from the authorities after escaping the farm, The Fugitive Factor focuses on their search for Uncle Frank. Uncle Frank is the only one who may be able to prove their parents’ innocence, but the problem is that he’s missing. No one’s seen him in years and they don’t have any leads other than the name of one of his numerous girlfriends.
Both Meg and Aiden develop as characters and even if they didn’t, readers would still be able to relate to them. As for the scenarios they escape, it’s obvious Gordon Korman has done his research. In theory, many of these escapes could work, so if you’re ever on the run, you should probably read this books. (I’m kidding…sort of.)
I give this book 4/5 stars.
Khan: Empire of Silver by Conn Iggulden
(Cover picture courtesy of Barnes and Noble.)
The thunder of 100,000 hooves.
It is the middle of the thirteenth century. One of the most extraordinary military empires in history is riding high. But its architect, the Great Khan, Genghis, is dead…
The lightning flash of arrows without number.
Fearful that he cannot match his father’s great deeds, the new Khan turns his gaze to Russia, and beyond…
A great new power is on the march. Who will stand against it?
What will happen when the storm from the east meets the stone walls and steel plate of the west? Can the legend and legacy of Genghis Khan live on?
In some ways, I miss the character of Genghis Khan. His presence was keenly felt, even when Conn Iggulden switched to the points of view of secondary characters and he was so wonderfully ruthless. He was a horrible human being, but in fiction, he was most definitely a memorable character. Now that he’s dead and his sons and grandsons take turns backstabbing each other, it’s just not the same. However, there was one thing I really loved about Empire of Silver: Sorhatani.
Sorhatani, the wife of Tolui, was only briefly mentioned in Bones of the Hills but now she takes centre-stage in the second half of Empire of Silver. I won’t reveal the reason for this, but let’s say that it has something to do with what her husband does out of loyalty for his older brother. It’s tragic, but Sorhatani rises to the challenge of being a strong female leader in an empire lead exclusively by men. She really is an amazing character, as is the somewhat tragic Tsubodai, who killed his young friend Jochi on Genghis’ order in Bones of the Hills.
As for the plot, it’s Conn Iggulden: you know it’s going to be fast-paced. As for accuracy, at least he resisted the urge to change too much around. He manages to show the points of views of many different characters, but it doesn’t really feel like head-hopping because he knows when it becomes too much for the reader. Instead, he uses the changing points of view to move the story forward, which is how they should be used.
I give this book 4/5 stars.
Sliding on the Snow Stone by Andy Szpuk
(Cover picture courtesy of Goodreads.)
It is astonishing that anyone lived this story. It is even more astonishing that anyone survived it. Stefan grows up in the grip of a raging famine. Stalin’s Five Year Plan brings genocide to Ukraine – millions of people starve to death. To free themselves from the daily terrors of Soviet rule, Stefan and his friends fight imaginary battles in nearby woods to defend their land. The games they play are their only escape. ‘Sliding on the Snow Stone’ is the true story of Stefan’s extraordinary journey across a landscape of hunger, fear and devastating loss. With Europe on the brink of World War Two, Stefan and his family pray they’ll survive in their uncertain world. They long to be free.
[Full disclosure: Andy Szpuk sent me an ebook copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.]
I’m not a person that cries easily anymore, but this book had me in tears verging on hysterical sobs. The only reason I didn’t break down completely at some parts was because there was someone in the room. Had I been reading this while staying up alone in the evening, I would have been a complete mess.
Andy Szpuk wrote his father, Stefan’s, memoirs and I imagine that it was a hard story both to tell and hear. In my own experiences interviewing community members who came over from Europe before and after WWII, such discussions bring up a whole host of repressed emotions and long-forgotten memories; it’s difficult hearing about it from a virtual stranger, so I can’t imagine hearing the story from your own father. The horror of the Holodomor (death by hunger) in the Ukraine is so great that I honestly can’t believe that history has largely ignored it. It’s not nearly as well known as the horrors of the Holocaust, but it (and Stalin’s other atrocities) deserve at least equal recognition. What Stefan and his family went through is more than most of us can imagine and Andy Szpuk has brought those horrible years to life in terrifyingly realistic fashion.
I haven’t read many memoirs (considering how many books I’ve read overall), but Sliding on the Snow Stone is definitely one of my favourites, right up there with the possibly fake The Long Walk and My Hitch in Hell. Sliding on the Snow Stone is definitely aimed at adults, but is also an enjoyable read for teens interested in World War II.
I give this book 5/5 stars.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
(Cover picture courtesy of What’s new @ CDPL?)
Charlie Bucket’s wonderful adventure begins when he finds one of Mr. Willy Wonka’s precious Golden Tickets and wins a whole day inside the mysterious chocolate factory. Little does he know the surprises that are in store for him!
This is no doubt a classic children’s novel and both of the movie adaptations (the first one starring Gene Wilder and the awful modern one starring Johnny Depp) hardly do it justice. They don’t capture how creative the songs of the Oompa-Loompas were, the story of the chocolate factory and Willy Wonka or the hilarious caricature personalities of the children and adults.
What sets Charlie and the Chocolate Factory apart from many children’s novels is that Roald Dahl didn’t talk down to his readers. There are a lot of things children will catch onto, but there are also a lot of elements adults reading the novel will enjoy as well. How do I know? Because I read it aloud to my little sister as part of my plan to get her to love reading. She didn’t catch all of the subtleties of Roald Dahl’s writing, but we both had a good time, which is the mark of an excellent children’s book.
Charlie Bucket is an excellent character for children. He’s sympathetic and is truly good at heart, in stark contrast to the other children who win the golden tickets. The adventures he and his grandfather go on are fantastic and Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory is a very vivid world, brought to life by Quentin Blake’s wonderful illustrations (at least, in my edition) and Roald Dahl’s incomparable writing.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a popular children’s novel for a reason and I believe it will stand the test of time to go down as one of the greatest children’s novels of all time.
I give this book 5/5 stars.