Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, by Mary Roach: I’m a big fan of her work and she didn’t disappoint. I share her 12-year-old boy interest in the squeamish and the bizarre things about the human body. Starting with the sense of smell and taste, Roach investigates her way down through the stomach and concludes with, well, how all things ingested conclude. Along the way she addresses important points including, the crunch factor, important elements of spit, Elvis’s constipation, and chewing theory. All of which was fascinating and funny. Included, of course, is a Bristol Stool Scale for your viewing pleasure and contemplation.
Overall Assessment: If you like reading about crazy cool shit (pun intended) your body can do, and aren’t too squeamish its a fun ride.
The Selection, by Kiera Cass: I read this based upon several friends’ recommendations, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Here’s the rundown: our prince needs a wife (doesn’t he always?) To keep the masses happy, he will marry one of “the people” so the eligible women enter their names into a selection. Thirty-five bachelorettes are selected and only one can marry his highness. ……Yeah, I know. In my mind, this is The Hunger Games with dating rather than death (although Katniss jumping out and shooting girls with her arrows would have been awesome.). In fact, upon reading the synopsis I felt a bit like Lucille.
There was actually a lot more of that during the first few chapters and the first 10 times America Singer (yeah, that’s her name and I still roll my eyes over her name) continued saying “Why do I have to change myself?”, “Why can’t I stay me?”, or “I’m not changing anything about myself.” Okay, message received: individualism good. As the story progressed America became slightly less annoying, the love triangle developed (oh yeah!) and the story became more flushed out, there were some great twists and turns and I actually started to like the characters. The characters and plot felt really flat generic at the beginning, but by the end Cass had everything nicely developed. By the last third of the book I was hooked.
Overall Assessment: Girly and fun
Lacking? I needed a little more cattiness. Seriously there wasn’t as much cattiness as there should have been when you have 35 girls competing for one guy. For Reals.
Will I Read the Sequel? Already on hold!
Maggot Moon, by Sally Gardner: In a marketplace flooded with dystopian books, it is difficult to find one that stands out in terms of literary quality and originality and Gardner succeeded on both counts. The setting reminds me of an alternate universe version of Soviet Russia. Standish Treadwell has different colored eyes, can’t read or write, but is remarkably perceptive, smart and observant. Standish’s only friend has disappeared after going over the wall and discovering the Motherland’s secret. The story is told in 100 very short chapters with accompanying illustrations that move along with the story. Maggot Moon is both disturbing and haunting, and beautifully told. My fear, as with many books like this, is that it wont have the teen pull of the popular quick, easy dystopian books out there. However, for those smart, curious and challenge-seeking teen readers who like 1984 and Brave New World, Maggot Moon is a definite for them.
Overall: Wow.
The Runaway King, by Jennifer Nielson: Oh snap, talk about drama! (BTW, I really want to bring “Oh snap” back…but was it ever really in? Whatever.) So Jaron is now King of Cathya, but nothing is falling into line or place. After attack during his family’s funeral, Jaron learns of new threats that, of course, no one believes, and on top of that, his Captain of the Guard wants to instil a Steward until Jaron comes of age. Whew. Of course adventures ensue, and Jaron makes poor decisions accompanied by witty one-liners. He acquires a cute side-kick and the love triangle deepens. Lingering mysteries from the first book were wrapped up and ground work for the final installment was laid. While parts of the story line-up and fall together a little too neatly at times, Nielson still writes a fun, exciting and captivating adventure. Again, I did the audiobook, which was fabulous. In fact, I logged another 6 miles on this one!
Overall Assessment: OH SNAP! (Seriously, I kept saying that at the close of every other chapter or whenever craziness went down.)
Will I Read the Sequel: Absolutely
Six-Gun Snow White, by Catherynne M. Valente: I can’t remember where I heard about this little gem, but I’m glad I did. This is a re-telling of Snow White, set as a Western. Snow White is half-Crow/half-white daughter of a rich silver baron who forced her mother to leave the Crow nation and marry him. After her mother dies in childbirth, Mr. H remarries a cruel woman who gives Snow White her name, in reference to the white skin she will never have. Snow White runs away, works in the mines, lives with outlaws, but can never fully escape the reach of Mrs. H and her strange mirror. Snow White is tough and raw and exudes a grittiness that makes her a fantastic heroine. The book is fairly short (about 170 pages) and moves at a brisk pace. The main problem I had was with some of the writing – I would find myself getting and would have to back up a bit and reread to fully understand what was going on. The real pull and magic is Valente’s incorporation of Native American folklore and Western elements into the classic fairy tale.
Overall Assessment: Great pick for something completely different, and for anyone who wants to see a kick-ass Snow White.
Accessory Report: Snow White carries a badass gun with inlaid pearls and rubies. Nice.
Challenge Stats: 71 books read, 47% completion — 4 books ahead of schedule!
Backbends and Bookends 