10 Reasons I Loved and Hated Mockingjay (SPOILER FREE) [with side commentary by Rica Eat World]

Though this review is spoiler free, PLEASE DO NOT READ IT if you haven't read the previous two books: The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Note: Commentary by Rica will be in THIS COLOR

Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins

Genre: Dystopian

Target Audience: Teens and adults. (very violent)
Pages: Hardcover - 400 pages

My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans -- except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay -- no matter what the personal cost. - summary from Goodreads

Two years ago, The Hunger Games astonished readers with its gripping action, screwed up society, and mesmerizing characters. (5 hoots)

Catching Fire once again dazzled readers with a plot riddled with horror and beauty. (4.5 hoots)

Readers, marinated with the suspense that the last pages of Catching Fire drizzled, waited for Mockingjay, the most hyped and extolled book of the year...


5 reasons I loved Mockingjay

"Fire is catching! And if we burn, you burn with us!"

1. The plot unfolds very differently from what one might expect, but Collins manages to execute it beautifully. Mockingjay is destined to be controversial since it's a completely different type of book than the previous two; it has more discussable aspects for people to base opinions on. This book makes readers realize that the trilogy is far greater than the much debated love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, and even greater than the first Hunger Games itself. Mockingjay is about the ethics of war, government, the personal battles of the characters, and the future of Panem. Katniss compares the war to an astronomical Hunger Games, where the players are everybody, including President Snow. The sudden plot spins will flabbergast readers, and the book ends with the flourish of a controversial, brilliantly shocking conclusion. Collins employs the most merciless, brutal ending possible, obliterating any of the book's entertainment value. At first, I disliked the epilogue since it seemed incomplete and wishy-washy, but in retrospect, it ends the book impeccably, with a simple, beautiful last line that tones the series with finality and wrenches at my heart. Though the ending is morbid, I'm glad that Collins didn't end this book with a sugary, Disney movie ending. Readers finishing Mockingjay will feel heavy, stunned, and fragmented.

--Like Okapi, the plot's dives and curves left me both stunned and breathless. I literally found myself gasping out loud late into the night, an accomplishment for Collins considering that with most intense moments in intense books, I just make a mental gasp, too lazy and not shocked enough to use my breath. And also, I loved the violence. :)

“'Oh, no. It costs a lot more than your life. To murder innocent people? It costs everything you are.’”

2. The intense action...and deaths. Toward the end of the novel, tearing this book from my eyes would have been physically impossible. Once again, Collins is creative with the menaces that threaten to hurt Katniss and company. Mockingjay is violent, possibly even more so than the previous two novels, with battle scenes mirroring Iraq and other war zones, places where violence kills a plethora of innocent people. The severity is gripping, horrific, yet passionate so I cannot look away. Collins makes the war more emotional by elaborating on some of the characters' personalities. Thus, a few deaths slam harder onto readers' hearts, splattering the book with vivid shades of emotion and loss.

--In reality, whether we like it or not, people do indeed die. And that's the way it should be in books. Not just the characters left on the sidelines. Death is stealthy and by the way of nature, it carries off souls that we hold dear to us. Collins plays this beautifully in Mockingjay, and though the deaths of certain characters does tug on my heartstrings, it completes the book in a way that makes it all the more realistic and enjoyable.

"Because something is significantly wrong with a creature that sacrifices its children's lives to settle its differences. You can spin it any way you like... But in the end, who does it benefit? No one. The truth is, it benefits no one to live in a world where these things happen."

3. The ethics. While the previous two books brush upon ethics, Mockingjay elaborates on the morals embedded in the story. The Hunger Games deals with the rights and wrongs of sacrificing children to control a society, and this book continues to face this dilemma. During the novel, Katniss's moral compass swerves a tad off balance, and she will never be able to truly redeem herself from the innocent she killed, making her a questionable heroine. However, ultimately, she manages to regain her morals at the end in a glorious, tense moment. She rebels against cruel demagogues and those who attempt to secure a seat of power using unethical tactics. Mockingjay ventures beyond the cruelty of the Capitol; Collins's passionate prose dives into the corruptness of human nature. Readers will have nightmares about the horrific world inside Mockingjay long after they turn the last page.

“We’re fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction.”

4. Growing characters. Collins nurtures the characters from the previous two books, and their personalties acquire a new dimension. The reader will glance at the burning anger in the deep chute of Gale's soul; Finnick adds a whole other aspect to his profile; Prim transforms into a strong young heroine; and the rest of the ensemble evolves. Katniss's personality develops fragile, tortured areas that never made appearances in the prior books, and she makes it clear that she'll never be healed. The backstories of Finnick and Haymitch underscore the brutality of the Capitol, shocking me enough to put the book aside for a moment. President Snow remains a manipulative, heinous villain, and his permanent, literally bloody mouth is nefarious touch.

“We’re fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction.”

5. The unforgettableness. Whether due to the gory violence, vital messages, breathtaking plot line, or compelling characters, I will never forget Mockingjay. This downright gripping story is passionately moving, a dismal but beautiful end for a fantastic series. The more I think about Mockingjay, the more I relish it, finding it an apt way to conclude the trilogy. Due to the brutality, this book is hard to read, and I doubt I'll reread it for a long time, unless to clarify some parts. Though the trilogy is over, the haunting echo of Mockingjay's ending will forever resound in the minds of readers across the world.

--The ending was just how I wanted it to be! No spoilers though, I promise :)

Bonus Reason:

6. The food. Whenever Collins describes what Katniss eats, my mouth salivates and cravings wrack my body. In fact, during the eight hour period I read Mockingjay, the only time I abandoned the station of my couch was to snag some oatmeal, which I normally abhor, but Collins causes me to pine for it. My mouth longed to taste the creamy blue frosting when Collins describes a cake Peeta bakes. Her frequent mention of edibles makes me want to lick the food straight off the page. Her technique of mesmerizing the readers with food reminds me of J.K. Rowling, whose feast paragraphs pop the food off the page.

--Remember the lamb stew from the first Hunger Games? I would like to assure you that they make an appearance in Mockingjay as well. Dried plums included. :P

5 reasons I disliked Mockingjay

1. Katniss's emotions. Most of Katniss's emotions consist of being “empty” or “numb”. In fact, I cannot recall her feeling anything else, which gets really annoying; after a while, her monotone feelings make me want to scream at her in frustration. When loved ones die or she achieves something close to peace, Katniss never wavers from feeling “numb” inside. I kept waiting for other emotions to show, yet all she relinquishes is a torrent of whininess and self-pity. Katniss is expected to be broken after two Hunger Games, but she is so unstable that it's hard to relate to her. She never pulls herself together, and the book becomes a serenade of broken notes.

--The reason why, unlike the other two, I will not re-read Mockingjay countless times, is that this book doesn't really make me happy at all. While I love the action, this book was lost in an abyss of everlasting gloom. Tension reigned. Being locked into Katniss' mind, I was forced to listen to the torrent of depressing thoughts that plague her, causing me, as a reader immersed in her world, to be depressed as well.

2. Katniss the pawn. Many reviews grumble that a pawn of war, controlled by upper forces, replaces Katniss's independent warrior girl image. I have mixed feelings about this. First of all, I'm glad that Katniss's invincibility aura seen in the prior novels melts away, because now she is more realistic against the gruesome backdrop of a warring country. However, I am not a fan of Katniss being so easily manipulated, because she never decides on her own, unlike the liberated girl seen in The Hunger Games. Manipulating Katniss grows dull after a few pages, and I miss her dynamic sequences of independent action. In Mockingjay, her acts of defiance include skipping classes and hiding in the closet, callow "rebelliousness" that can only be found in high school. Also, she never becomes a true Mockingjay, a symbol for the rebellion in Panem, because superiors always control her, except for a single scene near the end of the book when Katniss actually thinks for herself.

3. Strange pacing. Unlike the previous two breath stealers of the trilogy, Mockingjay arrives on a glacially slow note. After barreling through the beginning, questing for the action, I found myself entrenched in the slow middle that consists of cameras and creating propaganda, not the expected action. If Mockingjay was not part of The Hunger Games I would have been bored out of my mind. Fortunately, toward the end, the speed accelerates, throwing the reader into the same level of excitement seen in The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. Panting, Mockingjay rushes off stage a little too fast, leaving the reader broken and hanging.

--The beginning was sluggish as Collins sets up the scene. I know this is inevitable, but I felt that Mockingjay would've been a bigger hit if Collins has kicked it off with a bang. The intro largely consists of Katniss' thoughts as she staggers through the remains of District 12. Paragraph after paragraph went by with no dialog whatsoever, up until page 15 when someone FINALLY released me from the droning lines by saying something. As much as the very beginning bored me, I was still intrigued, longing to quench my thirst for some action.

4. Keeping track of new characters. Collins rapidly introduces character after character, barely leaving me time to remember their names before their tragic demises. She completely glosses over their personalities, only talks about their names, and in the end, I do not care if they live or die. Remembering the soldiers' names is an arduous task; Collins clumsily announces their presences. The leader of District 13 takes on a blurry identity, and the book would be more wholesome if readers know what makes her tick.

5. The bleakness. While I see why Collins wants to strip this book of hope and happiness, comic relief is basically nonexistent in this story. The darkest of the trilogy, Mockingjay is devoid of Peeta's humorous remarks, and the only dialogue close to lightness is Haymitch's half hearted jokes. Even J.K. Rowling manages to squeeze in some jocular comments amidst the lethal battles of Deathly Hallows, resulting her series to conclude in victorious, grand swoop, despite all the death. The book is violant enough to squeeze away any smidgeon of entertainment readers found in the previous two novels. Mockingjay somberly marches out, depressing and grave.

--See my response of #1: Katniss's emotions.

An observation...

Once scene in the book seems directly pirated from the pages of Twilight. Did the conversation between Peeta and Gale while Katniss is half asleep remind anyone of a certain Edward/Jacob conversation that took place in a tent? I'm starting to dislike the whole scenario where the I-think-she's-asleep heroine accidentally overhears a heart to heart between her top two contenders.

--I too saw the stark similarities and yet, though I found the exchange in Eclipse sappy and cheesy, I must admit that I didn't mind this snippet in Mockingjay. After countless pages of non-stop action, it was a fresh change to read about this soft moment between our two heroes. To hear their thoughts on the topic after being deprived of scenes concerning this issue for so long, was refreshing and gave the book another angle.

In conclusion...

This book is ineffable, the good outweighing the bad. While not my favorite in the trilogy, it lived up to the hype and ended Katniss's journey in a stunning and different manner, which definitely outweighs a boring and predictable closure. This book is bound to receive more varied opinions than the previous two, due to its controversial plot twists and conclusion. Despite the imperfection, Mockingjay is destined to brand the trilogy as a classic.

--Agreed.

Cover: 4/5 - Overall, this cover is mediocre, and my least favorite of the trio due to the washed out colors. However, this ambiguous cover is imbued with symbolism. Unlike the previous two covers, the Mockingjay breaks free from the constraints of a pin, and it glides through the air, wings outstretched. The realistically drawn bird in center stage symbolizes that the rebellion is real and in the spotlight, or it could represent Katniss during the time she's needed the most. The background, a hopeful sky blue, represents freedom and promise for the citizens of Panem.

Rating:

4.5 hoots

Books before this:
The Hunger Games
Catching Fire

Source: Bought from Amazon :)

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

Title: Tender Morsels
Author: Margo Lanagan
Genre: Fantasy
Target Audience: Mature teens and up (very disturbing scenes)
Number of Pages: Paperback - 464 pages

Tender Morsels is a dark and vivid story, set in two worlds and worrying at the border between them. Liga lives modestly in her own personal heaven, a world given to her in exchange for her earthly life. Her two daughters grow up in this soft place, protected from the violence that once harmed their mother. But the real world cannot be denied forever—magicked men and wild bears break down the borders of Liga’s refuge. Now, having known Heaven, how will these three women survive in a world where beauty and brutality lie side by side?

Tender Morsels is a lurid yet beautiful tale. Written using the framework of Rose Red and Snow White, a classic fairytale that I recommend reading prior to Tender Morsels, this dark retelling will spellbind readers who are mature enough to handle the ghastliness.  The highly unusual yet extraordinary prose captures the darkness and brutality of the story:

"She pressed her nose and mouth into the crook of her elbow, but she had already gulped smoke. It sank through to her deepest insides, and there it clasped its thin black hands, all knuckles and nerves, and wrung them, and wrung them." - page 6

The author's words summon vivid imagery into my mind; I especially love the metaphor of smoke to hands. Those who adore poetry are sure to love this book's language and sentence structure. Due to the lyrical writing, the prologue is quite confusing, so I had to reread it a few times to completely understand it. (If you go back and reread it after you finish the book, it makes a lot more sense.) However, once that's out of the way, the first few pages depict grim scenes; they document Liga's hellish early life of miscarriages and sexual abuse from her own father, and I'm still horrified and disturbed. The author does a good job of skirting around the actual rape scenes and tends to describe the traumatic effects opposed to the action. Since Lanagan siphons sadness into readers using powerful language, some parts of this novel just made me want to weep:

"She had been all prepared to love it, but there was not very much to love. She had never seen a baby so thin and wizened. Its face was just creases, thick with down. It had the finest, darkest, sourest lips, disapproving anciently, godlikely, distantly. It had the look of a lamb born badly, of a baby bird fallen from the nest—that doomed look, holy and lifeless, swollen-eyed, retreated too far into itself to be awakened." - page 15

The characters are deep, realistic, and flawed, and all have their motivations. Urdda, the fiery younger sister, never hesitates in asking for the truth and basks in the spirit of adventure. Branza is more gentle, like her mother Liga, but just as realistic. The character of Bullock bothers me due to his blandness, and after a few weeks I am struggling to remember him. Liga, the abused mother of Urdda and Branza, is a scarred soul who still maintains a saucy vibe. Readers will respect and become fond of Liga, though not pity her.

Unlike many light hearted YA novels, Tender Morsels is a heavy, savage tale with prose that forces readers to proceed at a slow gait. Not for the weak of heart, this book requires a mature reader to handle the disturbing bits. I love how symbolism infuses this book; there are layers upon layers of it, some which I will only catch during a reread. Luscious with explorations of gender, innocence, and the contrast between brutality and beauty, this book requires a lot of thought and simulates many deep questions. At times, the identity of the narrator is confusing to the point of being incomprehensible. With the frequent changes from third to first person without warning, I was very lost, especially in the beginning. However, now I realize that Lanagan wrote it this way for a reason; even the difference between narrating the book between third person and first person has symbolism. According to an interview, Margo Lanagan purposely uses first person for the females and third person for the males, because she "wanted to make a subtle point about how the men are comfortable imagining themselves as the heroes of their own story, whereas the women always feel themselves to be part of a bigger story that is more significant than their own lives". This idea interweaves throughout the novel, and is only one form of symbolism that Lanagan includes.

Instead going out with a bang, this book ends with barely the faintest of blubbers. Though I won't unleash any spoilers, the ending is abrupt, and everybody ends up in the wrong places. Also, Branza still yearns for life in heaven, and many of her questions still lie unanswered, all because she does not want to press her mom for the answers. This goes against the message of what the book seems to say, which is sheltering the innocent from the harsh truth is a bad idea. However, the shaky ending does not detract from the novel as a whole. After I finished reading the book, I just sat there for a moment, slowly surfacing out of the rich, vivid world of t. This book is savory and hearty, like a bowl of soup, and will keep one's belly full of provoking thoughts and questions for the next few days, satisfying the appetites of even the most ravenous readers.

Cover

Hardcover: 2.5/5 - Though it captures the dark tone of the book, I'm not really a fan of this cover. It's creepy and relates to the plot, but it's just not for me. The placement of the title looks like it's beheading the bear.

Paperback: 4/5 -  I really adore this cover! It maintains mystery by depicting a lurking bear and an ominous forest, though achieves an almost playful tone with the two girls, and even still manages to look sinister.

Which cover do you guys like better?

Rating:

4.5 hoots

Books like this:

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Source: Random Buzzers Friday ARC giveaway. - Thanks!

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Title: When You Reach Me
Author: Rebecca Stead
Genre: Realistic fiction/science fiction
Target Audience: Middle-grade (but everybody will love this)
Number of Pages: Hardcover - 208 pages

Four mysterious letters change Miranda’s world forever.
By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late. - Summary from Goodreads

When You Reach Me is the quintessence of an adorable read.

My reading habits tend to stray away from middle-grade fiction after my elementary school ship sailed, yet I couldn't resist the muted pastel cover, now embellished with a gleaming Newbury Medal, and lauding reviews. After walloping this delicious gem of a novel in one sitting, I felt the sudden urge to read it again. And again. This fairly short book is separated into many chapters, each one charmingly titled "Things that...", the last word connecting to the chapter's content. It tells of comradeship, families, and growing up in the seventies, the plot lured on by the momentum of looming mystery. The author merges science fiction with normal seventies life in a subtle and elegant way, managing to give the book an original spin while still preserving the realistic fiction side.

Miranda narrates her explorations of sixth grade life in the late seventies, which is punctuated by obscure notes from an anonymous sender. The author executes this mystery beautifully. An amazing protagonist and overall good role model, Miranda is endearing, humorous, and flawed. This book swells with realistic tween turmoil, but caring about the drama is inevitable due to Miranda's honest, relatable voice, giving a unique scope to what I normally call cliche plot lines: broken friendships, boy drama, and tense mother-daughter relations. Towards the end, a light film of science fiction layers over the realistic, furnishing the book with a refreshing quirk. This book concludes quickly in a brilliant fashion; everything clicks together perfectly.

The author's lucid, quiet writing gracefully crafts Miranda's story, including small details that together construct a wonderful whole. The reader will learn of the freedom children had, roaming around the city by themselves. Told not necessarily in chronological order, the reader will assemble the pieces of storyline that Stead drops. While not at all sermonizing, this book shows Miranda's consequences for doing acts of right and wrong, and overall displays the astounding action of redemption.

This delightful coming of age novel prompts me to read Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time, Miranda's favorite book that plays a key role in the plot. Though not my absolute favorite, When You Reach Me is one best examples of middle-grade fiction I've read in a long time, and it rightfully deserves its Newbury Award. It's a high priority on my re-read list!

Cover: 4.5/5 - At first glance, the cover seemed like an average city block, and I didn't pay attention to the haphazard placement of objects. The cover obtained more meaning as I read through the book, and I kept flipping back and having epiphanies as I realized what each object stood for.

Rating:

4.5 hoots

Source: Bought from bookstore.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Title: The Maze Runner

Author: James Dashner

Genre: Dystopian Fiction

Target Audience: Teens - Adults

Number of Pages: Hardcover - 374 pages

" When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is black. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls. Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as they could remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the maze after dark.

The Gladers were expecting Thomas’s arrival. But the next day, a girl springs up—the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might be able to find their way home . . . wherever that may be. But it’s looking more and more as if the maze is unsolvable. And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers—if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind. "

- Summary from Good Reads

This book has earned its spot on the top rung of my bookshelf. I had set high expectations for this book after seeing all the hype, and in my opinion, it delivered itself splendidly. Compile heaps of action, prolific amounts of suspense, an original plot, a dash of romance, a cliffhanger and you get The Maze Runner.

The overall writing was decent, and the sentence fluency was acceptable and readable. However, some snippets that I encountered were a little repetitive. Dashner had overly restated things like: “Thomas could remember performing certain activities, but he couldn’t remember whom he did them with.” The first and second times he mentioned it were necessary for introduction. Personally, I thought the third time wasn’t really needed, but I brushed it off nonetheless. After the fourth time, it was starting to get a little annoying. At points, I wanted to tell the pages that I get the point already! But overall, the thrilling and exhilarating plot evens out the writing part.

What I love about this original plot is its many twists and turns. It’s a pretty unpredictable book, and I can always count on Dashner to reveal another new turning point at the end of each chapter. The chapters are short, but not choppy, forcing the readers to keep flipping to find out what happens next. This fast past read made me sad when I ran out of pages, and I am highly anticipating the second of the Maze Runner trilogy, The Scorch Trials.

An excerpt from The Maze Runner just for you:

"Harsh sounds of chains and pulleys, like the workings of an ancient steel factory, echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls with a hollow, tinny whine. The lightless elevator swayed back and forth a

s it ascended, turning the boy's stomach sour with nausea; a smell like burnt oil invaded his senses, making him feel worse. He wanted to cry, but no tears came; he could only sit there, alone, waiting.

My name is Thomas, he thought.

That...that was the only thing he could remember about his life." - Page 1

Cover: 4/5 - I personally love the cover art. The picture of the high, vine covered, maze walls is relevant, and it provides insight about the book to the reader. It is also taken in an artistic manner and it sends chills down the spines of readers, just like how the book makes you shake. Just from the cover, you can tell it is a book that contains a lot of action and thrills.

source: The School Library

Rating: 4.5 Hoots

I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Title: I Am the Messenger

Author: Markus Zusak

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: All Ages

Number of Pages: Paperback - 357

I Am the Messenger is a beautifully told realistic fiction novel by Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief. At age 19, Ed has not accomplished anything worthy to be proud of and possesses no promises, prospects, or potential. Ed is just plain old Ed - underage cab driver by day, caring dog owner and card player by night. He lives in a cramped shack, is constantly put down by his own mother, and is completely and utterly in love with his best friend Audrey, who rejects love and refuses to let it enter her heart. All this is routine until Ed inadvertently stops a bank robbery. Following his heroic act, Ed receives a mysterious playing card in the mail - the Ace of Diamonds. Inscribed on the surface were three addresses. Unsure of who sent him the card and unsure of what to do, Ed decides to visit the three addresses, discovering a new problem at each location. He realizes that he must help these lost people, and delivering the messages they desperately need, Ed becomes the messenger.

Once again, Zusak has delivered us yet another slew of characters to fall in love with. This time, the author presents Ed Kennedy- the protagonist that both of us became fond of. Despite Ed’s lower class status and his some-what lazy ways, we were won over by the humor and good nature Ed possesses. Ed goes around sacrificing his own time to help the troubled people he meets at each place the cards send him to go. Each card that gets mailed to Ed becomes more challenging and forces Ed to put on his thinking cap. The first card Ed receives was much more direct, with three addresses. As he progresses however, the cards give hints or clues instead in which Ed must decipher. Ed must also observe (stalk) the people he must deliver messages to, to find out exactly what they need their wake-up call on. Ed gives hope to complete strangers and he has inspired us to do the same.

Despite Zusak’s masterful storytelling, this book lacks the action and suspense that I personally enjoy. Though quite engaging, this novel fails to build a prominent climax. This novel is perfect if you’re looking for an adorable, heart-warming read.

Apart from the joy Ed brings us, our favorite character remains to be the Doorman. The Doorman is the character that makes us smile the most. Apart from the lazy and ravenous behavior he demonstrates, he is a loving, caring dog that is always by Ed’s side. This dog is always waiting at home for Ed to return after the missions the cards send him. We wish we had a dog like the Doorman, despite the dog’s strong odor that was described in the book.

This touching story about the power of random acts of kindness will warm the hearts of readers of all ages and provide insight on the goodness in people.

Cover: 3.894133/ 5 - Though this cover is interesting and bold, it fails to correspond with the book. Besides the obvious card on the front, nothing here relates to the plot; the angry man with the erect red nose and stiletto boots holding a goofy Joker staff has absolutely nothing to do with this book.

Rating: 

 4.5 Hoots

Source: 

Rica Eat World: The weathered ole' trooper from ye library. 

Okapi: Audiobook from audible.com - The Australian accented narrator lulled me into a hypnotic stupor. His croons masterfully told the tale of Ed Kennedy.

Reviewed by Okapi & Rica Eat World

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Genre: YA Fantasy
Target Audience: Teens and Adults (contains violence and mild sexual themes)
Number of Pages: Hardcover - 480 pages

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight--she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po's friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace--or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone. Katsa and Po go on a dangerous quest to uncover one of the land’s most disturbing mysteries, and learn the truth of a twisted king. - Taken from Amazon.com

This book owes me pages of missing homework and three hours of lost sleep.

I stayed up into the wee hours of the night to finish Graceling. This vivid novel will always remain prominent in my mind; Graceling will never melt into the blur of YA fantasy. It is the type of book that I will be quite sorry to return to the library; I have the strong desire to place it on the prized section of my bookshelf. With a flawed yet likeable ensemble of characters, a fast-paced plot, and an original concept, Graceling is one of the top five YA novels of the year. The actual idea of Gracelings is amazing; it made me jealous that I didn’t think of it first. Gracelings are gifted with a supernatural power at birth, and the sign of this power is shown by eyes of two different colors. The Graces that Gracelings can be born with can be as useless as the ability to rotate one’s entire torso, or as powerful as the ability to read minds.

The characters are one of the strongest aspects of this book. Eighteen-year-old Katsa, the main character, is a fierce heroine who defies all weak women stereotypes. It’s quite refreshing to have a female protagonist who can protect herself and those around her, opposed those stereotypical, helpless women who never engage in a battle. Katsa’s character develops beautifully, and her mental journey is centered on her humanization and finding the ability to cope with love. In the early pages of the novel, Katsa reflects upon herself:

“She knew her nature. She would recognize it if she came face-to-face with it. It would be a blue-eyed, green-eyed monster, wolflike and snarling. A vicious beast that struck out at friends in uncontrollable anger, a killer that offered itself as a vessel of the king’s fury.” – page 137

Then we have Prince Po, who is a superb character. The only personal problem I have with him is his name – Whenever I read “Po”, two other people jump into my head: Po from Kung Fu Panda, which is sort of fitting since both characters are gifted in marshal art skills, and the more dissimilar one, Po from Teletubbies*. Besides that minuscule and forgivable downfall, the author executes the romance between Katsa and Po fantastically by letting their relationship develop naturally, not at all like the annoyingly unrealistic sudden-true-love-within-twenty-four-hours romance scenarios in Twilight.

Another aspect I like about this book is the villain. The author counters Katsa’s powerful ability to kill anybody she desires by gifting the villain with an equally powerful skill, causing the plot to take many extremely interesting turns. Surprising us with unsuspected movements of the storyline, this book is not as predictable as it may seem.

Though simple and clean, in some places, Cashore’s writing bothers me. It is slightly choppy, and I would not agree with the praise on the book's back that describes her writing as “elegant, evocative prose”. Fortunatly, the dazzling plot and characters outshine her mediocre writing. On the contrary, I noticed that Cashore manages to make her description, which is often the more boring part of a book, very exciting to read, sometimes by integrating it with the action. For example:

“She couldn’t believe the coldness of this passageway over the mountains. She couldn’t believe wind couldblow so hard and so insistently, without ever easing. Every breath of this air was a blade gouging into her lungs. Her arms, her legs, her torso, especially her hands – every part of her that was not covered with fur burned with cold, as if she had thrown herself into a fire.” – page 352

Cashore describes the freezing conditions while still engaging my attention, which is part of the reason why this book is such an addicting read!

In conclusion, this novel is a rich, well-blended medley of action-packed battles, violence, mystery, suspense, romance, heroism, snappy dialogue, and superpowers. If you have not read Graceling, go get it from your library, or even better: buy it! After finishing this book, fans will ravish down its prequel, Fire, and eagerly await the release of Bitterblue.

Cover Rating: 3.5/5 - I love the sword in the background and the color scheme, and the eye reflected in the sword adds more essence. Especially after reading the book, I realize that the pretty cover is quite well done, capturing the book's charm. Though it captures the feel of this novel, I wish it was more distinguished. Something about the cover reminds me of other fantasy novels, and I probably wouldn't pick it up if I was in a bookstore.

Rating:

4.5 Hoots

Source: The school library and a friendly librarian who made me take the sequel Fire too. :)