4 / 5 Stars
The Goose Girl was a light, refreshing read that left me excited for more. Shannon Hale manages to create a world in which humans communicate with animals and nature without becoming too fantastical. Ani is able to navigate her ability to converse with horses, birds and the wind in a very natural and believable way.
This book moved along very quickly for me. The descriptions of the settings were beautiful and detailed, without becoming sluggish. The plot was somewhat predictable--I had guessed most of the surprises by half-way through the book. As well, I found some aspects of the book hard to believe. In most cases, royalty is kept very well guarded, something that was lacking in both Kildenree and Bayern. I also found the fight scene in Part 3 to be very drawn out and, dare I say, boring? Of course, I feel that way about many action movies too.
I especially enjoyed the simple, sweet romance that was woven into the story. In a time when many authors fight to become as racy and shocking as possible, it felt good to read more of a Jane Austen-esque take on love. For Hale, less is more when it comes to romance.
Overall a quick, easy read that leaves you with a smile on your face.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Speechless by Hannah Harrington
I've pondered this review for the last few days, as I have very mixed emotions about this book. I gave this book 3.5 / 5 stars. While it wasn't my favorite, the author touched on a number of important issues facing our teenagers currently. The most important theme of this book is the power of words. Chelsea, a popular and arrogant teenager, finds joy in putting others down and elevating her status with her friend, ultimate mean girl, Kristen. However, after a huge betrayal to a fellow student, Chelsea begins to realize how influential words can be. In order to avoid hurting anyone else, Chelsea takes a vow of silence, essentially becoming "speechless".
The reactions of her parents, teachers and other students to Chelsea's vow range from supportive to annoyed to disgusted. It made me a little queasy reading how cruel and heartless these teenagers can be to each other, using verbal slurs and threats, vandalizing and ultimately physically injuring one student. Over the course of her journey, Chelsea must deal with her inability to defend and express herself through words and find ways to communicate with others. One scene was especially poignant when Chelsea is writing to another student and he asks if writing isn't breaking her vow of silence. She replies that she must think about things more when writing instead of letting her words simply slide of our her mouth without considering them first. I think this is an important message to take away--that all of us would benefit from the old "think before you speak" adage.
There were many characters in the book that I'm sure we all love to hate. However, there were a few select characters--Sam, Asha and the whole diner gang--that really put a smile on my face. As a reader, I really felt drawn into Chelsea's experience as she learned what it means to be a real friend and find a true home for yourself. A number of us have had experiences when we realize that we need make our own choices rather than let others dictate that for us. More than anything, I thought these characters were such an example of forgiveness. As Noah said, “Hate is... It's too easy. Love. Love takes courage.”
As a side note, anytime I read a YA book I look at it from a young adult perspective. I'm 30 years old, so I still love YA lit, but I also look at it from the point of view of a parent. I ask myself, "Would I want my teenage daughter reading this?" I really struggled with this one, because there are some great lessons to be learned from Speechless. Love over hate; the consequences of gossip; respect for everyone-regardless of our different lifestyles and choices; standing up for yourself and others; learning that popularity isn't everything. However, there was quite a bit of profanity and vulgar language in the book. While I realize that this kind of talk is common among a lot of people (especially high schoolers), I wouldn't want my daughters reading this. I feel like there are so many other books out there with similar messages that are uplifting without being profane. For this reason, I have a hard time recommending it without that caveat.
The reactions of her parents, teachers and other students to Chelsea's vow range from supportive to annoyed to disgusted. It made me a little queasy reading how cruel and heartless these teenagers can be to each other, using verbal slurs and threats, vandalizing and ultimately physically injuring one student. Over the course of her journey, Chelsea must deal with her inability to defend and express herself through words and find ways to communicate with others. One scene was especially poignant when Chelsea is writing to another student and he asks if writing isn't breaking her vow of silence. She replies that she must think about things more when writing instead of letting her words simply slide of our her mouth without considering them first. I think this is an important message to take away--that all of us would benefit from the old "think before you speak" adage.
There were many characters in the book that I'm sure we all love to hate. However, there were a few select characters--Sam, Asha and the whole diner gang--that really put a smile on my face. As a reader, I really felt drawn into Chelsea's experience as she learned what it means to be a real friend and find a true home for yourself. A number of us have had experiences when we realize that we need make our own choices rather than let others dictate that for us. More than anything, I thought these characters were such an example of forgiveness. As Noah said, “Hate is... It's too easy. Love. Love takes courage.”
As a side note, anytime I read a YA book I look at it from a young adult perspective. I'm 30 years old, so I still love YA lit, but I also look at it from the point of view of a parent. I ask myself, "Would I want my teenage daughter reading this?" I really struggled with this one, because there are some great lessons to be learned from Speechless. Love over hate; the consequences of gossip; respect for everyone-regardless of our different lifestyles and choices; standing up for yourself and others; learning that popularity isn't everything. However, there was quite a bit of profanity and vulgar language in the book. While I realize that this kind of talk is common among a lot of people (especially high schoolers), I wouldn't want my daughters reading this. I feel like there are so many other books out there with similar messages that are uplifting without being profane. For this reason, I have a hard time recommending it without that caveat.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Welcome!
I have loved books for as long as I can remember. Storytime, book clubs, readathons--you name it. After a dry spell in college when all I had time to read was textbooks, I rediscovered my passion for reading and haven't stopped since. I decided to start this blog as a way to organize the thoughts that bounce around in my head after finishing a great (or not so great) book. So, welcome to my corner of the blogosphere! Pull up a keyboard and share your thoughts if you'd like or simply gain a new perspective from my point of view.
- Brittney (or to my friends and family, Boo Boo)
- Brittney (or to my friends and family, Boo Boo)
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