Brooke Davis's "Lost & Found"

“Lost & Found” is the story of Millie, a strange seven-year-old girl who harbours a fascination of death. She keeps a book of dead things, which is a running record of all the people and creatures that she has seen die, or that she has personally lost. Her father, a victim of cancer a short time before the novel begins, is a major one in the list.

At the start of her story, she is asked to wait in the lingerie department of a shopping center by her mother, who does not return. Millie sleeps there for a few nights before heading home, finding a piece of paper on the counter. It is an itinerary, and states that her mother will be taking a flight from Melbourne in the next few days.

Millie enlists the help of an elderly widow and widower to get her to Melbourne. The former is Karl the Touch Typist, who has escaped from a retirement village, and the latter is Agatha Pantha, her hermit-like neighbour from across the street.

The unlikely trio set out on their odd journey, which balances the tragic realism of Millie’s abandonment perfectly with surreal, sometimes comical situations. We are rooting for them the whole way through, and want nothing more than for Millie’s mother to realise her harsh mistake.

Everywhere she goes, Millie writes and displays, “In here, Mum”, ever hopeful that her mother is searching just as hard to find her, too. This, along with her obsession with death, make her so endearing. Despite not fully grasping the circumstances, it is hard to call Millie naïve. She is almost wise in her vision of death as she tells everyone that they are all going to die, but that this is okay. It will be okay.

“Lost & Found” is a very fun and enjoyable book, but it does, at times, leave you feeling a bit hollow and funny inside. The ending perhaps isn’t the one that you wanted, but it is still surprisingly satisfying nonetheless. It is definitely worth reading, even buying. I have the feeling I’ll want to relive this whimsical, bittersweet adventure again soon.

Kay Langdale's "Her Giant Octopus Moment"

‘Her Giant Octopus Moment’ is the story of a mother and daughter on the run, practically living week to week until they are discovered again, and are forced to take flight once more.

The mother is Joanie, and she is the reason they can’t stay in one place too long. She works whatever jobs are available in order to provide for her daughter, but doesn’t always make the right decisions. Joanie has the tendency to put her foo tin her mouth, especially with employers, and a strong inclination towards one night stands.

Scout is the daughter; a bright young girl of eleven who likes order and school, and is fed up with moving from place to place, especially since she doesn’t know the reasons why. She keeps her dissatisfaction with their life bottled up for the most part, trying to make the best of things as her Joanie does. Scout is loyal to her mother to a fault, often protecting her at times when she really shouldn’t.

Their secret for being constantly on the go is revealed at the start of the novel (and is mentioned in the blurb in alternate editions) is enough to make you question Joanie’s intentions and integrity. Having signed on to be the surrogate mother on behalf of Ned and Elisabetta Beecham, she changed her mind several months into the pregnancy. In order to keep “her” child, Joanie faked a miscarriage, went overseas, pretended to lose her passport, and applied for a new one as “Joanie”, previously having been just Joan. Things become harder for the pair on the run as the couple try to track her down, in order to discover what is really best for Scout.

“Her Giant Octopus Moment” is told from multiple perspectives. While it generally relies upon the main protagonists (Scout, Joanie, Ned, and Elisabetta), it also relies upon support characters, some who only make only a single appearance. For example, we get to experience the case from the additional viewpoints of a hospital worker, judge, and social worker.

Knowing the truth about Scout’s conception adds tension to the story, as you’ll be heavily invested in the family that was supposed to be. Ned and Elisabetta Beecham are both teachers, which is easy to pair up with their clever, long-lost daughter.

From the moment Joanie recalls an anecdote about a giant octopus, hinting about the significance of the title, it is hard not to be imbued with such a definite sense of hope. You can only hope that the octopus moment will be Joanie’s, and that the right thing will be done by Scout.

I was incredibly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book, which I borrowed as a whim to read on the way home. You’ll feel for all the characters, even the ones you don’t necessarily want to. Her writing style, and the tendency to jump between characters, is somewhat reminiscent of Marina Lewycka’s. Needless to say, it is extremely enjoyable and a hard book to put down.

Jenni Fagan's "The Panopticon"

‘The Panopticon’ is one of the most fantastic additions to the young adult fiction world that currently exists. While some people contest its suitability for the young adult library due to the vulgar nature of its sexual references and cussing, they would be unpleasantly surprised to find out that the average teenager knows a few four letter words, as well as their own developing body.

There is also the misconception that the panopticon represents the building that the protagonist is sent to, while realistically it is not-quite-figurative; a mental state. While some elements of fantasy are implied in the beginning, the story will quickly establish that these, too, are imaginary.

The main character is Anais, a young girl who has bounded from foster home to correctional facility and back again for most of her young life (she is only 16 at the opening of the story). While her offenses have always been relatively minor, she is the main suspect in a potential murder. A police woman who had already had several bad run-ins with Anais is in a coma, and as a result, both of their outcomes are looking bleaker by the day.

Anais cannot remember committing the crime (a result of being constantly on drugs), but knows she will, if she knows anything, given enough time, the way it always does. The book goes through her daily life at the correctional facility, slowly remembering her events on that day, with occasional glimpses to her childhood.

The friendships in “The Panopticon” are also an integral theme, since many of the characters are lacking a family of their own. They are beautifully depicted, and often heart-breaking considering the tragic setting of the book.

It deals with real issues, even if the average adolescent will never have a life that completely contends with that of Anais (but, unfortunately, there are many that will). It is not only the mystery that will keep you reading, but a genuine love for the protagonist. While she doesn’t always do all the right things, and can be downright antagonistic at times, you will root for her. She is a good girl at heart, let down by family and the general system.

While I would definitely say this belongs on the young adult shelf, every adult would benefit from reading this book. There are experiences we forget as an adult, especially if we have lived an essentially trouble-free adolescence. It is all too easy to forget or ignore the perspective of another in the circumstances depicted in this novel, and while the problems in this book are not something we enjoy being reminded of, they are crucial in the current day, while these social problems are still all too real.

Janna Levin's "A Madman Dreams Of Turing Machines"

“A Madman Dream Of Turing Machines” is a fictional novel of two real mathematicians from history: Alan Turing and Kurtele Gödel. It delicately intertwines their parallel lives, blending their work with personal anecdotes, mathematical theorems, and philosophies with imagination.

The result is strangely compelling, and tragic in its retelling. The back blurb links them through their lives; that of being a genius and the isolation that comes with being misunderstood, but also in their deaths, as both ended their own lives with intent.

It showcases their genius, dedication to their work, personal moments, and relationships, but doesn't shy away from portraying them as the outcasts they were (however, unlike the fellow man of their time, we sympathise completely).

This is a book for all black sheep, and not just those of the mathematical kind. The persecution of these characters will resound with many for varying reasons, and Turing especially will have a place in your heart (if he didn’t already!)

Bryan Lee O'Malley "Lost At Sea"

I am not a particular fan of Bryan Lee O'Malley,or at least, I wasn't before "Lost At Sea". I've always appreciated his art style, which alone drove me to read through the Scott Pilgrim series, which I found lacking after everyone swore that I would like it. I found SP too gimmicky, and without any real substance.

Bad reviews kept me from reading this novel for a long time, and I really regret that. I think I'll address the most common complaint first. For one, it is described as "emo", but it depends on your definition of the word. Is this book sad or bleak for the sake of being sad or bleak? No. Is this book genuinely raw and emotional? Yes, sort of. It's not overly dramatic, the protagonist, Raleigh, is just convinced she doesn't have a soul. Not because she is bad, but purely because she has become kind of numb.

Chances are, Raleigh is dealing with moderate to severe depression (and you are probably beginning to see not only why I like this book, but relate to its protagonist). Her perceived importance relating to cats could even be a kind of psychosis, but I digress. On the surface, this is the story of a regular eighteen year old is a little lost, and unable to feel things the same way that she did before, whatever else you want to read into it.

Her world is in quiet discord, and she has found something good in it, and she is unsure of how it will turn out. It leaves her anxious, uncertain, and completely confused, not only about this subject but seemingly life itself. By the age of eighteen, you feel like you should know a lot more than you do, and that you should know yourself better. It is one of the great delusions of adulthood that you think, at any one point, you will suddenly have a clear, unchanging view of yourself.

I like the progression of the story, and I adore how her friends start to indulge her in her quest, in the middle of the night. Despite what other reviews have said, I don't think this is a story about the blurred lines between reality and delusion or fantasy. It is just symbolism. She has lost something important to her, something apart of her, and searching on the streets seems like a good a place as any.

"Lost At Sea" is not going to be likable to everyone. If you were ever lost or depressed as a teenager, Raleigh will strike a chord with you. You'll like this story if you have embraced this side of yourself, a teenage phase or not (as the other typical negative review was "I was like Raleigh and I don't want to relive that").

I was quite happy, for a short while, to be lost in misunderstood adolescence for a while. I think I'll go back to read this again when I am feeling slightly sad and wistful for a former self. I'm pretty sure I'll end up buying this one for my permanent collection, so at the very least it is definitely worth borrowing.

Jonas T. Bengtsson "A Fairy Tale"

(I flicked back through the story while indulging in berry white chocolate yoghurt. Decadent.)

From the moment "A Fairy Tale" was translated into English and thrown onto bookshop shelves, I have been eyeing it eagerly. The entrancing cover art enticed me to read the blurb, which only further baited my curiousity and I was instantly hooked. The moment I saw it available, after checking on and off for months in Worldcat, I reserved it and went to snatch it up immediately.

This novel is engrossing from the very start, and extremely hard to put down. I started reading it on the train into the city, and ended up sitting on the platform until it was finished. I walked to the library, alone in my thoughts about this extremely lively, whimsical, raw, and genuine story. This is a significantly beautiful and well-composed contemporary fairy-tale, the best I have ever read, but it might be debatable whether it falls under the category of its namesake.

Alluded to constantly throughout the book is the presence of the surreal, that there is more to the world than first meets the eye, shown mainly through the character of the father of the protagonist, who seems sensitive to such things, in a subtly presented manner. It seems to be part of the reason for their nomadic, flighty life, which neither seems to desire, but is nonetheless essential to their survival.

The father is a rich and complex person who truly felt real to me from his very introduction, and this preconception was only ever strengthened as their tale progresses. He falls into the "gray" chasm of morality, as with a very specific and significant exception, you never really feel like he is doing the wrong thing, or anything different to what you would do in similar circumstances to ensure the survival of not only yourself, but your young child. Together they survive on odd jobs, the occasional theft, and even the charity of others. While the father seems to have a constant rose-tinted view of the world, not only looking for but also giving small tokens of kindness everywhere, it is rare that they encounter people they can truly trust with the weight of their own truths and journey.

Loyalty is a huge theme that resounds from the opening chapter, as the the bond between the father and son is completely joyous to say the least. More often than not it resembles that also of a teacher and pupil, but also of two best friends. The story is told in first person perspective by the son, "Peter", and the respect he has for his father seems noticeably limitless from the opening pages. The father can really do no wrong in his son's eyes, which is further sustained in Peter's imagination as he considers them not only a father and son on the run, but a king and his son on a noble quest.

It is hard to speak of anything more without spoiling the novel completely, as there is a dramatic change to the story and characters at around the midpoint of the novel. While the second half is a little different, it somehow got all the more engaging and compelling for me. I was so invested in these characters, and the bewildering and sometimes unsettling blur of the line between reality and the unknown. There is a lot left unsaid and unexplained as you turn from the last page, but I found this really suited the overall atmosphere of this often charming, fleetingly haunting fairy-tale. From going on this expedition with these characters and getting to know and understand them with specific gaps left uncertain, I had a clear picture of everything in my imagination (but this will greatly differ between readers). I am glad my speculated conclusions were neither defied nor negated in the ending pages.

Due to the magnificence of libraries, it is rare that I will ever say a book is worth buying, but "A Fairy-Tale" certainly is. I enjoyed this so much, from beginning to end, with every blow and delight along the way that I could not possibly leave their adventure there, with only one-look through. It is close to perfection, and I can't wait for a day where I am in need of the familiar more than the new, so that I can open this book and be lost once more. If I live to be old, I daresay I would have visited this world more than a dozen times (up there, for me, with the fictional likes of Harry Potter, or the works of Murakami and Kingsolver).

I heartily await the translations of Bengtsson's other works, with the strongest desire to be held captive to his eloquence, anew, once more.

Marina Lewycka

I only had to read "Two Caravans" to realise that Marina Lewycka was a great writer. I picked it up, and didn't put it down until I had finished, feeling like I had gone on an incredible adventure. I'm not sure what I liked so much. The story and characters were lovely and realistic (with a hint of almost zaniness to some of it), but most importantly, it was her writing that really touched me.

When I read the last paragraph, and closed the book, gently placing it on my lap, the first thing I thought was, "Wow. She really knows how to do an ending", and to be honest, she has not disappointed me in all her books I have read since. She doesn't give you too much or too little, but the perfect amount. And I think that this is a quality that is quite often hard to find.

I had to trek all over Sydney to find her other books for borrowing which so far includes "A Short History Of Tractors In Ukrainian", "We Are All Made Of Glue", and "Various Pets Alive And Dead".

From the start, I instantly became involved in beautiful Ukraine (though her novels are not set there, a lot of the various characters call it their birthplace or home). While there seems to be turmoil and strife there following the events with Russia, I can really see the appeal, not to say that she doesn't have her problems.

So far, I haven't written about her, because I am not sure what to write, other than that she is brilliant. I find it much easier to engage with authors and their works if I feel cold or lukewarm, rather than boiling hot.

Her stories are beautifully composed, displaying a world that sits on a fine line between the real and surreal. While not other-worldly, her stories take the more interesting aspects of life alone (or perhaps her tone just makes the dull incredibly fascinating), showing honest characters (even while being deceitful).

I am given the impression that perhaps this is what all our life stories would be like if only we opened up a little more, to our neighbours, family, or momentary strangers, and got swept along in their adventures instead of just our own. (This makes great literary fodder, but this would be the nightmare of an introvert like myself).

We grow and learn as Lewycka's characters do, making the transition from adolescence to adulthood, or sometimes budging slightly from one stubborn view to another. The subtle changes in characters are often the most natural and truthful to real life, and there are plenty to behold between these pages.

I can do nothing but heartily recommend these delightful books, and anything Marina Lewycka will write from hereonin. I eagerly and not so patiently await her next work, and just know that I will not be disappointed.

(It is also great that she seems to be painting a consistent world within her own books. Within "We Are All Made Of Glue", there was a vague reference made to "Two Caravans", and I almost died of a gleeful heart attack as my eyes graced the words and I reread it just to make certain. Small undertones of consistency and linkage, between two completely different works, so greatly rewards readers, and makes it all feel like some great, sometimes detached, long adventure.)

Eowyn Ivey's "The Snow Child"

This is an amazing modern adaption of the fairy-tale by the same name, or, alternatively, Snegurochka in Russian. The original tale is referenced frequently throughout the story, which actually serves as a prophecy to foreshadow the entire plot, to some extent. I won't spoil the ending, but not everything is as it seems throughout the story.

Jack and Mabel represent the childless couple. Mabel contemplates death and suicide while out in the forest, feeling helpless as she no longer has much to life, while Jack works every day, and they struggle to say afoot. Their marriage seems to be dwindling, and they almost seem to be holding on just because there is little else out there.

One night they rekindle their love, and happen to also build a little snow girl, who they give a hat and mittens. After this, they start to see a little girl, as light as snow herself, running through the woods, donning the clothes they left out in the snow.

Both Mabel and Jack change their stance throughout the story of whether or not this is a little girl formed from snow, or a real little girl, lost from a local village somewhere. Getting to snow the girl, and inviting her into their home, doesn't really change their answer for the majority of the story.

Meanwhile, for a lot of the story, Mabel is convinced that their little girl is really a snow child. She sends home to her sister for her original copy of the book, and is careful to try and appease the forces in the real world that caused the snow child harm in the book (such as the fox, or the fire).

It is wonderfully beautiful, and you begin to wonder whether or not the world displayed in this book is that of reality as we know it, or one of absolute magic and fairy-tale. The ending is left open to your interpretation, but will most likely further displace your idea of "The Snow Child"s world.

My problems with the book are subjective, not to mention quite shallow: I don't get why human life is so revered, while animals are hunted sometimes meaninglessly in comparison for fur and meat. This is a small and nitpicky problem with a great book, and doesn't detract too much from the story.

There is a little trailer for the book here, and to further immerse yourself in the world of "The Snow Maiden", you can listen to Tchaikovsky's incidental music here. This book is only short, and can be polished off on a cold, indulgent reading day.

Books I Forgot To Review In May (Moonlight In Odessa, The Opposite Of Loneliness, The Novel In The Viola)

Apparently the debut novel of Janet Skeslien-Charles, this is a wonderful story which paints a flattering yet honest portrayal of beautiful, crime-filled Odessa. I really felt for and related to the protagonist, a young and capable girl, clever from start to end.

This book starts with one of the saddest notes I have ever heard. Marina Keegan, portrayed on the front cover and the writer of the various essays and fiction contained within, was killed in a car crash only a few days after graduating. Her family put together this wonderful collection and released it for the public. And while, as you read, you feel for her family who have lost such a lovely young lady, but you feel a loss as a reader. Her work is nothing short of fantastic, and we are left wanting more.

So aware of this poor girl's fate throughout the pages, I found myself crying on the train, when in one of her essays she discussed her future, which was cut far too short.

 Natasha Solomons has written a heart-wrenching novel about a young Jewish lady, starting just before the outbreak of WWII. It is a love story above all else, I enjoyed the perhaps controversial choice of the protagonist towards the end.

June Loves "The Festival By The Sea"

I admit shamefully that it was the first the cover art that drew me in to this book, but it was the concept of a writer's group and festival that clinched the deal. (Also, I didn't realise it was the illustrator behind the Penguin Children's Classics collection I received last Christmas).
After days of rain, there was finally a sunny afternoon that was perfect to indulge in reading a book with a sea-side setting. However, I failed to be drawn in, and putting the book down, I had an inner discussion with myself about whether or not I wanted to read this book, which I wasn't enjoying, or simply return it.
It is not entirely to my regret that I continued, but unfortunately, even as I turned to the last page, I failed to see any merit in the characters or story, at least for me personally.
The only character thoroughly enjoyed was the Dog (a dog), who is shown as having conversations with the protagonist (and it is probably harsh of me to say that I think he is the only character with character).
I can't say the protagonist was inconsistent, but there were times I thought I knew what kind of woman she was, only for her to turn that on her head, and not in a good way. While not preachy or self-righteous, she does carry a hint of self importance as the director, where for me, a down to earth character would be far more appreciated. The ending was predictable. The life-changing decisions hinted near the start of the book are easy to guess the outcomes for. The friends who are mentioned constantly throughout the pages seem to be left with loose threads though. I think the story would work better if we were given insight into the lives of all the characters, with more significance placed on and more Time given to the main protagonist. I think a lot of the side characters were more interesting and relatable than the one we were forced to follow every step of the way.
As a slice of life novel, following the day to day routine of a middle-aged woman as she goes about her business, the story is slightly lacking. A festival planning isn't the most interesting story with only pale characters to back it up. Fresh perspectives would lend the plot much needed story.
Although Loves paints a variety of distinct characters, I felt they weren't fleshed out and I only got to know them as if I were a stranger briefly visiting their lives, rather than an investment in a world and its people I will carry forever.
I'm not dismissing this book entirely, as it is still charming and at times funny, but I doubt I will ever think back on Shelley Beach with fond memories the way other places of fiction inspire.
If you enjoy light novels and middle-aged protagonists, this may be the perfect novel for you. It is set in Australia, but failed to register with me as such (although I might be bias to the more lush green and dusty scenery).
I can't recommend this, but at the same time, it isn't terrible. If you are running out of things to read and have this on the shelf, then get around to it.

Reading Challenge 1 Follow-Up (The Believing Brain, Rethink, I Am, Therefore I Think, The Position)

I succeeded with the initial reading challenge, but a lot happened towards the end of it and afterwards that caused me to be a little out of it, and not "review" these books in the usual format that I do, unfortunately. So, rather than post a full-blown review, since the books aren't clear in my mind anyway, I'll just post brief thoughts I had on them.

Rethink is the 'story' of how Edward de Bono's teachings and exercises influenced Australia. It was really interesting to hear all about the practical work of de Bono from a third perspective, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is also nice to have a book purely on Australian case studies. (I had to add this to Goodreads, which is a first for me!)

The New York Public Library was extremely captivating, and will interest any bibliophile. It tells of how the libraries came into existence, and is littered with pictures of the buildings themselves and the collections. Sigh.

The Believing Brain is probably this weeks favourite, and definitely the most informative. I particularly liked how it ran through all the types of biases that can taint a person's judgement (such as hindsight bias). While the anecdotes do get tiresome, this is only a brief part of the book, and worth pushing past to get to the good stuff.

I Am, Therefore I Think is a philosophy book presented in a back and forth question and answer style. If you have read philosophy texts before, give this a miss. However, Pete picked it up off our bedside table curiously, and ended up devouring it over the week. It is a great introduction book for anyone new to the subject.

The Position, by Meg Wolitzer, did not disappoint. Wolitzer is now my fast fiction favourite. Once again I was caught up in the plights of her well textured characters, delightfully oblivious to the fact they were fictional as long as I could keep turning to the next page.

Tove Jansson “The True Deceiver”

While “The Summer Book” was charming, this novel is just plain brilliant. Still quaint in its own way, there were times when the story seemed nothing less than dark, and engrossingly human.

The story follows a pair of odd siblings: an odd young lady named Katri, and her younger brother Mats. They are considered outsiders in a sense, even in their own town, unhelped by their rather cold demeanor, and Katri’s ability to be downright frightening (there are times where her eyes appear to be almost supernatural and yellow).

The sister is good with numbers, but Mats is slow with his hands, but efficient and a quick learner. He spends his time helping out ship-makers, slowly learning their trade as he designs a boat by secret in his spare time.

The story really lifts off as the pair start communicating with the famous (fictional) illustrator, Anna Aemelin. She herself is a bit on the odd side, as she rarely appears outside her home, known as the “Rabbit House” due to her books. Their relationship is strange, and not always friendly.

With a name like “True Deceiver”, you know there is a twist somewhere in the story, but I won’t spoil anything here. Perhaps it is obvious from the start, but I didn’t want to believe it, even as the deceit is admitted to.

Like all of Jansson’s stories, I was thoroughly delighted in reading this, but it is perhaps the darkest thing she has written. Sometimes the distinctly human acts feel like they are hitting a little too close to home, and leave you feeling vulnerable, if not a little suspicious of those around you (and yourself).

My life has been enriched by this tale of deceit, so I whole-heartily recommend borrowing or purchasing a copy, as you see fit. The whole thing is little over an hour long, and the snowy setting of the book can thoroughly be indulged in the almost-cold, rainy weather we have been having these past few days here in Sydney.

Meg Wolitzer "The Ten Year Nap"

The central themes contained in "The Ten Year Nap" include motherhood, marriage, career, and the individual meaning of life. It is mainly from the perspective of a variety of mothers, showing glimpses of husbands, partners, and children through their stories. All of them showed promise at something in the past, but many have given it up solely for motherhood. While some are content with this, others are not, and a few haven't had to sacrifice anything at all.

The main protagonist is most definitely Amy, but it doesn't mean she steals the show. In the same fashion as The Interestings, Meg Wolitzer gives each chapter a new perspective, gently over-lapping and intwining the resulting stories together, often non-chronologically, and often so that the importance of the scene is not fully realised until later.

"The Ten Year Nap" and "The Interestings" were the most interesting fictional stories I have read in the last month, perhaps even the last year. I am beginning to wonder if I have ever read anything as adult, as interesting, or as real as this before. Meg Wolitzer has changed my life in subtle but undeniable ways, and I am pleased and honoured to finally have stumbled upon her genius.

The moment I returned this to the library, I picked up another Wolitzer book they held. My current rule is 4 non-fiction books and 1 fiction book a week. It has been quite some time since I have been craving a fiction book, but this time I cannot wait for another of her adventures.

Tove Jansson’s The Summer Book

Finland is brought to life in this quaint and charming story of an elderly artist and her granddaughter. “The Summer Book” is surprisingly fresh and beautiful, as well as quietly wise and humorous.

It is entirely character driven, but the delicious, warm setting of the island and the sea fills the gaps wonderfully. Both protagonists are fiercely independent in their own way, and the contrasts and similarities of their perspectives accounts for a lot of the enjoyment of the story. They can also be quite contrary to themselves, their fickle personalities playing on each other nicely.

Together they set out on small adventures each day, whether it is staying round the house, going down to the water, or climbing high up on the rocks. Often their parts will unfold simultaneously but separately, only a room apart, with occasional and limited interaction, such as when the grandmother has locked herself away in her room, and the child expresses her feelings through drawings that she holds up to the window.

I started reading this on the train ride home and couldn’t put it down. Sunshine lit up the carriage in the late afternoon, and the scenery could only have been more perfect if I was riding past the seaside. Only short, you’ll finish it within the hour, it would also make a great read for a day cooped up at home.

"A Wrinkle In Time" (Graphic Novel)

Hope Larson’s ‘A Wrinkle In Time’ is a graphic novel adaption of a classic book by the same name, written by Madeleine L’Engle, and published in 1962. I’m going to judge this stand-alone, as movie, television, or comic counterparts to books are never quite as good as the original, and I don’t think it is fair to hold it up this sort of standard.

Our protagonist is Meg Murray; the typical misunderstood girl, and we are given the first real clue of her character with a flashback to her getting into a fight with another boy, as she overheard him talking about her “oddball” brother.

Only Meg’s twin brothers seem to have a good reputation, as everyone else in the family are notorious in the community for one reason or another. Meg herself is considered slow and stubborn, her mother strange but beautiful, her brother is mistaken for dumb, and the father of the family, a scientist like their mum, went missing some time ago. Everyone else besides Meg and her family believe that the father abandoned them for a new love, or is long dead. This causes quite a gap between Meg and the outside world, as she often she jumps to defend against these rumours.

The story starts off on a dark and stormy night, where Meg can’t get to sleep. She eventually stumbles downstairs to find her little brother Charles waiting for her, knowing that she would arrive, showing his startling perception and other-worldliness for a boy of only four. They are soon joined by their mother as she emerges from the lab, and, as betrayed by their dog Fort, a peculiar friend of Charles. She lives out near the woods, in what is believed to be an abandoned house with her two friends, and goes by the name of Mrs Whosit (which apparently is just her name, and not a substitution).

If Meg and her family are considered odd, they don’t hold a candle to Mrs Whosit, who, not long after taking her boots off, decides to leave them again. Before leaving, she reveals to Mrs Murray “that the tesseract is real”, which startles her to no end, much to the curiousity of the children.

Charles and Meg eventually go to meet Mrs Whosit at her house, only to come upon Calvin, a boy who is much alike to the odd Murray children, despite his popularity and general rapport at school. Meg mistrusts him at first, but soon lets down her guard. As he joins the Murray family for dinner, Calvin admits to not having the best family life, and expresses his envy to Meg, who is so dearly loved and cherished, who at the same time, realises she has a lot to be grateful for. Meg startles Calvin with her high aptitude of all things scientific and mathematic, despite the common acceptance that she is slow.

It is shortly after the trio of Charles, Meg, & Calvin come together that they are launched into adventure together, traveling to different worlds using wrinkles, or skips, in the fifth dimension. Together they learn of a great threat to all these worlds, including Earth, called IT, or The Dark Cloud.







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I wrote this in November and forgot to post it, better late than never though!

Meg Wolitzer's "The Interestings"

This book popped up as the first book in an online book club I recently started subscribing to. For some reason, I immediately assumed this to be non-fiction, but learned the reverse was true the moment I started trying to locate a copy using World Cat.

It was only available at Merrylands, so I used this as the perfect excuse to finally head off there. I signed up for membership, browsed all their lovely books and CDs, and then I needed the help of the librarian, as it wasn't in the usual fiction section, but on the "new releases" shelf.

I started reading it that day, and was bored in the first few pages, so I put it down. I was a little bit over reading books about teenagers who think they are special because they have this great group of friends. Realistically, this is just the cynic, lonely, bitter part of me speaking. I'm just jealous.

Realising I couldn't put it off forever if I wanted to be apart of a book club, I kept reading. And from the second chapter onwards, I fell in love. There is nothing all that unique in this story, it is just fantastic writing, and great character development. Jules and her friends felt real to me, even if they would have never befriended me, and I was still happy to accompany them on their journey.

I won't spoil much, but the story is essentially about a group of friends, ironically (to them) named "The Interestings", who go to an annual camp together. Each character has their own strengths, flaws, and unique history, which are slowly unveiled as the story progresses, often in suspenseful bits and pieces that keeps you hooked.

The story isn't told chronologically as it goes from the Interestings at age 15 in chapter one, only to appear 50 in the next chapter, and then in their early 20s. This is really what makes the story so interesting; the fact that we can read about these characters in middle-age, and still have them be believable, and yet "mysterious" as things are alluded to, and the facts dispersed intermittently.

As I was approaching the end of this story, I felt a certain sadness to be leaving my new friends behind. I really wanted to stay in their world a little longer.

This is the best fictional novel I've read in the past year, so if my testament is good enough, go check it out!

Penny Tangey's "Loving Richard Feynman"

This is a short, fictional story from the perspective of an Australian girl called Catherine, in the format of a diary. Each entry is addressed to Feynman in one way or another, occasionally avoiding using his name out of fear of being socially persecuted, and once or twice out of spite.

I picked this book up shortly after high school, and enjoyed it a lot more then, than I did rereading it now. It's possibly the difference between being 18 and reading about a 15-year-old, compared to being eight years older.

I found the protagonist extremely self-centered, immature, snobbish and elitist for most of the book. It is true that she grows beyond this, to some extent, but I felt the change started to happen too late for me to ever find her relatable.

However, sometimes her naivety is fresh, such as the way she approaches certain deeds that Feynman took part in, whether it is the Atomic bomb, or his approach to certain women.

This isn't the greatest introductory book to Feynman if you're an adult, but it certainly is a nice "gateway" book for kids under 16, as there are a lot of factual anecdotes between these pages. On the other hand, if you're an adult who is regretting no longer being a teenager and wanting some of that "woe is me" kind of writing, check this one out.

It's not Penny Tangey's greatest work, but it fits into the nice little niche of fiction meets fact. And let's face it... What geeky girl hasn't pondered more than just Feynman's work?

Daniel Clowes's "Ghost World"

The graphic novel "Ghost World" follows the two friends Enid and Rebecca in the 1990s, having recently graduated from high school. They are cynical, a little bit out of touch with politics and happy for it, and on the verge of adulthood, which creates inevitable tension between the girls.

I've been dying to read this one since I first heard about it a few years ago, and only recently found a library that kept it in their catalogue. Most of the short summaries I provide on books are glowing, but I was disappointed with "Ghost World" from the outset.

The art style is completely lovable, and I don't mean to downplay the talent of Daniel Clowes. The character development is realistic, especially the eventual divide between Enid and Rebecca, but it is simply the growth of two characters who I don't care about and can't relate to.

I won't be reading this again, but this isn't a reason to not check this out. Maybe it is more your cup of tea than mine. I'm sure it earned cult classic for a reason.

007

I was trying to think of what to read next (in terms of fiction, non-fiction I've got plenty), when I saw something pop up about Skyfall. I decided to look into the Bond books, and found these awesome new covers.

The best covers are "Diamonds Are Forever" or "You Only Live Twice" (in my opinion). QoS is my favourite book though, based on content and not girls (although, the movie is another matter ;) )

Rex Libris

I stumbled upon this accidentally while searching for missing Dewey Decimal numbers. It is a pretty awesome looking comic about a librarian. Need I say more?

I'm a few dollars short of ordering them on Amazon, but payday is around the corner...