Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Few of us now have seen the stars as folk saw them then -- our cities and towns cast too much light into the night -- but, from the village of Wall, the stars were laid out like worlds or like ideas, uncountable as the trees in a forest of the leaves on a tree.

I had heard of Neil Gaiman before reading Stardust. I had heard him touted as a great novelist and author, yet I had never read one of his books. So when I went to the library a few days ago, I decided to browse through what they had and I found this gem.

Now, I had seen the movie by the same title in late 2011. A friend of mine had said it was great, so I bought it and watched it with my family. I was the only one who enjoyed it. I love anything with a fairytale/mystical aspect and the creativity it took to create such a world as Faerie appealed to me immensely. It certainly wasn't my favorite movie, but I enjoyed it. Thus, when I was looking through the collection of Neil Gaiman books at my local library, I selected this one. If I enjoyed the movie, I figured, I would probably enjoy the book much more.

It never ceases to amaze me how much better a book can be than the movie adapted from it. I know that it is a basically universal fact that the book is always better than the movie -- with exceptions few and far between -- but for some reason I still underestimate the fact time and time again. (I'll do my best not to draw too much attention to the fact that the movie deviates so far from the original work that it is almost hard to see the similarities.)

Stardust was, quite simply put, a pleasure to read. Not only is Mr. Gaiman quite excellent when it comes to crafting an entirely unforeseen and beautiful new world, but his word-smithing capabilities are profound. There were more than a few times that I had to go back and reread certain passages purely because of the sheer beauty of his words.

That being said, something must be said for the plot. The story itself is about a boy named Tristran Thorn, an inhabitant in the fairly boring town of Wall, which lies on the edge of where our world connects with that of a magical one by the name of Faerie. In an effort to win the heart of the girl he adores, Tristran crosses the boundary that separates our world and theirs in search of a fallen star to bring back. But things in Faerie aren't always as they seem and Tristran never expected the star to be a living, breathing woman. To make matters even more complicated, he is not the only one in search of the fallen star and their intentions may not prove so noble as his own.

Rating: ~★★★★★~

Everything I ever thought about myself -- who I am, what I am -- was a lie. Or sort of. You have no idea how astonishingly liberating that feels.

Skate by Michael Harmon

Fighting the system was fine, he said, but fighting it the right way was key.

Michael Harmon has, to date, written three novels. I have read each of these novels precisely in the opposite order in which he wrote them. That was entirely unintentional, but that was they way it worked out.

In having said that, I have enjoyed each of his novels equally. Mr. Harmon knows how to speak from the perspective of a teenager who feels different from the world around him and like everyone has turned against him. Each of his heroes (or -- in the case of his third novel, Brutal -- heroine) gives the reader a clear view of what it's like to be ostracized for being different and how there is always a way for that very person to rise above it all and be the hero of their own story.

Skate chronicles the story of Ian McDermott, a teenager whose home life is already hard enough when the certain members of the school faculty decide to turn against him. Ian is known for having a propensity to talk back and speak his mind. He's no stranger to conflict because he has earned tough skin in his short, yet challenging, life.

But one day, he takes it too far and his entire world seems to come crashing down around him. The only option he feels he has is to run away with his younger brother in an effort to find their father, hoping he might have a way to right the wrongs that have been committed by and against them.

Skate is one of those books where the characters are real. Everything about it makes you feel like this could easily happen. This could easily be you or someone you know. Mr. Harmon's poignant writing about the woes of a broken and damaged society hits right where it ought. It's a good read and one that will get you thinking. I'm definitely a fan.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

"Because something terribly wrong happened here, and it's not all your fault. I'm not giving up on this. Or you."

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

"My father always said that you shouldn't make an agreement unless you know exactly what you're going to get out of it," I said.

In All These Things I've Done, Gabrielle Zevin presents a strong female lead named Anya Balanchine. Anya is a sixteen year-old mafia daughter who has the weight of the world on her shoulders. When she was just a young girl, she and her younger sister (Natty) witnessed the murder of their father not long after the hit meant for him took the life of their mother and mentally damaged their older brother (Leo).

Now their guardian, their elderly grandmother, is dying and Anya runs the household. Leo is nineteen, but considered to mentally be about the age of eight. Natty is only twelve, but far more clever than most her age.

It's then that a new boy arrives at school. Son of the DA, Win Delacroix is handsome and sweet. Not to mention, he is immediately taken with Anya. Problem is, she doesn't have time for him or his romantic feelings right now. But that's not her only concern. It's not long after a public confrontation with her ex that he winds up in the hospital from poisoning and all eyes are looking to her as the one who did it. And now Mr. Delacroix is putting pressure on her to keep away from his son. Only, now she's beginning to think that Win may be the one for her after all.

Set in New York in the year 2082, All These Things I've Done is an interesting take on the way things are run now and how they may be in the future. It's another coming-of-age book, but one that has a vastly different feel to it that I found myself really enjoying. Anya is a thoroughly likable, yet jaded character that you'll find yourself rooting for throughout the entire story.

All These Things I've Done is the first book in a series entitled "Birthright". The sequel is set to be released in Autumn 2012. I'll definitely be hitting the bookstore as soon is it's out. This is not a series I want to miss.

Rating: ★★★★☆

He agreed. "It's sad when you think about it, but also kind of beautiful."

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn't ever sorry for it afterwards, neither. I didn't do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn't done that one if I'd a knowed it would make him feel that way. 

Set before the civil war, when some states condoned slavery and others didn't, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been deemed a highly controversial book since it was first published; mainly due to Twain's use of the word "nigger" throughout the text -- a highly derogatory and offensive word often used then (and, sadly, sometimes now) to refer to blacks or African-Americans. 

But Twain doesn't use the word frivolously and, if one reads the book and looks to the themes portrayed throughout, we see how he discourages the condescending nature used at such a time in our nation's history.

As well as being known for it's controversial nature, this book is also known for being quite a literary achievement. In fact, Ernest Hemingway once referred to it in saying that, "All modern literature stems from this one book." While I'm not sure if this is entirely true, I found myself enjoying this tale immensely, as well as enjoying the writing style Mr. Twain employs throughout.

Narrated by Huck Finn, a boy originally introduced in another book by Mark Twain (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), the story written the way a young boy who had only completed so much schooling would have written it. Huck writes things the way he sees them and his work is filled with spelling errors that belie his limited access to a dictionary. Each dialect is written exactly how it sounds and gives the reader an excellent view of the action, as if the reader was standing beside him as each part of the story went down.

Huck himself is the son of a drunkard who rarely comes into town and, when he does, only manages to manipulate and hurt his son. He's a no-good father who would rather see to his own gain than the well-being of his child. As a result, he ends up kidnapping Huck and keeping him locked up in their home. Though he feeds and cares for him at times, he can also be volatile and dangerous. When Huck's had enough he breaks out, fakes his murder, and runs away.

It's then that Huck meets up with Jim, a slave that the boy knows well. Jim had caught wind that he was going to be sold down South, away from his wife and children, and ran off before he would let anyone take him. He planned to escape to freedom, get a job, and buy back his family. Huck, eager for company, joins him and together they make their way to freedom. But the journey won't be an easy one. They're bound for plenty of trouble and, in Huck's case, there's a lot of growing up to do.

Overall, this was a lovely book that I really enjoyed reading. I don't think it deserves to be banned and those that have objections to it should look beyond face value. Often, authors have good reason to include controversial material and those reasons should be thoroughly considered before people dismiss the work altogether. When we make informed decisions, we can learn things we never could have without stepping out of our comfort zones.

Rating: ★★★★☆

"Pooty soon I'll be a-shout'n' for joy, en I'll say, it's all on accounts o' Huck; I's a free man, en I couldn't ever ben free ef it hadn' ben for Huck; Huck done it. Jim won't ever forgit you, Huck; you's de bes' fren' Jim's ever had; en you's de ONLY fren' ole Jim's got now."

Girl, Stolen by April Henry

"She decided that the first step would be to get him to untie her. Poor blindy, that's what she had to make him think. Once she could use her hands, she could find a phone. Or a weapon. She could even take her cane and run away as soon as it was dark. She longed for it to be nighttime, when she would be more than a sighted person's equal."

Girl, Stolen by April Henry is the story of two teenagers. The first is Cheyenne Wilder. Blind and sick with pneumonia, she opts to stay in the car when her stepmother goes into the store to retrieve her prescription, leaving her in the back with the car on. This is when the second teenager shows up in the form of Griffin. He sees the keys in the ignition and thinks it'll be an easy car theft. He didn't mean to steal a girl too. He panics and takes her back to his father, Roy, hoping to release her somewhere that night so she could go home and he wouldn't be blamed for the kidnapping. But Roy has different plans. When he finds out that Cheyenne's father is the president of Nike, he has new plans for the girl.

A very original, well-written plot with believable and (especially in Cheyenne's case) strong characters, Girl, Stolen was a pleasure to read. April Henry's character development is well-rounded and seeing the entire ordeal from the eyes of both Griffin and Cheyenne is amazing. Not only does it cover the current situation, but we get to see those memories and experiences that made them who they are. For Cheyenne, we see the accident that made her blind and how she learned to deal with the disability. For Griffin, we learn how his father's disregard for him put him in the hospital as a child and permanently scarred his body. Nothing is simple or easy for the two of them and they are each about to have to make some decisions that could save their lives or culminate in their deaths.

This was a great read that had me hooked from the start. In fact, one of my friends was so amused by my reactions to the book (I tend to respond vocally to scenes in books in movies) that he immediately asked to borrow it when I was done. It's definitely worth checking out.

Rating: ★★★★★

"It was easier to think about her being blind than it was about what to do now. Griffin wished his life was like one of the computers at his old school, that he could just make a few clicks and restore things to the way they had been five minutes before he spotted the keys dangling from the Escalade's ignition. Instead, he had made one impulsive decision after another, and now he was stuck with the results."

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

"It's like when you are excited about a girl and you see a couple holding hands, and you feel so happy for them. And other times you see the same couple, and they make you so mad. And all you want is to feel happy for them because you know that if you do, then it means that you're happy, too."

Guys, it looks like I have another new favorite book.

It's funny. My two favorite books, Paper Towns and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, are both constantly compared to Catcher in the Rye, which was a book I really did not enjoy. It's weird how that works.

Anyway, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is Stephen Chbosky's first novel. No one would be able to tell that from reading his work. Written in the form of letters to an anonymous recipient, it tells the story of high school freshman Charlie. He's not exactly a social butterfly. As the title suggests, he is more of a wallflower, more content to observe the life around him than participate in it. But Charlie is an insightful and incredibly introspective person. He has a big heart and a pure soul that permeates the pages of the story.

When Charlie makes friends with step-siblings, Patrick and Sam, he falls in love with the "unconventionally beautiful" Sam right off the bat. But more than that, he quickly becomes close with the two and they help introduce him to exactly what it's like to be himself and live his life.

I personally found Chbosky's writing compelling and beautiful (even if I can't pronounce his last name). His narrative draws you in from the start and there was never a moment where I wanted to put it down or where it became boring. I eagerly devoured it and, in the spirit of Charlie, am seriously considering going back and immediately reading it again. I'll try to resist, though. I usually like to give myself time between re-readings.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower was an inspiring and intoxicatingly beautiful book. It was a joy to read and is a delight to have on my shelf.

Rating: ~★★★★★~

"I'm going to do what I want to do. I am going to be who I really am. And I'm going to figure out what that is."

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini (Inheritance Cycle, #4)

"It is true, you must be capable with your weapon, but anyone with the time and the inclination can acquire technical proficiency. To achieve greatness, though, that requires artistry. That requires imagination and thoughtfulness, and it is those qualities that the best warriors share, even if, on the surface, they appear completely different."

Upon finishing Inheritance, the final book in the magical Inheritance Cycle series, I believe it is safe to say that Christopher Paolini, its author, bears each of those qualities -- artistry, imagination, and thoughtfulness -- when it comes to his skill with the pen.

In the four books that make up this series, Paolini has crafted a tale of epic proportions, the likes of which haven't been seen since Tolkien's day. It's hard to believe that the author was a mere fifteen years of age when he first undertook the endeavor. The craftsmanship is so well-done and beautifully written that one would assume him to be twice or even three times his age when he began.

The Inheritance Cycle tells the story of Eragon, a young boy from Palancar Valley, who stumbles upon a dragon's egg while in the mountain range near his home. Little does he know that this is the beginning of a journey beyond his wildest dreams. Throughout the books, we come alongside him as he learns the full extent of what it means to be a Dragon Rider in a land where dragons are all but extinct -- a result of a bloody massacre instigated by the current king, Galbatorix, and his faithful servants, the Forsworn.

Inheritance, the long-awaited final book dwarves the others in size, but also in skill. Paolini's writing is at its finest and his storytelling weaves a tale that none could have dreamed possible. It is a book well-wrought and worth reading again and again.

I will most definitely be looking forward to any future works by Mr. Paolini. He is a masterful weaver of stories and I will be damned if I miss a single one.

(And for all you Whovians out there, keep an eye out for the little hints dropped about our favorite Time Lord. They're there and they'll make you grin every time.)

Rating: ★★★★☆

"But you did everything you could, and when you could do no more, you made peace with your fate, and you did not rail needlessly against it. That is wisdom, not weakness."