Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Reviewed by Meygan Cox

Greg Gaines is a high school student just trying to survive his senior year and so far, so good. He makes friends with everyone and by “friends,” I mean that he knows them well enough for them not to call him obscene names or give him wedgies. However, he’s not close enough friends to sits with anyone in particular in the school cafeteria or hang out with anyone after school. In fact, he only has one true friend, Earl, and even he and Earl aren’t all that close. Greg enjoys being in the background and he has only one mission: finish high school with no enemies nor close friends. 

As if Greg isn’t awkward enough, he describes that his physical appearance isn’t much to be desired either. So what does Greg have going for him? Well, he likes to make people laugh with his inane sense of humor, often comparing his lunch to alien barf. But Greg doesn’t want to become too personal with his classmates, so he limits his interactions to making people laugh and the occasional, “Hello, how are you?” Then one day his mother informs him that Rachel, a girl he dated in middle school to make another girl jealous, has been diagnosed with leukemia. While Greg empathizes with Rachel’s situation, he doesn’t understand why his mother is telling him this. But the more he listens to her, the more he realizes that she wants him to hang out with Rachel. That would require Greg to speak to someone that he hasn’t spoken to in years. This would also require Greg to break his rule about not hanging out with people after school. Greg is conflicted, but his mother quickly makes his decision for him—he will hang out with Rachel or  face the wrath of his mother. He chooses the former, and so he finds himself anxiously standing in Rachel’s room, staring at a girl who he knows nothing about other than she laughs at his jokes. 

There is one thing that Greg does in his spare time that he doesn’t allow anyone else to know—he and Earl make homemade action videos. Often the videos are remakes of movies, but some of the movies are based on their original ideas. When Earl tells Rachel about the homemade movies, she is wants to watch them. Rachel actually enjoys the videos, which is why when Madison (one of Rachel’s friends) tells Greg that he must make a video for Rachel, he can’t find a reason to say no. Despite Greg’s desire to survive his senior year of high school going unnoticed, he reluctantly agrees to create a one of a kind video for Rachel.

Let me say that when I first started reading this book, I was absolutely in love with the storyline. I found the author’s writing style to be enjoyable and I liked all of the characters. However, Greg’s snarky attitude started to get on my nerves. About page 150, I just found him to be exasperating. A strong beginning deserves a stronger ending, but I feel that I never got that from Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. This young adult book is being adapted into a movie and although I may end up eating these words, I have a feeling that this will be one of those rare cases where the movie triumphs the book. 

Update:  The movie version of the book earned very good reviews, but we have yet to find a Tri-Cities venue which is showing it.

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Reviewed by Ambrea

Set on the banks of the Wolverine River of Alaska in the early twentieth century, The Snow Child recounts the experiences of Jack and Mabel, homesteaders on the frontiers of the far north, as they struggle to survive another year in grief and another winter.  However, on an especially cold night with the first snow of winter, Jack’s and Mabel’s lives change forever when they meet a little girl named Faina, a mysterious orphan who has managed to survive in the inhospitable wilderness—a little girl who seems to have sprouted from the snow.

The Snow Child is a hauntingly beautiful story.  Intricate and emotional, Eowyn Ivey’s novel pulls together all the elements of a great novel by combining cultural legends with simple, human psychology and amazing literary skill.  Although The Snow Child borders on tragic, it combines evocative imagery, heart-warming depth, and fantastic character development to create a wonderful story that kept me glued to its pages.

In particular, I was impressed by the great care Ivey took in forming her characters, giving them an emotional breadth and depth that I found refreshing.  I loved the humanity Ivey imbued in her characters:  Jack and Mabel are flawed, but they are human—and they are compassionate, introspective, and unique.  They mature, they evolve and they grow.

On a personal level, I also loved the way The Snow Child weaves together all the elements of legend and myth—i.e. Little Daughter of the Snow by Arthur Ransome and “Snegurochka” of Russian myth—and fairy tales, but remain true to a singular story.  While it borrows from older works, it also manages to forge a path of its own and tell an intriguing and singularly riveting tale of sorrow, joy, and life.

Although I enjoyed The Snow Child immensely, I was consistently plagued by a sense of impending calamity.  From the instant readers meet Faina—in fact, from the minute she starts to become like a daughter to this wonderful, tragic couple—one begins to wonder about and worry over Faina.  She is like the snow from which she appears to spring:  beautiful, bright, but frighteningly fleeting.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Reviewed by Meygan 

The Divergent series by Veronica Roth is set in a world where people are divided up by personality into one of five groups:  Abnegation, Dauntless, Erudite, Amity, or Candor. People who do not fit easily into any category are called Divergents.  As the second book opens, Beatrice (now known as Tris), Tobias, Marcus, Peter, and Caleb are on a train that is making its way to Amity. The Dauntless have just killed the Abnegation; Erudite’s leader, Jeanine, is trying to take control of all factions; and it is up to Tris and her group to protect everyone. In Amity, they will be protected and have food and shelter, but it won’t be enough. Tris can’t remain in Amity knowing that Jeanine is still ruling the Erudite. After all, Tris is Dauntless and hiding in the background as a war breaks out is not in her blood. 

Tris hates Marcus, Tobias’ abusive father, but she knows that he has answers. Why is Jeanine so adamant about killing the Divergent? Why were the Dauntless put under a stimulation to kill the Abnegation? What exactly is Jeanine hiding from everyone? The Dauntless, including Tobias, are dedicated to killing Jeanine and the rest of the Erudite. However, Tris knows that Jeanine must be kept alive in order to answer the questions at stake. As much as Tris despises Marcus and loves Tobias, she knows that taking Marcus’ advice instead of following Dauntless will help her obtain the answers she needs. It is a race between Tris and the Dauntless to get to Jeanine, but who will get to her first?

In order for Insurgent to make sense, one must read Divergent first. This is a series and I would strongly recommend that the books be read in order. In my recent review of Divergent, I went on and on about how wonderful and action packed it was. However, I did have a disclaimer in my review because I have been warned by several people that the series tends to dwindle. Insurgent didn’t have nearly as much action as I anticipated. Also, I didn’t admire Tris in Insurgent as much as I did in Divergent.  

Now, I didn’t hate Insurgent, even though my review may sound otherwise. There were pros to this book. I liked that I got a better view of Amity, as there wasn’t much coverage about Amity in Divergent. But when comparing it to Divergent standards, I couldn’t believe that Insurgent came from the same series. The action doesn’t heat up until about page 300. Trust me, when you are reading a 525 page novel, you expect the action to begin by at least page 150-200-ish. Also, where is that deep, true, I-can’t-get-enough-of-you love between Tris and Tobias? I don’t particularly care for romances, but I do enjoy a good love story as long as it is not the premise of the book or movie. In other words, I read Insurgent because I wanted to know what happens to the characters and even though Insurgent fell short, I would still give it two and a half stars.

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Monroe

Reviewed by Ambrea

Randall Munroe, creator of the popular webcomic xkcd, answers a variety of scientific (and, frequently, absurd) questions that he has received—including:

·        What would happen if someone made a periodic table out of actual elements?

·        Is it possible to build a jetpack using machine guns?

·        What would happen if someone took a swim in a spent nuclear fuel pool?

·        What would be the effects of an earthquake measuring 15 on the Richter scale?

·        What happens to the last artificial light if humans suddenly disappeared?

·        And, most importantly, what does a mole of moles look like?

I truly enjoyed Munroe’s book.  It was absolutely hilarious, combining absurdity with comedy—and, yes, real scientific inquiry and mathematical solutions.  Plus, he often spices up his book with illustrations (stick figures, to be precise), which makes What If? a little more interesting and, truthfully, a lot funnier.

Although the questions Munroe answers may be completely, off-the-wall crazy—or dangerously stupid to attempt—the author makes a sincere attempt to offer answers.  The questions may not always make sense, the consequences are typically catastrophic, but Munroe makes a valid case for each and every explanation he offers and he manages to throw in a hint of wry, biting humor that makes What If? funny, informative, and enjoyable.

  

However, I will mention that I struggled with the mathematical side of Munroe’s explanations.  Personally, I have no experience with physics or mathematics beyond basic algebra, so I can’t say one way or the other if his hypotheses are correct.  But they’re surely interesting (and, occasionally, disturbing), and Munroe does a fine job of making his explanations accessible.

He obviously works hard to help his readers understand the mathematics behind his explanations; however, his answers can seem, at best, complicated (read:  convoluted)—and, well, confusing.  Not that his book isn’t interesting; rather, I might recommend brushing up on scientific vocabulary if the terms transuranic and megapascals are unfamiliar.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Reviewed by Ambrea

For young Jean Louise—known simply as “Scout” to her friends and family—Finch, growing up in Maycomb County, Alabama, presents its share of great joys and equally great difficulties:  playing pretend in the front yard, struggling to understand the antics of adults, trying to convince the mysterious Boo Radley to leave his house, reading the newspaper with Atticus, her father.  But the Great Depression has left an indelible mark on the county, and one court case may very well change the course of history for the Finch family.

I loved Harper Lee’s novel.  It is absolutely beautiful.

Told from the perspective of Scout Finch, a young girl living and growing up during the Great Depression, when hope seems at its lowest and equality only appears periodically, To Kill a Mockingbird opens the door to a world struggle to cope with new ideas and old cultural values—and children trying to acclimate with social beliefs as they try to form their own.

Besides depicting an especially moving, heart-wrenching tale of growth and experience and portraying one, crucial court case that will rock the county of Maycomb to its foundations—and change Scout’s and Jem’s lives forever—Lee also creates a host of endearing and memorable characters.  And, through the voice of Scout, Lee brings her characters to live, fashioning a dynamic and beautiful piece of literature set in the heart of one, tiny Southern town.

However, To Kill a Mockingbird is more than a memorable book.  It’s an iconic novel about race, religion, class, and gender, and learning to understand and balance all these things in the earliest stages of adolescence.  In short, it’s a novel about growing up in a world tinged by racism and prejudice and learning how to rise above it.

Note:  Harper Lee's second book, Go Set A Watchman, is due out July 14.  It was actually written first, and features Scout as an adult. 

Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey

 Reviewed by Holly White

Intrigues is the sequel to Foundation, and the second in the Collegium Chronicles quintet.  Intrigues takes up where we left off in the story of Herald Trainee Mags.  Mags’s circle of friends includes Lena, a Bardic Trainee; Bear, a Healer Trainee; and Amily, the daughter of King’s Own Herald Nikolas.  In addition, Herald Nikolas has also started training Mags to be a spy for the Crown.  Mags must learn to go into the city unobtrusively, and observe others while going unnoticed himself.

In Intrigues, Mags and his friends endure a series of difficulties.  Lena, the daughter of the most Gifted Master Bard in Valdemar, strives to live up everyone’s expectations of her due to her father’s reputation, but her father barely notices her.  She feels it must be because she is not good enough to merit his notice, which breaks her heart.  Bear comes from a family of Healers, and wants to become a Healer as well, but he does not have the Healing Gift.  Bear does, however, know how to grow and mix herbs, and treat patients with medicine; he excels at this so much that even Master Healers come to him for advice and potions.  Bear’s family, however, embarrassed by him, pressure him to come home, get married (to someone of their choice), and begin to produce children who will hopefully have the Healing Gift that Bear himself lacks.  Amily, daughter of the most important Herald other than the King himself, is lame, one leg ruined in the same long-ago accident that also killed her mother.  A new sport is being instituted at the Collegium, a game called kirball, and the Heralds in charge of it, unaware of Mags’ undercover work for Nikolas, asked him to join one of the kirball teams.  Mags fears this will have the dual disadvantage of taking too much time away from his spy work as well as causing him to be noticed which would be detrimental to any undercover work.

Mags does join a kirball team, and because of his excellent riding skill and use of his Gift, he becomes a kirball star overnight.  Everyone is talking about him.  Exactly what he wanted to avoid.  But his good notoriety was short-lived; he was about to become famous for a very different reason.  His search for information about his parents led to information that caused the entire Collegium to suspect Mags of plotting against the King.  At first, his friends and kirball teammates support him against the onslaught of public opinion, but soon rifts develop between him and everyone he cares about, even his Companion.

Will Lena live up to her famous father’s heritage?  Will Bear leave the Collegium and his true calling for an arranged marriage?  Will Amily ever find a way to walk again?  Will Mags’ kirball notoriety help or harm his undercover endeavors?  Will Mags ever be able to prove his loyalty to Valdemar and its King?  And when everyone turns away from Mags, how will he find a way to get back into their good graces again?  Find out by reading Intrigues.

If you love fantasy, good vs. evil stories, or character-driven stories with a hint of romance, a bit of magic, and a large dollop of adventure, then you will love Intrigues.  Once again, Mercedes Lackey’s depiction of the character Mags is so vivid that one feels what he feels.  When Mags’ friends all abandoned him, I cried because I related.  We have all had those moments when we feel utterly alone in the world, even if it is not actually so.  When it happens to Mags, the emotions are as real as if it was happening to me.  Intrigues is a delicious book with a satisfying ending, and yet, there are still unanswered questions.  Which is why I hasten on to the third book in the Collegium Chronicles quintet, Changes.

Nevermore: Michael Moore, Anthony Bourdain, Laughs, Victories, and Planets

Summary by Ambrea

In Nevermore book club this week, members discussed several different books.  First on the agenda was Dude, Where’s My Country by Michael Moore, a politically-charged satirical work of non-fiction in which the author examines the condition of corporate America and the Bush administration.  As a fan of Michael Moore, our Nevermore member considered Dude, Where's My Country an automatic hit.

Likewise, Kitchen Confidential:  Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain proved to be an unexpected pleasure to read.   Depicting events behind the scenes of some of the largest, most prestigious restaurants in the United States, Kitchen Confidential is both an expose and a memoir that encapsulates Bourdain’s experiences as a chef.  For the Nevermore reader, it was “really good.  The way he describes [events and locations and scenery] was absolutely incredible.”  Moreover, Bourdain was brutally honest about his experiences and his personality, which the reader found surprising.

The Last Laugh:  Folk Humor, Celebrity Culture, and Mass Mediated Disasters in the Digital Age by Trevor J. Blank, however, was a flop.  Exploring the different ways humor develops in an Internet age, studying the means through which comedy evolves through new media, The Las Laugh reads more like a textbook than a collection of humorous observations.  For our Nevermore reader, it proved to be a disappointing read and remained unfinished.

Small Victories:  Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace by Anne Lamott followed next for Nevermore.  Our Nevermore reader said that Lamott’s collection of essays was “interesting to read,” using a style of writing that is brutally honest, laying bare her thoughts on humanity, faith, grace, mortality, Christianity, and just about everything else.  She speaks openly, writes well with a deep sensitivity for her subjects, and explores the human spirit and faith on both the good and bad days.

Last, Nevermore readers discussed The Planets, a DK Smithsonian book.  As one might expect, The Planets explores the planets of our solar system and beyond, providing examinations of various heavenly bodies and offering full-color illustrations/ photographs of celestial events and phenomena.  For the Nevermore reader, The Planets was “full of good stuff.  Full of information you wouldn’t guess.”  It was a surprising treat, and a great discussion to cap off this week’s Nevermore meeting.