Title: Sisters Red

Author: Jackson Pearce

Genre: YA/UF

Publisher: Hodder Children’s Book/ Little, Brown
Publication Date: June 2010
Hardcover: 352 pages

The story of Scarlett and Rosie March, two highly-skilled sisters who have been hunting Fenris (werewolves) – who prey on teen girls – since Scarlett lost her eye years ago while defending Rosie in an attack. Scarlett lives to destroy the Fenris, and she and Rosie lure them in with red cloaks (a colour the wolves can’t resist), though Rosie hunts more out of debt to her sister than drive.

But things seem to be changing. The wolves are getting stronger and harder to fight, and there has been a rash of news reports about countless teenage girls being brutally murdered in the city. Scarlett and Rosie soon discover the truth: wolves are banding together in search of a Potential Fenris – a man tainted by the pack but not yet fully changed. Desperate to find the Potential to use him as bait for a massive werewolf extermination, the sisters move to the city with Silas, a young woodsman and long time family friend who is deadly with an axe. Meanwhile, Rosie finds herself drawn to Silas and the bond they share not only drives the sisters apart, but could destroy all they’ve worked for.

Stand alone or series: Book 1 in the Sisters Red series.

How did we get this book: We got ARCs from Little, Brown.

Why did we read this book: We have been waiting to read this book for ages – the cover is striking and the we are always up for a fairytale retelling.

Ana’s take:

Listen.

I could tell you that for the first pages of this book I was completely engrossed in the story. How could I not? I mean, a dark, violent even, retelling of Red Riding Hood in which two sisters are the hunters who kill the wolves? I am in. It helps that the first pages were very gripping: back in the past when the kids lived with their grandmother and were attacked by a passing werewolf and Scarlett, the oldest sister, protects the younger Rosie almost to her own death losing an eye in the fight and becoming scarred for life. Then, as teenagers they fall in the roles that they have taken for themselves that day: Scarlett, the protector, Rosie the protégée – both equally fierce Hunters but with a striking difference. Scarlett sees nothing but the hunt, Rosie wants something else for her life.

I could tell you that I like the prose. But also that the tale and the alternating chapters between the two sisters get repetitive very soon. I could tell you that when the next door neighbour, a woodsman-hunter named Silas comes back to town that I knew Rosie would fall for him and that their story was actually quite sweet.

I could definitely tell you that part of what makes me like the book to begin with is the fact that making the two girls the ones who go after the werewolves to kill them is rather an empowering take on the original tale.

I could tell you all that.

But what I really want to tell you is: when I hit page 108 (of the ARC) I went nuts. You see, it is part of this retelling that the werewolves are predators who are after young, pretty girls. As part of their hunting routine, Rosie will dress up, put on make-up and perfume (because she usually doesn’t do that as she is a “natural beauty”). Obviously, Scarlett, being the ugly, scarred sister, just sits back to attack when Rosie has played the role of prey. So, page 108. Scarlett is outside a nightclub observing the girls in the queue to get in:

They’re adorned in glittery green rhinestones, shimmery turquoise and aquamarine powders streaked across their eyelids. Dragonfly girls. Their hair is all the same, long and streaked, spiralling down their backs to where the tiny strings holding their tops on are knotted tightly. Their skin glows under the neon lights – amber, ebony, cream – like shined metal, flawless and smooth. I press harder against the crumbly brick wall behind me, tugging my crimson cloak closer to my body. The scars on my shoulders show through fabric when I pull the cloak tight. Bumpy red hills in perfectly spaced lines.

The Dragonflies laugh, sweet, and bubbly, and I groan in exasperation. They toss their hair, stretch their legs, sway their hips, bat their eyes at the club’s bouncer, everything about them luring the Fenris. Inviting danger like some baby animal bleating its fool head off. Look at me, see how I dance, did you notice my hair, look again, desire me, I am perfect. Stupid, stupid Dragonflies. Here I am, saving your lives, bitten and scarred and wounded for you, and you don’t even know it. I should let the Fenris have one of you.

No, I didn’t mean that. I sigh and walk to the other side of the brick wall, letting my fingers tangle in the thick ivy. It’s dark on this side, shadowed from the neon lights of the street. I breathe slowly, watching the tree limbs sway, backlit by the lights of skyscrapers. Of course I didn’t mean it. Ignorance is no reason to die. They can’t help what they are, still happily unaware inside a cave of fake shadows. They exist in a world that’s beautiful normal, where people have jobs and dreams that don’t involve a hatcher. My world is parallel universe to their – the same sights, same people, same city, yet the Fenris lurk, the evil creeps, the knowledge undeniably exists. If I hadn’t been thrown into this world, I could just as easily have been a Dragonfly.

I felt extremely uncomfortable with this passage, but as much as this is some serious twisted thinking, I can understand Scarlett feeling this way. She is an angry character, full of regret, jealousy – and being scarred and ugly does get to her (seeing as how she keeps going on and on about it). So, the text above is in keeping with this character.

BUT

Two lines down and Silas joins her as she observes him:

His eyes narrow in something between disgust and intrigue, as though he’s not certain if he likes looking at them or not. I want to comment, but I stay quiet. Somehow it feels important to wait for his reaction. Silas finally turns to look at me in the shadows.

“It’s like they’re trying to be eaten, isn’t it? he asks pointedly.

“Can I tell you how glad I am that and Rosie aren’t like them?”

“No kidding.” I grin, relieved. “Rosie could be if she wanted, though. She’s beautiful like they are.”

“Beauty has nothing to do with it. Rosie could never be one of them. Do you really think they’d dress and act like that if they knew it was drawing wolves toward them?”

No. NO. NO. NO. NO. JUST NO.

By then, I was beyond uncomfortable, I was downright angry. The meta is thus: the girls should know better. If they knew better, they would change their behaviour and would not be attacked. This is what I read. But this is not what I should be reading.

NEVER, EVER blame the victims. The blame always, always lies with the criminal (or predator).

And just like that I am done with the book. Because I can’t respect the characters who think like this, because I lost respect for their motivation for being hunters (it’s not about REALLY about protecting the girls is it? It is almost about proving a point) and if I can’t relate with their plight then the book is nothing to me. Because the bottom line is this: the book empowers women yes, but ONLY certain types of girls, not all of them. And I am sick and tired of books that associate girls that are self-confident and beautiful with being shallow and superficial and deserving of bad things happening to them. SICK AND TIRED.

That is not ok. And I suggest you read the article in this link to see why exactly I think it is not ok.

I did read till the bitter end in the hopes that another character would come in and say: “yo, stewpid, GET A GRIP” but alas, no such thing has happened. I can’t even be bothered to rate this book. I will only say:

Verdict:

Thea’s Take:

Clearly, Ana feels VERY strongly about this book, especially about the excerpt above. Now, I’ll admit that when I first read this passage, I didn’t immediately see what Ana picked up on. I tend to get annoyed with flitty girls in general, and Scarlett’s anger at the “dragonflies” seems well-founded and in line with her character, regardless of whether I liked her character or not. As a scarred, bitter young woman dedicated to destroying all Fenris at any cost, this sort of thought process makes perfect sense for someone like Scarlett.

But then, after Ana pointed out the next section, it made me think about the overall message…and I stand firmly with Ana. Enraged.

Just because a girl is pretty, and likes to look pretty; just because a girl goes out to the club in revealing clothes; just because a girl likes the attention that comes with being young and attractive, this DOES NOT MEAN she is stupid, or a whore, or fucking “asking for it” (pardon my French, but this is a disgusting mindset and pisses me off to no end). It is frustrating – no, infuriating – beyond belief that the women in Sisters Red are so stereotyped and marginalized. Don’t get me wrong – I love warrior women/strong women/badass fighter women, as much as the next person. But this gross generalization that girls that go out to have fun and be noticed are somehow billions of times inferior to their too-tough-to-look-pretty (but OF COURSE are effortlessly gorgeous *eyes rolling*) counterparts?

Nu-uh. Not cool.

Now, you might be telling yourself, ‘well, these two seem to be taking a single passage a bit far’ or something to that end. Well, folks, unfortunately Sisters Red has a whole lot of other problems too.

1: The characters are mind-numbingly repetitive and boring.

Initially, I found a lot to like with Sisters Red. The opening scene with Grandma valiantly holding off the big bad wolf to save the children, and then Scarlett’s desperate last stand to save Rosie, is EPIC. I loved that Scarlett is abrasive and tough, that she’s missing an eye and is both terrified of the wolves, yet completely in love with the hunt. I love that Rosie is a different person – that she cannot remember the past too clearly, and that she clearly loves Lett, but needs to grow to be her own person.

BUT. All of this? All this promising characterization is exhausted in the first thirty or so pages of the book. From then on it is more of. the. same. Scarlett gets mad at Rosie for being careless. Scarlett goes hunting for Fenris. Scarlett gets mad again and wallows in her pit of eternal self-suffering. Meanwhile, Rosie wants to be taken seriously (and thinks Silas is freaking HAWT). But she wants to be taken seriously. She tries to make peace with Scarlett (and Silas is HAWT). And so on and so forth.

Things get pretty dull, pretty quickly. These characters never felt real to me – more like your standard cardboard stand-ins. (Just because characters are “troubled” doesn’t immediately mean they are well-developed. SHOW me. Don’t keep TELLING me.)

2: The “Romance” is the same predictable uninspired tripe.

From the second Rosie sees Silas, and vice versa, it’s all “he looks different, his jaw is so angular and manly!” and “she looks different, all ‘grown up’ and beautiful!” (I’m paraphrasing of course). To be honest, I’m sick of it. Could this book just have been about the sisters without one of them needing the catalyst of falling in love with the studly boy next door? ARGH.

Of course, this could just be me and how burned out I am with YA paranormal romance. Lots of people love this stuff. I, unfortunately, am at the end of my rope.

3: The hunting element of the story is STUPID.

*Caps lock engaged* WHY THE HELL WOULD THESE SISTERS BE HUNTING WITH HATCHETS AS OPPOSED TO…I don’t know…GUNS?!??? If Scarlett’s true ambition is to take out every single “Fenris” on the planet, wouldn’t it make sense to take out a bunch of them with a semi-automatic weapon, as opposed to the good ol’ woodsman hatchet technique? And while scampering around in a blood red cloak is awesome and all, this book doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The story takes place in MODERN DAY. The red riding hood cloaks, while they go great with the idea of the story, aren’t exactly…congruous with the time period. (Not to mention, you’d think the stupid wolves would remember two chicks – one with an eyepatch – hunting around not-so-incognito in bright red cloaks)

Also, in my opinion the term “Fenris” is stupid. Is it plural? Singular? Yeah, yeah, I get that it derives from Fenrir – but “Fenris” just looks stupid and forced to me. If you’re going with Norse mythology, stick with the root name. (That is, if you’re not going with the more familiar “werewolf” terminology, which doesn’t make sense in the first place given how much more prevalent “werewolf” is in modern vernacular!)

These were my issues with Sisters Red – which arose long before the club scene – and they were enough to make me put down the book.

Verdict: DNF – Life is too short to force myself to finish books that don’t work for me.

You want a good Red Riding Hood retelling? Stick with Bill Willingham’s Fables series. Now THAT has solid characterizations, a plot that won’t quit, and empowered characters – both male and female.

Reading next: A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott

Title: Mind Games

Author: Carolyn Crane

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Spectra
Publication Date: March 2010
Paperback: 384 pages

JUSTINE KNOWS SHE’S GOING TO DIE. ANY SECOND NOW.

Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a startlingly handsome man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training, Justine can weaponize her neurosis, turning it outward on Midcity’s worst criminals, and finally get the freedom from fear she’s always craved. End of problem.

Or is it? In Midcity, a dashing police chief is fighting a unique breed of outlaw with more than human powers. And while Justine’s first missions, including one against a nymphomaniac husband-killer, are thrilling successes, there is more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to two very different men, Justine is plunging deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets. With Packard’s help, Justine has freed herself from her madness—only to discover a reality more frightening than anyone’s worst fears.

Stand alone or series: Book 1 in the Disillusionist Trilogy

How did we get this book: Review Copies from the Author

Why did we read this book: All cards on the table, author Carolyn Crane (aka CJ) is one of our blogging buddies. She runs the witty, fun, fantabulous The Thrillionth Page, and so when she offered us review copies of her book, we OF COURSE were thrilled. If also a little scared…

REVIEW:

First Impressions:

Thea: Holy hypochondria, Batman! Mind Games is, in a single word, AWESOME.

No, seriously. I’m not just saying that because author Carolyn Crane (calling her by her full name feels so very weird to me) is a blogging bud because in many ways I think we are even harsher on those we know. I was actually terrified to read this book because of the fact that we know CJ. As reviewers first, Ana and I have an obligation to be completely honest, and if Mind Games wasn’t so hot, this would have been an awkward review to write. Thank goodness, Mind Games was not only a decent read – it was a superb one. Blending a mindblowingly awesome original premise with a comic book sensibility, a dash of humor, and a smidgen of romance, Mind Games totally rocks.

Ana: I too, started out terrified, yet hopeful, and I am so SO glad that all my fears were unwarranted. Mind Games delivers in every single possible way: a fantastic, original premise; an incredible protagonist/narrator whose voice I loved; plus a bit of humour and romance; and to finalise the writing was top notch. I knew Carolyn Crane was a good writer from what I saw in her blog in the past few years, I just didn’t know how good she would be until I read Mind Games and it blew my mind away. I am so proud and happy to report that I couldn’t agree more with Thea: this book is AWESOME.

On the Plot:

Thea: Justine Jones is an obsessive hypochondriac. Since her hypochondriac mother’s ironic death of Vein Star Syndrome, Justine has lived her life constrained by her morbid, mortal fear of a vein bursting in her brain. One evening, during a chance encounter at a restaurant called Mongolian Delights, changes the downward spiraling course of Justine’s life. It is here that she meets Packard, a “highcap” (that is, a human with the mutant/psy-powers) with a particularly unique ability to visualize a person’s psyche and to use and channel their neuroses and energies. The leader of a group called the “Disillusionists,” Packard recruits misfits with extraordinary mental imbalances (rage, pessimism, ennui, addictions) and teaches them to channel that negative energy into specific targets. Packard and his Disillusionists are a psychological hit squad, a dream team that reforms criminals with a 0% rate of failure by changing the very way these people think and feel, forcing them to confront the awesome horribleness of their crimes.

When Packard sees Justine’s incredible capacity for fear, he makes her the offer of a lifetime; she will join his team and in return she will not only reform the most heinous of criminals, but she will also be cured forever of the fear that will one day drive her insane. Because once she channels her fear into a hit (a process the Disillusionists call “zinging”), she will be at peace (albeit temporarily). Taking a chance, Justine joins the squad and finds peace in a way she never before thought possible. But, as Uncle Ben would say, with great power comes great responsibility, and Justine finds herself in a tangled web of deceit, betrayal, and passion. Without being sure of whom she can trust, Justine must choose to follow her conscience and her heart.

(Ok, admittedly, that blurb recap was a little cheesy – you get the idea)

Mind Games is at its strongest in terms of its plot. My goodness, what a unique premise this is! We are used to the usual hit squads of mutants with superpowers, of badass fighters, of morally-convicted vigilantes…but it’s a pretty rare sight to have neurotic hypochondriacs and their ilk taking center stage as heroic characters. I cannot even begin to express how ecstatic I was when I discovered that there was not a single vampire, werewolf, fey creature, or witch/wizard/mage in sight. Set in a contemporary city eversoslightly different than our own familiar world (in that telekinesis and other psychological powers are dangerous realities, and even “normal” folks can push and manipulate others’ energy fields), Ms. Crane (weird!) manages to create a fictional metropolis that comes to life in its texture and detail (right down to the city’s heart of darkness, its root of all evil: the dreaded freeway interchange). The power hierarchies and systems of mind powers are believable and fully conceived, coming across beautifully on the page.

In short, I loved it. I loved the world, I loved the well-paced plot, and I loved the originality of Mind Games. That’s not to say that Mind Games is a perfect book – because it’s not. Though Ms. Crane has a strong, well-conceived and fully imagined plot, the writing could be a bit awkward at times with a few odd exclamations sprinkled throughout and one or two questionable almost-sex scenes that don’t quite work…although I should mention that my copy of the book was an early manuscript, and these writing quibbles may not have made the final manuscript.

Ana: The premise of the novel is amazing – I was utterly charmed by it and thought it was not only clever but also unique. I have to echo Thea’s thoughts when it comes to the competent way in which Carolyn Crane weaves the details of the world building in a believable and fun manner. The name of the group itself (originally posed to be the title of the novel, by the way, to wit I say: WHY not, dear publisher? The Disilusionists sound so much better than Mind Games ) , the basics of their “power” and their purpose was a source of continuous amusement but also posed difficult questions about its moral implications (but more on that later) that had me positively salivating with eagerness. If there is one thing I love about my books, is when its plot and characters traffic in a more grey area and as soon as I was done with the book, all I wanted to do was to talk and discuss the outcome and the consequences of certain plot lines. That makes Mind Games stand out in a world inhabited with books that are good but fail to engage the reader beyond its final lines.

Speaking of lines, I mentioned how much I loved the author’s writing. It is along with Justine, my favourite thing about the book, even more than the plot. The prose is engaging, funny, quirky but also, at some points emotional and profound. And with such turn of phrases and one-liners that had me in stitches:

“I’m used to desperate, buddy. Desperate’s my factory default”

“Fashion magazine disease articles. My personal kryptonite.”

Aren’t those awesome? They would make cool t-shirts too.

Having said that, I also thought that a couple of scenes happened in a too convenient sequence: for example, one of the Disillusionists teaches Justine something that only he could do and next thing you know, that was exactly what Justine needed in order to save her own life a couple of days later. Similarly, I thought the connection between Justine and another character towards the end of the novel happened too fast (although not without some foreshadowing) but I fully understand that without that connection that end of the novel would not have been possible at all.

On the Characters:

Thea: Like the plot, the characters in Mind Games are truly awesome. I loved quirky, totally effed-up-in-the-head protagonist Justine – seriously, how often does a terrified, balls-to-the-walls-insane hypochondriac get her own series?! – and despite her neuroses, she’s never annoying or tiresome. In fact, her fears kind of endear her. I loved that she reacted like a human being would – when she finds out she’s been played and lied to, she gets pissed and goes on a rampage and she doesn’t forget about it. How many times have I read a book where a heroine has been wronged *cough*RachelMorgan*cough* only to forgive and forget all about it in the next few chapters? Justine has a backbone and a conscience, and she’s not afraid to use ‘em both. And that’s damn cool in a heroine. Heck, Justine might be clawing her deranged way into my heart as one of my favorite UF heroines, period.

And then, of course, there are the boys. Packard is (naturally) gorgeous and sexy in a dangerous way – but he’s not cheesy, nor is he portrayed as a hardass with a heart of gold…because he’s not. He’s a manipulator and he has his own agenda, and I liked that Carolyn Crane does not shy away from that and attempt to create some romance alpha hero with him. There are two other men in Justine’s life, but more on that after the spoiler/discussion break.

As for the rest of the supporting cast, what can I say? I loved them all. Russian realist (pessimist? nihilist?) Shelby adds a dry, welcome perspective that contrasts nicely with Justine’s. Carter and the ambiguous character Simon also add some wonderful spice to the book. One of my favorite scenes involves the squad sitting down together talking about their various mental issues and why their own mental maladjustments are the most severe, and therefore they are the most valuable to the team. It’s delightfully perverse, just as these characters are winsomely bizarre. The Disillusionists make up the coolest psychological hit squad I’ve ever read, that’s for damn sure.

Ana: Unlike Thea, I actually thought that the characters were the strongest aspects of the novel and I fell in love with Justine as soon as the book started. She is an amazing protagonist yes, for all the things that Thea mention (I too, cheered her when she did not forget and forgive easily when she was wrong) but most importantly because she was so messed up. Even though she is eminently good and with a conscience she is also quite self-serving: she knows the reasons why she is with her boyfriend Cubby are not the right reasons and yet she carries on with him. She might see herself as more black and white person but she is capable of many things, there is a degree of darkness in Justine that is explored beautifully by the author in the way she second-guesses herself and her mission and how she feels about for example “zinging”. She is self-aware of certain things but completely in denial about others, one of them being the nature of her relationship with her boss, Packard. She can deny as much as she wants but she has more in common with manipulative and liar Packard than she would ever admit. Seeing how this will play out eventually will be grand.

As for Packard: he is a manipulator, a conniving liar bastard and…..I loved him even if he broke my heart a little bit. I did understand his motivations though and the fact that he was unabashedly unrepentant. He may not have a heart of gold as Thea puts it, but he is not completely bad either.

The other Disillusionists were also great secondary characters and I liked Carter and his anger issues the most. I loved how Justine captures their nature in this sentence:

“I have the brief sense of us as super villains from a B-rate thriller. Except we’re more like crime fighters – if there were crime fighters who got their superpowers from being really neurotic, and used them as part of a bizarre and marginally ethical program of criminal rehabilitation.”

Final Thoughts, Verdict & Rating:

Thea: If you couldn’t tell, I loved Mind Games. Really, really loved it. From its irresistible originality to its manic, maladjusted heroine, I loved this book. And I cannot wait for more from this talented new author.

Ana: I loved it and think everybody should read it. Oh yes, please bring on the next book in the series, please. ASAP!

Notable Quotes/Parts: From Chapter 1:

FROM WHERE WE SIT I have the perfect view of Shady Ben Foley, dining on the other side of the lavishly decorated Mongolian restaurant. He’s with an innocent-looking young couple— a pretty girl with dark ringlets and a wholesome blond country- boy fellow. Do they not get what he is?

The last time I saw Foley was maybe fifteen years ago— I was a teen and he was a middle- aged man in drawstring pants, mowing his lawn and ripping off my family. He’s grown paler and thicker, but I recognized his sharp little nose and peering eyes the instant I saw him out on the street.

My boyfriend, Cubby, pulls a hunk of meat off his skewer. He’s been a good sport, letting me drag him here to basically stalk a man. He smiles, all dimples and short blond curls. “Kebabs is a weird food,” he says.

“Definitely.”

Cubby glances over his shoulder. “Maybe he’s reformed.”

“A man like Foley doesn’t reform.” I glare across the room; judging from his victims’ body language, Shady Ben has maneuvered himself into a power position. Con men are experts at that. “I have to warn them.”

And this is when I feel it— the sensation of prickles raining over my scalp, followed by a suspicious twinge in my head. No!I think. Please let it not be happening right now!

“Justine, is something wrong?”

I put down my napkin. “I have to say something.”

“It’s not your job to save them,” he says.

“But I have to try.”

A wave of wooziness suggests my blood pressure’s dropping. It really is happening, I think with some shock. My condition, known as “vein star syndrome,” is the proverbial ticking time bomb in the head. Once you’re past the point of vascular rupture, no medical attention can save you.

This strange clarity comes over me and I decide not to tell Cubby. If these really are my last minutes, I want to spend them warning these two innocent people, like I wished somebody had warned my family.

You can read the full excerpt online HERE.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

We have one AUTOGRAPHED copy of Mind Games to give away to a lucky reader! To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment here, telling us what Disillusionist “superpower” (i.e. hypochondriac’s fear, a gambler’s addiction) you would unleash on Midcity’s criminals. The contest is open to everyone, and will run until Saturday, March 27th at 11:59 PM (PST). Good luck!

Rating:

Thea: 8 – Excellent

Ana:8 – Excellent

Reading Next: Tome of the Undergates by Sam Sykes

THE DISCUSSION:

After reading Mind Games, both of us decided that we simply couldn’t pass up on an opportunity to discuss the book in detail…which means SPOILERS AHOY! After the break, we will discuss everything from vigilantism to Justine’s love life, and we invite everyone else that’s interested to join in.

**SPOILERS AFTER THE BREAK! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**
(more…)

Title: Need

Author: Carrie Jones

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA / Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publishing date: December 2008 / February 2010
Paperback: 320 pages

Stand alone or series: Book 1 of ongoing series

Why did we read the book: We have had our eyes on this book for a while now…

How did we get the book: Review Copies from the respective US & UK publishers

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Zara collects phobias the way other high school girls collect lipsticks. Little wonder, since life’s been pretty rough so far. Her father left, her stepfather just died, and her mother’s pretty much checked out. Now Zara’s living with her grandmother in sleepy, cold Maine so that she stays ’safe.’ Zara doesn’t think she’s in danger; she thinks her mother can’t deal.

Wrong. Turns out that guy she sees everywhere, the one leaving trails of gold glitter, isn’t a figment of her imagination. He’s a pixie – and not the cute, lovable kind with wings. He’s the kind who has dreadful, uncontrollable needs. And he’s trailing Zara.

Review:

First Impressions:

Ana: I will be completely honest and say that I approached Need with caution since “official” reviews (like Publishers Weekly’s) and the promotional material we received from the publisher clearly pointed it to being similar to Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I was a bit concerned that I was embarking on another journey to a paranormal world with a bland heroine, a strong and brooding hero, a love triangle and a not so interesting plotline. I was proved wrong. In fact, I think the comparisons to Twilight, do this novel a disservice as nearly nothing in Need can be compared to Twilight (except if being in the same genre counts). From the very beginning I fell in love with the heroine and her narrative voice. I did have a few mishaps throughout (which Thea and I will refer to later) but despite those, I ended up firmly on the “I love it” team. Firmly. You hear me, Thea?

Thea: I had my eye on Need for a very long time – I think since back last year, when I saw Angie of Angieville’s review of the book. The cover is very pretty, and I like the idea of killer pixies. Yeah, they glitter just like vampires of today, but it’s pixies. That’s pretty interesting stuff. And, for the most part, I found Need to be a solidly enjoyable novel. I actually disagree with Ana – I do think there are a lot of similarities between Need and Twilight, at least in terms of writing style. I actually liked the Twilight books (until Breaking Dawn ruined everything), in a guilty pleasure, I know this isn’t good for me but it’s so damn readable way. Both Stephenie Meyer and Carrie Jones have an ability to keep a reader glued to a book by some strange word-welding/storytelling voodoo. I call it voodoo because despite the fact that Zara commits myriad Too-Stupid-To-Live (“TSTL”) offenses, despite the mediocre writing, despite the ‘don’t-scrutinize-too-hard-or-the-story-falls-apart’ plot holes…I somehow, inexplicably found myself truly enjoying this book. I cannot explain it. It simply is.

On the plot:

Ana: Since the death of her beloved step-father, Zara has been depressed and not feeling like herself. In an attempt to get her out of her shell, her mother sends her to live with her step-grandmother in Maine. She starts school straight away and almost immediately strikes a friendship with quirky-girl Issy and finds a love interest in resident bad boy (although, not really), Nick. If being grief-stricken around the town her father grew up was not enough, a strange man keeps falling her around (and apparently all the way from Charleston) trying to lure her into the woods; and then kids start to disappear. It is clear that there is an element of paranormal happening but just exactly what is not disclosed to Zara or the reader till later on.

First things first: I quite liked the way the story evolved and the mood the author set from the opening lines. The prose was absolutely effective in conveying the grief and the cold that Zara was feeling. Then little by little, Zara starts to realise that not only the town she inhabits is different, the world she lives in is not what she thought it was. I felt the suspense of the story and even though I could certainly guess quite a few things (just what Nick was for example with all the growling and the “alpha” behaviour) but others, I was pleasantly surprised with. The beginning and the ending were fabulous in my opinion. So fabulous, I closed the book and I thought: how awesome.

Then, I started to think about the details. And this is when things went a little bit awry, because there are is a certain amount of details that do not add up (in order to not spoil important plot points, I will go back to this point later on). However, it says a lot that overall, despite any misgivings, I actually think the book is damn good and well worth a read and that is because of not only the atmospheric writing, the unpretentious romance, the presence of Killer Pixies but mostly, because of how cool and awesome, the main protagonist Zara, was.

Thea: I thoroughly enjoyed Need. I found the novelty of killer pixies to be ingenious. I too loved the snowy, otherworldly atmosphere that Ms. Jones gives to her small Maine town (and I also loved the heavy Stephen King name drops throughout). I enjoyed the central conflict to the story (a Pixie King is stalking Zara, young males are disappearing from the town, and Zara and her friends are dedicated to stopping the threat). I thought the use of phobias to introduce chapters was an ingenious touch too, adding to the magic of the book. And yet…how can I properly convey my experience with this book in a spoiler-free way. Hmm. The best comparison I can think of is:

Need is a lot like 28 Days Later.

Not because Need is overrun with humans infected with some deadly, instantly transmuted virus or anything like that (although, wait a second, Pixie-ism is pretty easily transmuted and quickly infectious…). Rather, both have a similarity in manner of plot. It’s easy to get caught up in both of these stories and rush through them, enjoying yourself the whole while. But there’s always that niggling knowledge during and after – the intellectual knowledge that the story just doesn’t add up. Such is Need.

I found myself noticing these holes while I was reading, but in spite of my disbelief, I was still able to finish the book and enjoy it. And that’s sayin’ something. (Although the more I scrutinize the plot, the most unstable the whole thing seems – but that’s fodder for later in the spoiler version of the post)

On the characters:

Ana: Despite committing at least two counts of serious Too Stupid To Live moments and having one or two moments that caused me perhaps want to strangle her, I really did like Zara as a protagonist and a narrator and the reason behind is that Carrie Jones infused her with a thing called A PERSONALITY. She is very keen on helping others (she even opens a chapter of Amnesty International), something she learnt from her step-father and which does not come without a struggle. At one point, she is asked what would she do if someone attacked her friends, she says she thinks she would not react violently but this is something that might change – because nothing is set in stone. I like that she stands up for herself, she fights for what she believes in. And she has this one quirky trait that I loved: she likes to learn about phobias and recites them to herself in times of stress.

Phobophobia
Fear of phobias

Everybody has fears, right?
I’m into that.
I collect fears like other people collect stamps, which makes me sound like more of a freak than I actually am. But I’m into it. The fears thing. Phobias.
There are all the typical, common phobias. Lots of people are afraid of heights and elevators and spiders. Those are boring. I’m a fan of good phobias. Stuff like nelophobia, the fear of glass. Or arachibutyrophobia, the fear that you will have peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth.
I do not have the fear of peanut butter, of course, but how cool is it that it’s named?

This means that Zara exists outside the sphere of her family, her friends and her love interest.

But going back to the TSTL moments. Yes, she did have quite a few. But you will notice I am not moved to mock or hold it against her. Because I understood the motivations and the reasoning behind them and above all I liked the way she reacted to the eventual repercussions (“OMG I am such an idiot”) .

As for the other characters: there are a mixture of stereotypes (the annoying bad girl at school for example) or the cool grandmother. I quite liked Nick, the love interest. But even though Zara insisted in thinking of him as bad boy I saw zero evidence (in fact all the grandmothers in town TOLD her how much of a good boy he was) of that. As a were, his job was to protect and that came naturally to him and not without some vulnerability as well – he is gruff and big and he never kissed anyone before Zara, endearing him to me almost instantly.

And then there is the Pixie King and the Need. But saying more is to seriously spoil the plot.

Thea: I have a thing against TSTL heroines. By definition, they are stupid, and incredibly annoying. However, in spite of Zara’s MANY (I counted at least 4 TSTL grievances) moments of incredible stupidity, I still, inexplicably, liked her as a character. I think this is because of the reasons Ana lists – because Zara has a personality, she knows that she’s making really bonehead decisions, and she chides herself for them. She doesn’t learn from them, which is incredibly irritating but believable (hey, that’s human nature!). I loved her quirk of reciting phobias; I loved her dedication to Amnesty International; I loved her pacifistic take on life and how naive and believably teenager-ish she is.

What irritated me more than anything with regard to Zara’s character, however, was how sloooooooow she was to put two and two together when all the evidence is clearly in front of her. To be fair, this is a plot device that many authors use (Richelle Mead most notably does this in her Vampire Academy and Georgina books – and I usually let it slide) – the “everyone knows what’s going on except the heroine and this will be protracted as long as humanly possible” technique. Zara is supposed to be an intelligent young woman, and yet she cannot piece together two very elementary clues to solve a puzzle? Come on. It’s belittling to the character, and even worse, it’s annoying to the reader. (Sorry for the mini-rant, it’s just a huge pet peeve of mine)

As for the other characters, there are some stereotypical appearances as Ana has mentioned (hip grannie, hot bitchy blonde popular girl), but I think the secondary cast works to Need’s favor. I loved Zara’s friends, especially Isi and Devyn. Even more importantly, they exist beyond the realm of “being Zara’s friends,” (a common pitfall in the YA genre that Ms. Jones nicely avoids). Nick is a little predictable, but sweet too, and the romance between him and Zara is undeniably fun.

The only deficiency in characters (besides Zara’s TSTL moments) lay in some character motivations, and a lack of explanation especially where Pixies are concerned. But, those are spoilery, and for later.

Final Thoughts, Observations and Ratings:

Ana: You will probably have noticed by now that Need is a novel I enjoyed immensely but it was “in spite of” and not “because of”. I do think this series has a lot of potential (plot-wise and character-wise) and I plan on reading Captivate as soon as possible.

Thea: What Ana said. I really enjoyed Need and eagerly dove into Captivate after finishing the first book. But I can recognize that the book has it’s fair share of issues. I’m willing to overlook them and encourage all readers to do the same (because it is such a fun book to read), but know that they are there…

Notable Quotes/Parts: From the official excerpt:

“So . . . ,” I say. “You guys were going to tell me about the man outside the cafeteria. Have you ever seen him before?”

Devyn swallows. “I’m not sure. He creeped me out, which is not manly, I know.”

“You are totally manly,” Is announces in a way that makes both Devyn and me blush. She stops twitching. “Devyn looked up some stuff. You are probably going to have a hard time believing this.”

I wait. “Uh-huh . . .”

“You want to tell her?” Issie asks.

Devyn sticks the spoon in the ice cream carton. It stands up straight. He toughs out the words, “We think he’s a pixie.”

You can read the full excerpt online, HERE.

Also, you can check out the (disney-abc-family-esque) book trailer out below:

Rating:

Ana: 6 – Good ( I wavered between a 6 and 7 until the last minute)

Thea: 6 – Good. (It would have been a 7 based on pleasure alone, but I cannot justify that rating, given how many problems there were with the story)

Additional Thoughts:

What you saw above is a clean version of our opinions about Need after we settled down and thought about and discussed the book like two adults. But we decided, for the first time ever, to disclose what really goes on behind the curtains when we read a book. For an unabridged version of our conversation by emails, complete with spoilers, silly smilies, swearing words and a glimpse of the true nature of the smugglers’ dynamics, all you have to do is carry on.

(more…)

Title: Soulless

Author: Gail Carriger

Genre: Romance, Horror/Fantasy

Publisher: Orbit
Publishing Date: September 29, 2009
Paperback: 384 pages

Stand Alone or series: Book one in a planned series, titled The Parasol Protectorate.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she’s a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire — and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London’s high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

REVIEW:

We are doing something different with this here review: instead of our usual joint template, we are going with a more laid-back layout, due to our mixed feelings concerning Soulless. Warning: There may be some very MINOR spoilers ahead!

Ana’s Take:

Soulless was one of my most anticipated reads of 2009 ever since I heard about it towards the end of the last year. The setting is Victorian times with steampunk elements, with werewolves and vampires, a quirky spinster soulless heroine who can cancel the aforementioned creatures’ supernaturality (yay, new made-up word) and whose “power” would lead her to be a major player in the supernatural world. For all intents and purposes, I was supposed to absolutely adore this book. Even the very manner in which I came by to own an arc of it was, to me, an indication that this book and I were meant to be: I was on Twitter one day, back when folks were at the BEA and Sarah from the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books tweeted that she was in line to talk to the author, I tweeted saying “OMG I SO want her book” and Sarah, whom I have never met, nor exchanged emails with or anything, offered to get me a signed copy and mail it to me. (seriously, how awesome is that?) . I got the book and kept it until last week when it was the time to read it.

I opened the book and started to read. It begins with our intrepid heroine, Miss Alexia Tarabotti who is a half-Italian, dark haired, somewhat ugly, spinster (I could feel something stirring at the back of my mind) sitting alone in a room trying to eat treacle tarts when she is attacked by a vampire. Her first reaction is to think how inappropriate it was to be attacked so and how the tarts were going to be wasted like that (a warning signal started to sound in my ears), then a fight ensues and she kills him with her trusted parasol. Before I could recover from the shock of that revelation, a man walks into the room, one Lord Maccon who was described as a huge, gruff man who could not abide Alexia’s logic and their dialogue is replete with half bickering half attraction.

At that very moment, I felt like I was struck by lightning.

Because, if you remove the “vampire” from the equation and replace the character names with “Amelia” and “Emerson,” you have Elizabeth Peter’s Amelia Peabody set up right there! From the characters’ physical description, to Alexia’s quirkiness, to the H/H dynamics, DOWN TO THE TRUSTED PARASOL.

I had a moment of utter befuddlement then. I sent Thea a flurry of emails in which I went through a Grief Cycle. First it was Denial: “This can’t be happening.” Then, it was Anger: “I can’t believe this. Down to the trusted parasol??????” Then it was Depression: “I so wanted to love this book, Thea,” and finally, Acceptance: in which I decided to resume reading. Because of the premise of the soulless character, because of my expectations, I decided to carry on. I hoped that the characters would grow on their own, that the story itself would be sufficient to nullify this first impression.

I read another 200 pages of it. I really tried to get involved in the story but two things prevented me from doing so. One, every time Alexia thought or spoke I had Amelia Peabody’s voice at the back of my mind. I am aware of being completely unfair here – she is not EXACTLY like Amelia, but her quirkiness is close enough, familiar enough for me not to be comfortable with it. Plus at some parts it felt SO forced. The success of this book relies heavily in the reader’s ability to fall in love with Alexia’s originality – but she is not an Original to me. I don’t know. Maybe other people who read Amelia Peabody would like Soulless because it reminds them of Peabody.

The other point that made me step back and not enjoy this as much: there is a lot of romance here. Like, a LOT. I have no problem with romance, heck it is my favourite genre and even in other genres, whenever there is romance , I am happy. But the spine of the book says: Horror/Fantasy. And there is no HORROR in this book at all. Yes, there are Fantasy elements but in my not so modest opinion, Soulless was completely mislabeled. This should be Paranormal Romance. The mislabeling makes me angry: what is wrong with labeling a book for what it is? If you are publishing something that is clearly Paranormal Romance, OWN IT. The worst thing is this: I can see that people who like Paranormal Romance and would completely enjoy Soulless will give this a pass and not pick it up because of the Horror/Fantasy label!

Having said that, if I like romance why did it prevent me from liking this? Because there was one scene where Alexia and Maccon have been captured, are locked in a cell, were given one hour to live and they decide that it was the best time for making out. COME ON.

That was when I realised that I was predisposed NOT to like this book from the get go and decided to put it away. It made me sad, but I was aware that perhaps I was not being fair. I needed a second opinion, preferably from someone who also loves Amelia Peabody. I needed Thea. And so I sent the book to her.

Thea’s Take:

As Ana’s said before me, Soulless was a book we were BOTH very excited about (in fact, I’m the one that alerted Ana’s attention to said book). I was more than a little jealous when she told me she received an ARC, but I waited patiently for my turn with the book. And then, when Ana finally started to read it, the emails started to pour in. Ana was completely dejected and let down – and she desperately needed a second opinion. And, thus, she immediately sent the book to me after she could not finish it. At this point, I was very nervous, and had brought my reader expectations down a whole bunch. But, I was willing to give Soulless a fair shot.

And…the result? I’m left with mixed feelings.

On the dominant side of these mixed emotions is a firm agreement with Ana. Alexia Tarabotti is indeed very much Amelia Peabody, right down to the physical descriptions: long, unruly dark locks, a lack of self-esteem in the appearance department, darker tanned skin, the generous curves so out of vogue with the current fashions, and of course, the Parasol. If you’ve read Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody books, you will recognize this immediately. Heck, even the names are similar, phonetically: Alexia Tarabotti vs. Amelia Peabody. Perhaps Ms. Carriger is a huge fan of Amelia’s – I know that both Ana and I certainly are! – and this was an homage of sorts. But there’s a difference between homage and that uncomfortable too-close sensation, and unfortunately, Alexia inspired the latter in me. Keep in mind, there’s also Lord Maccon who is every bit Emerson Radcliffe to Alexia’s Amelia. He’s growly and loud and brawny and attractive, and of course, completely taken with Alexia’s pigheaded, logical nature.

In itself, this isn’t too bad – I found that I could keep reading despite some disappointment in the originality department. But then…other things started to pop up. Other Amelia-isms, for example:

‘Alexia!’ Lord Maccon groaned his frustration. Miss Tarabotti realized that the earl’s use of her given name indicated a certain degree of irritation on his part.
~ from Soulless

versus

‘Forget Ramses,’ Emerson said. ‘I insist, Amelia, that you tell me what is worrying you.’ Despite his smile he was not in good temper with me; his use of my proper name indicated as much. ‘Peabody,’ my maiden name, is the one he uses in moments of marital or professional approbation. With a sigh, I yielded.
~ from Lion in the Valley

It’s more than a little bit distracting, and I could immediately understand Ana’s frustration with the book. I have to concur with Ana’s claim that the lynchpin of Soulless is in the quirkiness and originality of its heroine, Alexia, and the awkward affections of Lord Maccon. And I’m cool with trying to emulate Amelia Peabody’s quirky narrative. BUT, unfortunately, the sparkle of the dynamic between Alexia and Maccon is not nearly so vibrant when you’ve seen it before – and done much better, even – with Amelia and her dear Emerson.

There were also a number of stylistic and plotting things that bothered me. Alexia’s heritage as a half-italian with tanned skin and a prominent nose and ample bosoms were on a constant loop throughout the book; the hideousness of Miss Ivy’s hats were also emphasized at every appearance of the character; the vampire Lord Akaldama’s flamboyance was flared at every possible occasion. In fact, this is what bothered me the most – more so than the Amelia similarities, Soulless suffered from EXCESS. The repetitiveness of the same descriptions, the excessive discussion of the clothes so and so was wearing, or anytime Lord Akaldama opened his mouth to speak (every other word was italicized, and punctuated with some silly endearment like “sugarplumb!“).

Too much.

Also, thematically, Soulless suffers from this excess. As Ana mentioned above, the fantasy/horror label is something of a misnomer – this is much more of a paranormal romance, with fantasy elements (not so much any horror, at least, not in my opinion). And it is a damn shame because doubtless, the eager fantasy and horror fans who have been waiting for this book or who decide to give it a shot will be scratching their heads, and the romance readers who are more likely to love this book will bypass it entirely!

Also, there are the steampunk fans to take into consideration. You may have seen that Soulless is also marketed as a Steampunk novel, and this is, in my opinion, one of the most egregious flaws.

There is really nothing steampunk about it. Yes, there is an appearance of ONE dirigible, but it’s in the periphery, as two characters are walking in Hyde Park. There’s an automaton, and some dramatic steam powered machines and theories at the end of the novel, but it none of it seems necessary or integral to the plot in the slightest. There’s no reason why this could not have simply been a Victorian Era novel. Not to mention, Soulless tries to blend Vampires, Werewolves, a Victorian B.P.R.D., AND Steampunk all in a single book! It’s a little too much (again, the excess), and though not impossible to pull off (see Mike Mignola’s Hellboy), it’s a tall order and just doesn’t work here.

Instead, the sparse and shakily integrated steampunk elements come across as trying to take advantage of a burgeoning new market, as opposed to having artistic integrity to the novel. And it’s a shame, because the paranormal element was actually quite intriguing. Which brings me to my final point…

Now, it appears like Ana and I have been ragging on this book for an entire review. Well, we have. BUT while it is important to note these weaknesses, I have to say that Soulless is not without its strengths. Even though I found myself less than impressed with the writing, the mislabeled genre, and the eerily familiar characters, I cannot deny that there was something in this novel that kept me reading. I think that the paranormal aspect of the book was fascinating – I loved the idea of a “soulless” protagonist who has the ability to nullify supernatural powers with a single touch, and the history behind the vampires and werewolves and their full integration into English society (even if Ms. Carriger didn’t quite pull this off believably). I wish that Ms. Carriger focused less on trying to integrate the unnecessary steampunk elements into the book, less on the repetition of descriptions and character quirks that felt forced, and instead focused on this brilliant premise. I loved the idea of an octopus being the moniker of a zealous anti-supernatural faction. While I thought that certain passages were awkward and clunky, and that neither Alexia nor Maccon come off as entirely genuine (Alexia’s use of certain anachronisms, such as:

“Huh, she thought. I do not buy it. I definitely do not feel protected.“

…were jarringly out of place with the time period, and Lord Maccon’s “Scottish” heritage never really felt genuine either), I still felt drawn to these characters against all odds. I love the Amelia Peabody and Emerson-type dynamic, so even this paler imitation was admittedly fun.

And, most importantly, I finished the book.

Now keep in mind, I also felt a compulsion to finish the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, and those certainly were not good books. But the point is, there’s something there. Ms. Carriger, like Ms. Meyer, has the ability to keep a reader wanting to read the book. And, given the good ideas that were buried underneath the disappointments and less-than-impressive writing, I think there’s something worthwhile here, and Ms. Carriger can only improve as an author. So, I will be picking up the next novel – I can’t help myself.

Rating:

Ana: DNF

Thea: 4 – Bad, but not without merit / 6 – Good, with reservations It’s a schizophrenic rating for me because on the whole, the novel had serious problems. BUT there’s promise in there, and I’ll be reading the next book just to see where it goes.

Reading Next: Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Genre: Young Adult, Speculative Fiction

Stand Alone or Series: Book One in a planned trilogy.

Summary: (from amazon.com)
Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games.” The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat’s sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

A Brief Introduction:

Christine, from the awesome The Happily Ever After blog, recently emailed me after she had started The Hunger Games and could not put it down, and she was eager to discuss it. I had picked up a copy of the book earlier this month and, considering the buzz about this novel, was eager to dive into it, especially with Christine’s recommendation. Since neither of us thought we were going to make it for the Dear Author book discussion, we decided to host a late joint discussion here, in the style of the Joint Reviews Ana and I hold on occasion.

**For a SPOILER FREE review of The Hunger Games, check out Christine’s blog HERE.**

So! Now that’s out of the way…let’s get crackin’.

SPOILERS FOLLOW AFTER THE BREAK!!! IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW, AVERT YOUR VIRGIN EYES!

First Impressions:

Thea: What can I say, Christine, you definitely know my tastes! I enjoyed this book, in an addictive, cotton-candy kind of way. One of my favorite books-to-movies is the Japanese Battle Royale, in which to keep citizens frightened and obedient (and to staunch the problem of rebellious youth), the government enacts a law in which all the nation’s schools are entered into a lotto system, where the “winning” class gets transported to a remote island. There, the children are each given a backpack with provisions and a weapon (the weapon can be anything from an Uzi to a pot lid). And from there, they are forced to fight to the death, until only one survivor remains (the kids also have to worry about “safe” zones via periodic announcements, exploding collars, and a time limit to kill everyone off).

I also immediately think of another book-to-screen favorite, The Running Man by Stephen King (as Richard Bachman). In The Running Man, contestants are pulled into a perverse game show where in return for cash and prizes, they are hunted down by professional (and publicly adored, in the style of WWE) Seekers. *Note, I’m talking about the movie version here, which is significantly different from the book*

With The Hunger Games, a young adult novel, we get a sort of Battle Royale-meets-Running Man LITE version 2.0. It’s a hybrid novel that borrows heavily from these other work and yet it is one that I thoroughly enjoyed. The Hunger Games lacks the gruesomeness and biting social commentary of its Japanese counterpart or the dark humor of the King version, but on its own it stands as a solid, dystopian novel. I found myself completely entertained and eagerly await the next in the trilogy.

Christine: Thea, I’m so glad you enjoyed The Hunger Games as much as I did, and I’m really honored and excited that you asked me to do this joint book discussion with you! Thank you.

I enjoy thoroughly reading YA novels, and find those written about dystopian societies are incredibly intense and thought provoking, The Hunger Games no exception. Not only does this novel address government controls, but it also demonstrates the power even one individual has to make a profound statement against government sanctions. Very powerful messages in this novel, delivered by some very heroic young characters driven by the will to survive. I highly recommend this novel.

Discussion Points

1. Let’s talk about Panem—-the effectiveness of the televised games, the unruliness of its people, and the possibility of rebellion

Thea: The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian future society, after the United States (and the rest of the world, possibly?) has been ravaged by war. The former USA is now a federation of twelve districts and the Capitol, making the nation-state of Panem. I found it clever that the US shrinks back down to thirteen districts after war, as with the original thirteen states, and that there was another attempt at uprising earlier in Panem’s history (which, incidentally resulted in the complete destruction of the thirteenth district). This world is intriguing, with the different districts separated by production specialty—for example, District 11 being the Agricultural District, and District 12 being the Mining District. The only real problem I kinda had with this society setup was the televised nature of the Games. Certainly, it seems as though those in the poorer districts (like districts 11 and 12) wouldn’t have televisions to watch the constant coverage, and we’re never really given an idea as to how the government of Panem forces its citizens to watch (especially considering all work is halted in order to watch the proceedings). Furthermore, the effectiveness of televised games–besides being entertaining for the relatively outnumbered rich folks–seems questionable. Katniss narrates that the games are used to control the Districts, to ensure they do not ever get any funny ideas about rebelling again, although I’m not sure I buy into the effectiveness of the games in this sort of segregated environment.

Certainly everyone in District 12 seems cowed by constant hunger and intent on just surviving, and with the Hunger Games they do not seem entertained, but rather hostile, silently defiant–and ultimately leading to a volatile, rebellious type of situation.

I definitely see rebellion in the future books, as the poorer districts could band together, especially since Katniss and Peeta were able to “beat the system” in the Arena.

Christine: I have to admit that when I first read that the government of Panem orchestrated these games as a deterrent against rebellion, it made me uncomfortable. I cringed at the thought of a government drafting innocent and peaceful citizens and forcing them to kill their neighbors. The fact that the players in the games, called the tributes, were teenagers and that their fight to the death was televised nationwide just made the premise that much more disturbing. Obviously this was the author’s intention, and it was a very effective wake up call to the implications of war and the survival of the fittest.

There are a few conditions in this society that I felt were not elaborated thoroughly enough for me to fully believe or understand the power the Capitol has over its citizens, but as the politics of the world revealed itself through the telling of this seventy-fourth Hunger Games, I imagine more information regarding Panem’s political state will be forthcoming in future books. For example, like Thea, I couldn’t fully comprehend the deterrent value of the Hunger Games to the citizens from the poorer districts like Katniss’ District 12. The people of the poorer districts are working themselves to the bone just to survive with enough food and they do not have the luxury of watching television at night and barely seem able to keep up with what is going on in other Districts, let alone the Capitol. So how is it that the Games are effective at deterring them from organizing a rebellion? If anything, I would think the Games would have the opposite effect and actually encourage dissension. Although, I do believe that is finally on the horizon for the people of Panem.

2. Food, Glorious Food–what’s the significance?

Thea: Since the book is titled The Hunger Games, food, or rather hunger, plays an integral part to the story. Although it is clear that food is a huge, constant worry for Katniss, it seems not to be a problem for the Capitol dwellers, or those in the more prosperous districts. It would seem that Panem seeks to control its citizens by starving them–as it has historically, following the failed first uprising. It is interesting to see that throughout the Games, the divide between those who have had easy food versus those who are used to living without it sharply comes into focus–to the point where strategy in the Games is dictated by food. When Katniss decides to attack the “Careers” by blowing up their food source, she effectively swings the Games to her favor…and I’m certain this is a theme we could see more of in the future (should the agricultural district decide to cut off the Capitol’s food supply).

Christine: Clearly food is the ultimate commodity in Panem as well as in the Hunger Games Arena. In Panem, the Capitol and the wealthier districts have unlimited access to a diverse food supply, and Katniss learns this first hand the moment she boards the train bound for the Capitol days prior to the start of the Games. The amount and variety of food as well as its decadent preparation within the Capitol is vastly different from the food found in District 12, where people are fortunate to be able to grow a few food crops and or have enough money for a loaf of bread. Luckily Katniss had been sneaking out of the boundaries of her district over the years with her friend Gale where they foraged for roots, berries, bark and other plant foods as well as to hunted and trapped animals to eat or sell in the market or Hob. These skills put Katniss at a huge advantage in the Hunger Games as she could find her own food in the arena and not rely on the rations that others would fight over in death matches. So in the end, the one who spent her life hungry would be the one to defy hunger in the Games.

3. The burgeoning romance: Katniss and Peeta (and Gale)

Christine: The relationship between Peeta and Katniss is developed and written very well, especially considering we really only see the story from Katniss’ point of view. Like Katniss, I continuously flip flopped between thinking Peeta’s concern and affection for her was genuine and thinking he was just using her in order to get ahead in the Games. The more the story progressed, however, the more I began to see that Peeta’s love for Katniss was sincere. Ultimately, Katniss also grows to care very much for Peeta, but I’m not completely convinced she genuinely loves him. I do think the bond that they share is undeniably strong, because of the brutality of the Games they faced and survived together, and this bond will tie them together for a very long time coming–especially if they join a future rebellion against the Capitol.

Speaking of bonds, I think the bond between Katniss and Gale runs even deeper than that of Katniss and Peeta, and will be the one that survives in the end. Oh, I’m sure they are going to struggle with it, but I think their love will prevail. Like her relationship with Peeta, Katniss’ relationship with Gale was also forged similarly under the dire circumstances of survival. I think because Katniss and Gale started out on equal ground as hunting partners and then as true friends before they started feeling more for each other, their love will be stronger. Not to mention that Katniss often thought of Gale throughout the Games, even whenever she kissed Peeta! Well, most of the times she kissed Peeta, anyway. *wink* So as much as I like and admire Peeta, I’m rooting for the Katniss-Gale angle.

Thea: I gotta take the Katniss-Peeta angle here. The romantic touch to this novel is very sweet, and compelling. Katniss “plays” the Games by milking the romance angle with Peeta–who genuinely cares for Katniss. What Katniss fails to realize (well, she realizes it on a subconscious level through her narrative) is that despite the romance strategy, she actually, genuinely cares for Peeta. I’m always a sucker for the “friend/guy you never noticed who desperately loves you” storyline, what can I say?!

Not that there’s anything wrong with Gale, but it’s kinda hard to root for a guy that isn’t even in the picture for most of the story. I’m interested to see how the triangle plays out…who knows? Maybe I’ll even change my mind and root for Gale in the next book!

4. Place Your Bets–what’s going to happen next?

Christine: I have no idea! LOL My first impression is that Katniss will be faced with some serious relationship challenges when she returns to District 12. We have no idea what went on while she was participating in the Games or what people’s opinions of her “performance” are either, so I’m a bit nervous about that. I have the feeling that Katniss will have a few surprises when she gets home, mostly regarding her relationships with her sister Prim, her mother, and of course, Gale. It’s certainly not going to be easy, especially if she has to perpetuate the myth of being in love with Peeta for the purposes of keeping the Capitol off her back. Well, if it is a myth that is.

Politically, I think a conspiracy plan will reveal itself, although I’m not sure who will be spearheading it. Perhaps Heymitch–Katniss and Peeta’s drunken trainer who won the Hunger Games years ago, or maybe even Cinna and Portia–the Capitol designers assigned to Katniss and Peeta at the Games. Whatever happens, I think Katniss will be reluctant to join out of fear for jeopardizing Prim’s safety, but in the end, her had in a rebellion will be forced.

Thea: Toughie, but I’m thinking the next book will be a tempest after the fallout from these last Hunger Games. The government is clearly onto Katniss, and I’m certain her supposed victory life of ease is not gonna happen. There’s also the increasing sentiment of resentment and rebellion against the Capitol, which I think will grow (aided in large part by Katniss and Gale, and probably with covert aid from Heymitch) in the next book, ultimately coming to a clash in the third book.

Or…I could be full of crap, and none of it happens. Hehe.

5. Influences and recommendations

Thea: I have already mentioned Battle Royale and The Running Man; both of which are pretty direct translations in this novel. I *highly* recommend Battle Royale for anyone who is a fan of this book–the book is great, but the movie is spectacular. One of my favorites. (Although I believe the film isn’t sold in the USA, I had to order mine from the UK online, but this was a few years back–perhaps it is available now)

Another similar book that could have been an influence here is another King novel (as Bachman, again), The Long Walk–probably one of King’s most underrated novels. In a not too distant future, boys from around the country apply to take part in an annual competition–where they walk. One hundred boys are selected, and they must walk, never slower than four miles per hour, never stopping, until only one walker remains. Any boy that slows down for more than 30 seconds, or receives outside aid, or assaults another walker, is issued a warning. Three consecutive warnings, and the boy has bought himself a ticket–that is, he is shot dead. The walk ends when only one boy remains. It’s a haunting, psychological horror story, and it provides a darker, more in-depth look at some of the moral issues that are glanced at in The Hunger Games (more on that later).

The other literary parallel I am reminded of is William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Forced by necessity, the children in The Hunger Games create their own world order, ending in savagery and death. Certainly Katniss is no Ralph, but the gang of Careers resembles the brutal, fatalistic attitude of Jack and his hunters.

So far as historical parallels, discussed over at Dear Author, The Hunger Games draws heavily on Roman history, in particular on Gladiators. The painted host, the names (Cinna, Portia, Cato), the nature of the Arena itself conjures images of the Coliseum.

Christine: Not as closely related to The Hunger Games, as the examples Thea has given, another young adult series based on a dystopian world that I highly recommend is a trilogy written by the critically acclaimed author Lois Lowry that starts with The Giver (1994 Newbery Medal Award), followed by Gathering Blue and finally The Messenger. I read these three novels several years ago and was moved and awed by the power of these amazing stories. While this trilogy does not necessarily share the brutality and harshness of The Hunger Games, it does question the power of government and also delivers powerful messages regarding the value of freedom, the roles of individuals and community, and the power of love and healing.

6. Moral Decisions—is Katniss off the hook? YA versus non-YA: the dilemma

Thea: I felt that this book pulled a lot of its punches. Katniss is bailed out of countless moral decisions, never having to kill someone until her hand is forced. What would have happened had Rue not been killed by that boy from District 1? The Gamemakers’ resolve crumples like a little girl punched in the stomach by letting both Katniss and Peeta live. Why? I think a lot of this has to do with the book being a YA novel—toning down less palatable moral dilemmas. It’s all fine and good, I want to like both Peeta and Katniss…but had this been an adult novel, I would really want to see the author go there.

The only other thing I will say is that because a lot of the moral issues are stunted, the meaning of this book is more superficial and is wanting for something deeper than face value. Yes, the Government is BAD. But so far as moral dilemmas, questioning of humanity, socio-economic critiques? The Hunger Games doesn’t really deliver.

BUT it does deliver as a well written, engaging and wholly entertaining book.

Christine: I have to disagree with your claim that Katniss was spared being faced with difficult moral decisions or got the easy way out of being a ruthless killer. First of all, she was in fact responsible for several deaths, even if only two tributes died directly at her hand. All of the deaths were brutal and traumatic, especially considering this is a YA novel. Secondly, I think the fact that Katniss was never in a position of questionable morality is actually key to her character. The fact that Katniss was able to hide, survive, avoid confrontation and triumph at the Games without acting objectionably demonstrates that she is exactly the kind of citizen that citizens of Panem should hold exemplary and that is why she won the Games and will hold an important role in the rebellion against the Capitol.

What’s the Verdict?

Thea: Highly enjoyable, addictive book. I’ll definitely be around for the sequels! I give it a: 7 Very Good.

Christine: I was sucked into this world after reading the first few pages and each chapter was more exciting and more suspenseful than the previous. I was completely absorbed by its alarming intensity and wait anxiously for the sequels. I give it an: 8 Excellent!

Thank you Christine! This was a blast! Now, if anyone else has read The Hunger Games and has anything to say, we’d love to hear from you!