Geek High by Piper Banks - Book Review #52

Geek High

by Piper Banks

At this school, everyone's a geek. And Miranda Bloom still can't fit in...

Miranda is a math genius with divorced parents, an evil stepmother, and no boyfriend in sight. She can't even fit in with the other geeks at the Nottingham Independent School for high-IQ students, because they actually have useful talents. Miranda, on the other hand, is known as "The Human Calculator," which doesn't amount to much when people have, you know, their own calculators.

Then Miranda gets stuck planning the school's Snowflake Gala. And as she struggles to find a date and drum up some school spirit at Nottingham-aka "Geek High"-she finds that who you are means more than where you fit in.
From goodreads.com

I know too many reasons why I shouldn’t have liked this book, but despite all of them I did. It was completely predictable, full of clichés and unrealistic. It didn’t have any real problems. The main character is supposed to be a genius, but in most of the cases was acting like a stupid person (ok, ok, I know that person can be intelligent, but at the same time not wise, however Miranda’s inferences were truly stupid sometimes and not unwise).

However, I guess I’ve read it at precise moment when I really needed something like this book – a brain candy, check your brains out at the door. And despite what I’ve already said here, this book is really not that bad, it has some really good qualities – it is sweet and honest, it is cute and sometimes funny. It was quite solidly written with a simple but a thought through plot. And it made me feel like I felt in my childhood after reading a fairytale – a highly implausible story that makes you smile and believe in all the good in the world.

Geek High is a YA version of Chick Flick. I’m not sure if I would recommend it to adults – there are a lot of Chick Flick books for adults to choose from. However, I would definitely recommend it to teenage girls as a relaxing, fun summer read. I, myself, will be definitely reading a second installment in Geek High series – Geek Abroad.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - Book Review #51

The Bell Jar

by Sylvia Plath

The Bell Jar chronicles the crack-up of Esther Greenwood: brilliant, beautiful, enormously talented, and successful, but slowly going under -- maybe for the last time. Sylvia Plath masterfully draws the reader into Esther's breakdown with such intensity that Esther's insanity becomes completely real and even rational, as probable and accessible an experience as going to the movies. Such deep penetration into the dark and harrowing corners of the psyche is an extraordinary accomplishment and has made The Bell Jar a haunting American classic.

From barnesandnoble.com

I’ve started to read The Bell Jar for the plot, but turned out I’ve read it for the language. Somehow the plot stopped matter to me, even though I was still interested in it. And I found myself simply enjoying the melody of Plath’s prose, the rhythm of her words, while my eyes were gliding through pages. I think if I wouldn’t have known that Sylvia Plath was a poet, I would have guessed it, because her use of the language is exquisite. She wrote so beautifully, it makes me sad that her life was so short and she was able to finish only one novel. I would like to give you three sentences as an example:

I could feel the tears brimming and sloshing in me like water in a glass that is unsteady and too full.

The tropical, stale heat the sidewalks had been sucking up all day hit me in the face like a last insult.

I wanted to crawl in between those black lines of print the way you crawl through a fence, and go to sleep under that beautiful big green fig tree.

The Bell Jar reminded me at some point of Catcher in the Rye and Feminine Mystique. I guess the time when these books were written, the setting’s time and also some themes and motives are resembled The Bell Jar. It also reminded me of some movies that were either set in 50th-60th and dealt in some way with breakdown and insanity. However, despite that resemblance, I still believe that The Bell Jar is absolutely unique and original.

I guess you really have to live through something like this to be able to guide the reader through all of the emotions and thoughts of a character who is experiencing a breakdown. And living through wouldn’t always be enough, you would also have to have Plath’s talent to be able to put it into words. Sylvia Plath not only made me understand what was happening to the heroine, but also she made me feel, feel everything that Esther felt, see everything that she saw and also live through all of that. And that was made with such intensity that I think no one would be able to stay indifferent.

I think The Bell Jar has something for pretty much everyone - interesting and coming alive scenes of 50th - for those who is interested in that period, an insightful view into insanity – for those who is curious about this subject and the beauty of the language – for those who enjoys original metaphors, unforgettable simile and analogy, for those who believes if words are arranged in correct order, you can hear a melody like no other.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, Reg Keeland (Translator) - Book Review #50

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

by Stieg Larsson, Reg Keeland (Translator)

Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch--and there's always a catch--is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo.

From goodreads.com

So I gave in to another bestseller that I had no interest in for years. And I did it because pretty much one phrase that my husband said: “You are going to love Lisbeth Salander.” And, oh boy, he knows me so well, because I did, I’m most certainly did! Salander is my type of a character. She is smart, resourceful, full of surprises, a bit crazy, unaccepted by society, but not caring about this, with almost no moral restrains and she is a kick-ass. Even though I wouldn’t call her a main character, she is the main reason I liked this book.

Multi-layered plot was another reason why I liked The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This is not a book you would call simple or easy. Larsson mixed together so many issues and topics – from Nazis to sexual sadism, from religious fanaticism to shady business dealings, from violence against women and creepy perverts to dysfunctional family secrets. I guess I just got too tired of one dimensional characters and plots that why Larsson’s colorful multi-layerness was more than welcome.

Family secrets theme was another thing I couldn’t resist. Family secrets that has been lurking though decades, generations and even centuries? Yes, please! The family tree with countless uncles, grand-nieces and other siblings? Fat photo-albums full of faded, back-and-white tragedies, happiness and enigmas? Yes, please! And finally, the family members that are ready to take these carefully guarded secrets to the grave? Oh yes, yes, please!

What else made me like this book? It’s humor. Some scenes are absolutely hilarious. I ‘m not going to mention anything in particular, not to spoil for those who haven’t read this book yet, thought I’m sure there aren’t many; I will only mention one sentence. However, you would need to read a book to understand the humor. Mikael Blomkvist’s book dedication: “To Sally, who showed me the benefit of the spot of golf.” It is a short and simple dedication, but there is so much more in it!

There were also some moments in this book that annoyed me. First of all, I don’t like the format of the novel when one story if wrapped around another one. First, author is making me interested in one story, then drops it in the middle and starts a new one. I’m getting into the second story and staying with it till the end. At this moment I feel like I’m done with this book, but… wait a second, dear reader. Do you remember the first story I dropped in the middle? Yes, the one that I got you hooked up with. So I need to finish it now. And we are back to the first story. I can’t even explain why, but it annoys me a great deal. I guess I don’t like starting a new story when the initial is not finished.

Second, some moments in the middle of the book were dull and repetitive, so they made the story drag. In my opinion, it could have been cut out.

Third, characters’ names and places were so close to each other that sometimes it was hard to follow the story. Thanks god, for the family tree diagram, to which I was referring constantly. Henrik, Harriet and Harald who lives in Hedeby, close to Hedesad. Gottfried, Gustav, Gregor, Gerda. Berger and Birger. So you got the picture.

And the last, but not least I kept wondering why, oh why the book was titled The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Ok, Lisbeth has a dragon tattoo, but she is not even a main character and her tattoo certainly doesn’t play any role in the story. Then I found out the original title – Men Who Hate Women – and that title made so much more sense. This is an example why I don’t like reading translations and if I have a chance, I will always choose an original, because translators sometimes bring their creativity where it is not needed.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a kick-ass book with a kick-ass female character. What else can I ask for? I can’t wait to read second and the third book in this series.

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov - Book Review #49

I, Robot

by Isaac Asimov

"They mustn't harm a human being, they must obey human orders, and they must protect their own existence...but only so long as that doesn't violate rules one and two. With these Three Laws of Robotics, humanity embarked on perhaps its greatest adventure: the invention of the first positronic man. It was a bold new era of evolution that would open up enormous possibilities - and unforeseen risks. For the scientists who invented the earliest robots weren't content that their creations should remain programmed helpers, companions, and semisentient worker-machines. And soon the robots themselves, aware of their own intelligence, power, and humanity, aren't either." As humans and robots struggle to survive together - and sometimes against each other - on earth and in space, the future of both hangs in the balance. Human men and women confront robots gone mad, telepathic robots, robot politicians, and vast robotic intelligences that may already secretly control the world. And both are asking the same questions: What is human? And is humanity obsolete?
From goodreads.com

I, Robot is a collection of the short stories that deals with development of robots, in which Isaac Asimov formulated, now known to everybody, the Three Laws of Robotics. Since then these Laws were used by almost every since-fiction author that dealt with robots in their stories. I cannot start to wrap my mind around what a genius Asimov was to devise these Laws. As my husband said, Asimov should have been given a Nobel Prize for this.

Almost every story in this collection is a puzzle, mystery of why robots acting one way or another. The Three Laws or their manipulations are used to resolve these puzzles. Asimov wasn’t one of the greatest writers in a matter of writing style or composition. His style can sometimes reads as rusty or awkward. However, Asimov still managed to create entertaining and solid stories that despite being more than fifty years old, still read dated and with a great pleasure.

What caught my eye was how good Asimov was able to show the frustration of the humans, trying to deal with robots that for some reason don’t do what they are supposed to do. I even caught myself thinking: “Oh God, you read this and then you think twice before deciding if you need robots or not.” However, some moments of character’s frustration made me laugh out loud.

Another appealing factor about Isaac Asimov writing is that his stories don’t sound like physics, biology or chemistry textbook, unlike most other since-fiction writes from 1940th-1960th. He was actually able to fictionalize his scientific views. He is not talking down to the reader, not trying to teach the reader something. He is simply telling a story, which by itself is educational, but not in a blunt, straightforward way. Asimov doesn’t try to shove the knowledge into your throat; he is trying to entertain you.

Isaac Asimov’s stories are classics of the science-fiction classics. If you like sci-fi, you most definitely have read it. If you are not a sci-fi fan, I still advise you to try reading I, Robot, because it is not one of these pretend-to-be, trashy, god-knows-why-called sci-fi that repulsed so many readers from wonderful, unforgettable, dreamy and heroic, true since-fiction.

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher - Book Review #48

Incarceron

by Catherine Fisher

Incarceron is a prison unlike any other: Its inmates live not only in cells, but also in metal forests, dilapidated cities, and unbounded wilderness. The prison has been sealed for centuries, and only one man, legend says, has ever escaped.

Finn, a seventeen-year-old prisoner, can’t remember his childhood and believes he came from Outside Incarceron. He’s going to escape, even though most inmates don’t believe that Outside even exists. And then Finn finds a crystal key and through it, a girl named Claudia.

Claudia claims to live Outside—her father is the Warden of Incarceron and she’s doomed to an arranged marriage. If she helps Finn escape, she will need his help in return. But they don’t realize that there is more to Incarceron than meets the eye. Escape will take their greatest courage and cost far more than they know.

Because Incarceron is alive.

From barnesandnoble.com

Are you ready to explore the possibilities? Are you ready to build the world using only tiny clues? Are you ready to do that by yourself without someone guiding you? And are you ready to do all of that while in the middle of fast paced and action packed story? If you are, Incarceron is for you. If you like the story to be chewed out for you, if you like that everything is explained to you - Incarceron is not for you.

When I started to read Incarceron, I thought I had a good understanding about the world it is set in and the characters. However, every ten pages Fisher threw some clues, some facts that made me rethink the whole world, its structure, characters and their motivations. It was an amazing ride. Fisher kept me on my toes, making me flip pages like crazy, just to see what happens next, just to see how she is going to twist the plot once again to rock my world.

I read that a lot of people were confused with Incarceron and didn’t like it because of that. I can see why and how this can happen. But for me it felt like Fisher was challenging her readers - challenging to think, to analyze, to try to make a sense out of the events while the initial conditions keeps changing and evolving.

Incarceron is classified as a YA book, probably because the main characters – Finn and Claudia are seventeen years old. I always was against classifying books based on the age of the protagonist. And I disagree with classification in Incarceron’s case. First of all, neither Finn, no Claudia ever felts like teenagers to me. Based on their maturity, decision making and reactions I would give them twenty –twenty-five years. Second, the story isn’t about contemporary teenagers and their problems. It is a since-fiction/fantasy, so I think it might be interesting for the wide age group.

When I finished Incarceron, the thought that I would have to wait for a year to read a sequel – Sapphique - hurts as hell. So I went to amazon.co.uk and bought the British edition. I just couldn’t stop reading it. No wonder Times called it –“One of the best fantasy novels written for a long time”.

Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris - Book Review #47

Dead to the World

by Charlaine Harris

When cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse sees a naked man on the side of the road, she doesn't just drive on by. Turns out the poor thing hasn't a clue who he is, but Sookie does. It's Eric the vampire--but now he's a kinder, gentler Eric. And a scared Eric, because whoever took his memory now wants his life.

From goodreads.com

I think my apologies to Charlaine Harris are in order. I don’t think my reviews on first three books of Sookie Stackhouse series were too harsh, but I definitely didn’t give all the credit to Charlaine Harris she is entitled to.

First of all, I was thinking that all cute little details about Sookie Stackhouse world are belong to HBO and Alan Ball. Such details as vampire blood is used as a drug by some, or if a human will drink a vampire blood that vampire would be much more aware of this human whereabouts and feelings. I was thinking this because these details weren’t in first two books, but they were in the first season of True Blood. I was wrong these are the ideas that belong to Charlaine Harris. It’s just seems like when HBO was making a TV show, they read all the Sookie Stackhouse books that were available at that moment, which definitely makes sense, and presented us already developed world with all the details that they could get from all the books. Charlaine Harris, on the other hand, was developing her world gradationally, from one book to another, adding new details to her world in every book.

Second that I would like to apologize for to Charlaine Harris, is how I was bashing her imperfections in writing style and in story creation/development. None of us is perfect and only those of us who work on our mistakes can reach as close as it possible to the perfection and Charlaine Harris is definitely working on her mistakes. For me it looks like, before starting her next novel Charlaine Harris was reading all the criticism on her previous book, or she saw flaws by herself, and was trying to fix imperfections in her next book. For instance, at the end of the third book I had a thought (probably not much of a formed, solid thought, because I didn’t mention it in my review) that it is becoming annoying how in every book Sookie has at least one near-death experience. So what the fourth book is started from? Sookie is tired that she gets beaten up and almost dies every time, so she makes a New Year Resolution not to get beaten up or harmed physically in any other way. There are also many other examples like this one.

I don’t want to discuss the fourth book – Dead to the World – in details. I just want to say that I’m falling deeper and deeper for Sookie Stackhouse series and I’m off to order fifth and sixth books.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman - Book Review #46

If I Stay

by Gayle Forman

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen¬ year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make.

From barnesandnoble.com

“Sometimes you make choices, sometimes choices make you.” If I Stay is a beautiful, soul touching book, written in one of my favorite formats – all events takes place in twenty four hours. There is also a large amount of back story, which is not told chronologically, but with a connection to the events that are happening during these twenty four hours.

Gayle Forman’s writing style is superb, flawless, and perfect. It’s… no, I won’t say anything beyond that. There is truly nothing else to say, plus I don’t think I will be able to make a justice to that anyway.

However, what actually makes this book a great one is honesty. Gayle Forman is honest to the reader in her writing. Characters’ feelings are honest. Their reactions are honest. Nothing is overblown or undervalued, everything just right – honest.

Music plays big part in this story. There are references on some great classical pieces. And if you are going to read this book, my advice to you – listen to these pieces while you read. When you will come across the reference – find it on youtube.com, put it on and keep reading. In my opinion, these references are not just randomly thrown into the story, but carefully chosen by Forman and they enchant the story a great deal.

If I Stay is a moving story about love – love to the family, romantic love, love to the music and love to life. It is a story about choices that we constantly facing on our route of life and also about the most important and the most difficult choice. It is a story about immortality, in a way, about family connections, about who we actually consider a family. If I Stay is a reach and multi-layered story, but also it is beautifully simple.